Nappy Care

"Surely washing nappies is hard work."

I have heard this excuse for not choosing cloth nappies so many times! So let’s get a few things straight here. It’s not hard work! Honest! Instead of being put into a nappy bin, which does get rather smelly, the dirty nappies go into the nappy bucket. Then every day/few days they go into the washing machine which does all the hard work for us. It’s even easier if you have a mesh bucket liner as you just lift this out of the bucket and wash it with the dirty nappies.

"You must have so much washing to do!"

This is another one I often hear. Who doesn’t with children??

Dirty nappies

Nappies don't tend to get too dirty because the liner should pick up most or all of the poo although some stains might go through. Breast-fed babies' poo will tend to be more runny. If you find the poo is running off the flushable liner, try a fleece liner.

Dirty nappies can be rinsed by sluicing in the toilet flush before being put in the bucket. Simply hold on (tightly!) to a clean part of the nappy and flush in the toilet. Alternatively, put them through a rinse cycle on your machine before the main wash.

The best stain remover is the UV rays of the sun - putting nappies on an airer by the window will suffice if you can't dry nappies outside.

Sanitising nappies

Although not essential, it is advisable to soak your nappies until your baby is around 3-4 months. After this, poo tends to become a bit less sticky and the nappies can be put in a dry bucket, although the occasional soaking will help minimise stains and smells. There is no need to separate wet and dirty nappies.

NB it's best not to soak all-in-one nappies or the outer part of pocket nappies (e.g. Fuzzis, Minkis, Happy Heineys) as this will reduce the lifespan of your nappies.

To soak your nappies, half-fill the bucket with water and add one of the following:

Commercial nappy soak powder e.g. Bio-D or PhP (Napisan and Milton are not recommended as the harshness of the chemicals can irritate baby's skin and can damage the nappies over time)

5 drops of tea tree oil (known for antiseptic and antifungal properties, although may not be suitable for babies with eczema or sensitive skin)

3 drops of lavender oil (a natural antiseptic which makes the bucket smell nicer!)

White vinegar is known for neutralising nasty niffs!

NB wraps should not be put in a wet pail as this reduces their lifespan

After 3 months, nappies and wraps can be put into a dry nappy bucket. If this is the case, add some nappy soak or lavender/tea tree oil to your powder in your washing machine (follow the instructions on the box).

Washing nappies

Wet and dirty nappies go into the nappy bucket then every day/few days into the washing machine. It is even easier if you have a mesh bucket liner as you just lift this out of the bucket and wash it with the dirty nappies.

Make sure you fold over any velcro tabs so that they don't become tangled up in the washing machine.

Biodegradable nappy liners can be flushed straight down the toilet where all human waste should go. (Liners that are only wet can be washed with the nappies and reused once). Fleece liners can be sluiced in the toilet flush then put in the nappy bucket.

Nappies can be washed at temperatures between 40 and 95 C, although it is important to check washing instruction labels. Nappies should be washed at 60 C for newborns (up to at least 3 months) or when your baby is unwell. After this, they can be washed at 40 C, although it is advisable to wash at 60 C regularly to reduce any build-up of stains or smells.

Use non-biological washing products and DO NOT use fabric conditioner as this reduces absorbency.

You can put a couple of drops of lavender oil as an alternative to fabric conditioner to make your washing smell nice.

New nappies should be washed a couple of times before wear to increase absorbency. Hemp nappies need to be washed up to 10 times before wear to get rid of any oil residue. You don't need any powder when pre-washing, and the nappies don't need to be dried in between washing.

It is advisable to wash coloured nappies or wraps (such as Minkis or Tots Bots Redwraps) with dark colours for the first few washes just in case there is any colour run (although this is unusual). After that they should be ok with other white nappies (although you could use a Colour Catcher™ to be on the safe side).

In areas of hard water, nappies can gradually become hard because of the detergents that build up. To help avoid this, run an 80 C wash with a cup of white vinegar (and no laundry).

Drying nappies

Line drying outdoors is best as the UV in sun helps to naturally bleach any stains. However, this isn't always possible in our country!

The alternatives are to dry nappies on an airer or tumble drying. The latter is a more expensive and less environmentally friendly option, although it is quicker and does fluff up nappies. Put a bath towel in with the wet nappies to decrease drying time by around 10 minutes (and makes your towels softer!).

NB drying nappies on a radiator is a quicker option, but can make them quite hard. Never place wraps or nappies with any plastic content on a radiator to dry! Wraps don't take long to dry on an airer anyway. You can always give them a blast with a hairdryer in an emergency!

To fluff up nappies without a tumble drier, simply rub them together.