Cloth Diapers

[daycarediva]

It's very bad for your washing machine. It strips the lubricants from the moving parts. For hard water, you should use a water softener in your wash -- I live in Utah, we have very hard water. I use 1/2 cup of borax in my prewash and my main wash to keep hard water build up away.

We have a great water system now, but even my washing machine manufacturer said once in a while was fine.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I would tell the dcm- the diapers aren't as absorbent, they are also starting to smell even dry. Time to strip them!

It's really easy- I always just washed them in SUPER hot water (like a sanitizing cycle on the washer), 1/2c or so of color safe bleach and a good squirt of dawn (the blue kind), then you have to wash them a couple more times with no detergent or anything to completely clean them.

You should NOT be able to tell that they were ever peed on.

This is what I always did! Even with the yucky overnight diapers that could kill ya when you opened it in the morning. ::

[Kacylf]

Thanks for the help everyone. I will talk to DCM later and give her some of this information!

[Mama2many]

Rockin' green is no longer recommended for cloth diapers. For stripping use RLR, mighty bubbles or homemade stripping agent of borax, washing soda and calgon.

A few years ago there was TONS of very bad information for washing cloth diapers. People (myself included) were told you can't use mainstream detergent to clean diapers, that you should only use 2 tablespoons of detergent or it will cause soap build up, that you need to do extra rinses and use as much water as you can...dawn to strip diapers...etc, etc...so much unproven information that people took a circulated around the internet!

http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/cloth-diaper-myths/mythbusters-cloth-edition/

Now I wash one "quick" cycle with line 1 of tide powder and 1/2 cup borax, followed by a long "white" cycle with line 3 of tide powder. Every few months I boost with an extra wash cycle with might bubbles. That's it. No stripping, ever.

happyfacehappyfacehappyface
This, I cloth diapered my son full-time for 23 months, zero leaks and no gross blowouts EVER.
Also you may want to have her check the insert, if it happens to be microfiber inserts they typically only have a 1 year life span.

[daycarediva]

I cloth diapered 4 kids from birth-potty training and always used bleach/dawn to strip. Pockets, AIO and prefolds. Homemade detergent for regular washing. NEVER had an issue. I think many of these companies are trying to get you to use their product and saying 'this is bad..' etc.

Just my .02

[happymom]

I cloth diapered 4 kids from birth-potty training and always used bleach/dawn to strip. Pockets, AIO and prefolds. Homemade detergent for regular washing. NEVER had an issue. I think many of these companies are trying to get you to use their product and saying 'this is bad..' etc.

Just my .02

My point is you shouldn't have to strip. You DID have an issue if you needed to strip the diapers. Yes, bleach and dawn will strip them, but it's extra work and not necessary if you use a proper detergent and enough of it and you treat your hard water. This "new" information is not coming from any particular company. Yes, it works (I did it for 2 years the same way you did) -- It's much better to not have to do it ever and not have issues with stinks after a few months.

[daycarediva]

My point is you shouldn't have to strip. You DID have an issue if you needed to strip the diapers. Yes, bleach and dawn will strip them, but it's extra work and not necessary if you use a proper detergent and enough of it and you treat your hard water. This "new" information is not coming from any particular company. Yes, it works (I did it for 2 years the same way you did) -- It's much better to not have to do it ever and not have issues with stinks after a few months.

ahh ok, I thought you meant not to strip or use a specified product to strip.

We were on city water, 1898 basement/leaked, no real options there.

When we moved, we had a utility room. Dh installed a water softener, UV system, carbon and sediment filters. It's AMAZING. I didn't strip diapers for SIX YEARS. Same diapers, two different kids!

[happymom]

When we moved, we had a utility room. Dh installed a water softener, UV system, carbon and sediment filters. It's AMAZING. I didn't strip diapers for SIX YEARS. Same diapers, two different kids!

I'm so jealous!