Soak, Wash, Rinse, Spin. . . Repeat, Dry, Stuff. . . Repeat. . . Repeat

Washing cloth diapers was the furthest thing from my mind a year and a half ago. But thanks to a friends enthusiasm about using cloth, I tried and I am now the proud owner of a large stash of cloth diapers or nappies as they are frequently called around here. I am an addict. I love using cloth, but I have to say that finding the perfect wash routine has been an interesting journey. I still don't know that it's perfect and I am sure between now and the end of our cloth diapering journey this routine will be tweaked time and time again.

I have to say that when I started I totally needed a cloth diapering for dummies book because I was absolutely clueless! Now, I probably still need the book, but I like to think I know a little more today. Our current stash consists of, well, all pockets except one fitted and one cover. You can see where our heart is in nappies. Though I just recently won this fitted we are using and I have to say, IT'S AWESOME. But that's a post that's already been.

The Load
Daniel is carrying a full load. Off to the changing table we go. Hose him down, nice clean nappy, nice clean baby. I peer into the wet bag and I am reminded that today, yes today, would be wash day. I take the inserts out when they come off the baby. I don't like the idea of going through 15-20 uggie nappies to pull them out later. Guess I am strange like that. I also shake of any solids right then, flush them buh-bye. I try to wash in the morning after I change the over night diaper. This puts drying in the afternoon when the sun is nice and bright on my patio. Oh, but drying is in a different section.

The Water and The Soap~~Two Things You Shouldn't Leave Out
Wash #1
Because Hubs is a little put off (and I have to admit so am I) with soaking the poo type diapers in a tub of water, I dump the contents of my wet bag into the washing machine, cloth wipes included, the whole shebang, you might say. I set it on cold water on the longest, slowest (Gentle) cycle I have, this acts as my soaking time and first wash. I set it on the largest water setting for this wash. Throw in dose of Tiny Bubbles. I use the recommended amount for cloth diapers, which is usually a fourth of the recommended amount on the box.

Its Getting Hot In Here~~Wash #2
Now that the pee and poo have been rung out of your diapers and swished out to sea, you need to get those diapers clean, clean! A hot, heavy cycle is next for us. I change the water setting down to large (no need to use more water than necessary) and my temperature to the HOT/COLD setting. I throw in a little detergent, a little less than the first time.

To Rinse or To Wash. . . This is the Question
Wash, uh rinse, uh let's just say Step #3
Here's where things get interesting, kinda. This is the point of the washing that I have to make a decision. Because Daniel's bum is a little sensitive I have to really watch the soap build up rash thing, so I have to decide if I want the diapers to run through another complete HOT/COLD cycle, or if I can just set it on rinse (I only have a cold option for rinse, hmpf, pout) and hope that the diapers are soap free. How do you make this decision, you ask??? I keep a lookout at his bum situation. If his bum is looking kinda red, then I decide that they need an actual wash, with NO soap, in essence a really good rinsing in HOT water. So I start a light wash cycle on HOT/COLD. If his bum is looking ok, I decide to do that second HOT wash next time. Either way, the nappies get a good rinse.

Rack 'Em Up
Drying Time
I LOVE! sun drying my nappies (I also enjoy calling them nappies and no I am not from Europe). I would say line dry, but since I live in apartment and have no where for a "line" I use a drying rack on my patio. It works great! I sun dry the pockets and the cover every time, unless rain prevents it. The inserts, doublers and the fitted diaper only get sunned every other wash, I like to fluff them up in the dryer. I usually dry on normal heat for about 50 minutes and if they need more drying I add them to the rack.

Clean Fluff, YAY!
I am done with the wash, now onto the stuffins' of the matter. I always try and usually do, stuff the pockets right away. I also create two or three, what we call, "night time nappies" right then. Nighttime nappy=bumGenius with insert and a doubler laid on the inside. I get everything stuffed and put into their appropriate basket (yes they have specific baskets, no snickering) and I am ready to go. The cloth wipes are folded and put away too. During the wash routine, our second wet bag is called in for duty.

What is your laundry routine? Come and join the party on the Cloth Diaper Carnival and link up below!!

Now that my laundry is done (ha!), I think I'll go put my feet up and eat some bon-bons.

Powered by MckLinky

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

Cloth Diaper Ramblins'

As you all know, very well, I am a cloth diapering addict! It has proven to be one of the best financial decisions we've made. I am so glad that I was tempted enough to try it out and really glad that it didn't gross me out!! I just wanted to post an update of our cloth world!!

