Washing nappies
Prepping nappies before use
Prepping is done to get rid of natural oils that can cause a leak.
Wash all nappies and boosters once before using (only the items made of actual absorbent fabric). Not covers or liners. No fabric softener, ever.
You can use a shorter wash for this prep cycle. One hour is enough.
No pre rinse needed.
Cold or 30`C maximum. Warmer water is better for nappies if possible.
Use half the amount of recommended detergent.
Detergent
Use one of our recommended ones. See our tried and tested detergents list.
No fabric softener. Fabric softener covers the fibers of the fabric which inhibits absorption. Baby detergents and 2 in 1 detergents are not suitable.
We suggest the Nurturer detergent, available online. It may appear pricier however it goes further than store bought ones.
Machine washing
All newborn nappies and Day time nappies 6kg+ : wash as per guidelines below.
Night nappies (Siesta nappies or flats) worn all night from 6kg, require a little more care. See night nappy washing section below.
No soaking of nappies in anything- water, Sterri nappy, nothing. Ever.
Front loaders
1. Add dirty nappies/covers to machine. Rinse cycle (15 - 20 minutes). No detergent. Oxygen bleach can be added to this rinse cycle for deep cleaning once a week.
2. A nappy load must be three quarters full otherwise nappies don`t get cleaned properly. Add smaller items such as baby clothes/clothes/small linen items after the rinse if you need to bulk up the load (bend down and you should fit your hand on top of the pile in the machine). Do not use towels or linen.
3.Main long wash: Usually the cotton/ fuzzy cycle. Add detergent. No softner. Cold or 30`C degrees. Cycle time is usually 1.5 - 2 hours. Shorter is usually not long enough.
4. Dry. Tumble drying nappies is fine but not our nappy covers.
5. Never wash our nappy covers above 30 degrees - this can damage them. Wash with clothes if nappies are being washed at 40`C.
Top loaders
If considering buying a machine, front loaders are favoured for cloth nappies.
Watch our washing video
Night nappies from 6kg (Siesta nappies/ flats at night)
Night nappies that have been on for longer than six hours, ideally need to be prewashed or main washed the day they come off the bum. Night nappies hold a lot of urine so need to be washed sooner, if possible.
Simply throw the dirty nappy (alone) into the machine and follow the short prewash directions below. This does not waste water. Consider one disposable nappy requires 32 litres to manufacture it.
Prewash instructions
1. Throw nappy into the machine.
2. Short 30 - 40 minute prewash cycle - cold or 40`C is best (not the nappy cover). Half the amount of usual detergent.
3. Hang over rail to airdry.
4. Wash again on the main wash with your dirty day nappies the next day.
If you do not manage the prewash as above, rinse the night nappy by hand well, under warm tap water, within the hour it comes off.
Air dry over a rail (not wet in the bottom of the nappy bucket).
Add to main wash with day nappies.
If night nappies start to smell consider doing the prewash daily rather than just the hand rinse.
Baby is day trained and only using night cloth - wash every three days
Prewash the dirty nappy as per above on day one. Air dry. The next day pre wash the previous nights nappy and air dry this one next to the first one. Use the third nappy, rinse this one in the machine then do a main wash with all three. You will need to bulk the load with clothes, smaller items for the main wash.
Covers
Wash in a mesh laundry bag or our Wash Buddy. This protects them. If nappy covers are washed above 30`C, the waterproofing will get damaged and they will leak.
Hard water washing
Can reduce the ability of detergent to clean nappies which can lead to smells.
Tips:
Wash nappies on 40 degrees. Do not wash our covers at 40`C. Wash them on cold with clothes or linen.
Use only a powder detergent. Nurturer detergent is very good with hard water.
Handwashing (camping or going away)
A bucket and plunger works brilliantly (makes for strong arms too):
- Add your nappies to the bucket filled with cold (grey) water. Plunge 40 – 50 times.
- Fill bucket with warm (grey) water.
- Add detergent and plunge about 90 – 100 times.
- Refill the bucket with cold (grey) water and plunge another 50 odd times to get rid of the soap.
- Drain, squeeze out the water and line dry.
- Wash covers separately until clean, then dry.
Stains
Hang nappies in the sun to get rid of stains (yes, it really works).
Use a bit of Oxygen bleach/ boerseep/ green sunlight bar to get rid of "stains".
Poop does not stain nappies permanently. Use fleece liners once baby starts solids.