I am absolutely loving the one size bumwear diapers! I recently added two of them to our stash and I am nothing but pleased and I am thinking that Daniel is too. They have a great fit and I didn't realize how much I missed the snapping type closure system versus the velcro. I am still lovin' our bumGenius, but the bumwear is definitely a close second. Besides having some oh so cute patterns, there is another feature that I love about this nappy; the fleece lining is in solid colors therefore reducing the staining factor. I have used a Happy Heiny medium/large insert and a bumGenius insert in the pocket and both work very well with this diaper. We have had no leaks! No pushing on baby's tummy either, because the top of the diaper actually rolls out rather than into the belly.

We are also loving our Rumparooz diapers! I don't use them at night, I am too chicken too try (why fix what ain't broken and our BG's more than do the job), but I use them during the day all the time. When I put his rumparooz on they always seem a little small, but once they are on, they are fine. They work great, so far leakage free. The inner leg gussets make them poo holding champs.

I have also tried out another diaper that we have truly fallen in love with. Monkey Snuggles is on Etsy and she makes great diapers!! I have two of the size large diapers with snaps. They will fit Daniel for a long time and the prints are so cute!! Very good quality and they come with a trim bamboo fleece insert. I added a bumGenius doubler inside the pocket with the insert for even longer wearing! Love this diaper, I will be adding more to my stash!

After all is said and done, I still truly love the BG's. They are ALWAYS and ONLY our night time dipe! Never a leak, ever!

I finally made wipe solution. I was hesitant because Daniel's bum seems to be on the sensitive side and I didn't want to break him out. So I have just been using water on the wipes and that was doing the job. Then I got educated on why some oil needs to be in there. Imagine that, a purpose for the oil. It makes messes come off a little easier and softens the skin. So I read this article , which I only read because Mama Kenz so kindly provided the link, and came up with a solution that is working well for us. First, I considered the soap we would use. I absolutely love Method Squeaky Green Baby Wash. It smells divine and my skin sensitive boys can use it with no problems. People, this is a miracle. So I figured that if Daniel can get his whole body washed in it, then our wipe solution can be made with the same stuff. Soap component solved. Now onto the oil. I didn't want to use baby oil because, well, that just didn't seem right and I didn't want to cover up the wonderful smell of the soap. So I opted for grapeseed oil. A lot of the recipes used grapeseed oil and so I went for it. So here's what I did:

Easy Peasey YUM YUM Solution

2 Tablespoons of Method Squeaky Green Baby Wash
2 Tablespoons of Grapeseed Oil
1 1/2 cups of water


Amy Nogar, the author of that awesome article linked above, suggests that you "start with the oil and end with the water". Sense I am a smart mama, I followed directions. Her reasoning was that the "oil will coat your measuring tools so the soap slips right off", and she was right. Which makes me right for following directions, right? Right. Novices should always follow directions. The recipe above is called Easy Peasy and she called it that for a reason--because it is! I made a bottle of it in less than 7 minutes. I added the YUM YUM to the name because it smells so yummy!! The Easy Peasy solution is working well for us, but I have to admit that I am going to try out a few of the other solutions as well.

If you haven't read enough about the Lovelocks, I also posted over here today. I know, it's a two post day! Don't pass out okay?!?

All About Cloth Wipes Today

It's Chic Cheeks today and today it's all about wipes and wipe solution!

I am no help when it comes to wipe solution because though I have been using cloth wipes, which we love, I have just been using water. Though I have a recipe in the works because of this article (also linked up in Mama Kenz post). I'll let you know what we come up with for Daniel's bum! I know you are hanging on the edge of your seat! ~Smile~

I have tried four of the brand name wipes: Fuzzi Bunz, bumGenius, Thirsties and Happy Heiny's. I like them all, they all work fine, but I have to say my favorites are the Thirsties and the Fuzzi Bunz brands. Happy Heiny's work great for a tough job, but they are a little rough. The bumGenius are thin and great for small messes or just a wet diaper. Today I ordered new wipes from a couple of WAHM's. I ordered from Small Wonders and Creative Mama's and I can't wait to try out these cutie patootie wipes!

Now I am off to the natural food store for the grapeseed oil for the wipe solution!!

Check out Feed Your Stash Friday for a chance to win a GroBaby diaper! Did you really think I could have a post anywhere related to cloth diapering and not mention a giveaway??? ~~Smile~~