Wash cold, then wash hot? S.O.S.

[finn's mom]

Ok, so I'm getting ready to wash all my Bum Genius cloth diapers and inserts and the instructions say to wash cold, then wash hot and double rinse. I'm at a loss. I would like to take the best care I can of these things so that they last and stay in good shape. I plan to line dry them (outside, weather permitting), so drying isn't an issue at this point. But, I don't really get how to wash cold, then wash hot...and double rinse? Do you just wait til the washer is through and then restart on the rinse part?

Sounds like it's recommended to wash cold, no rinse, then wash hot and double rinse...I think I understand the double rinse part. How would you go about doing a wash without a rinse? I guess I just always wash everything cold, with one rinse cycle and call it a day. And, I'm sure I could wash them the way I wash everything else and it would be fine, but I'd really like to follow the "rules" if I possibly can.

I'm sure I'm making this harder than it needs to be, and I'm about to go on the Bum Genius site, too...

Thanks, seriously, to anyone who actually read all that!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

That's more important for "used" diapers. Though you are supposed to prewash them before baby wears them. I always washed (note the past tense-Nathan's been potty trained for a couple months, so no more diapers here!) them on a short cycle (wash and rinse) on cold without any soap. That was mostly to rinse much of the pee out of the diapers. Then a hot longer cycle (wash and rinse once again) with soap. Lastly I ran a second cold rinse to make sure all the soap was out. Then I hung them on a dry rack.

I used a dry rack rather than a line for a couple reasons. I could hang them on the rack in the house then move the rack outside. I found that much easier with a baby then trying to take baby and diapers outside to hang them. Also if it started to rain I could quickly run outside and bring the whole rack inside.

You will want/need to use the dryer every now and then. Actually it's good for your diapers to go through the occasional run in the dryer.

You'll want to look up how and when to "strip" your diapers too.

[happylabs]

That's more important for "used" diapers. Though you are supposed to prewash them before baby wears them. I always washed (note the past tense-Nathan's been potty trained for a couple months, so no more diapers here!) them on a short cycle (wash and rinse) on cold without any soap. That was mostly to rinse much of the pee out of the diapers. Then a hot longer cycle (wash and rinse once again) with soap. Lastly I ran a second cold rinse to make sure all the soap was out. Then I hung them on a dry rack.

I used a dry rack rather than a line for a couple reasons. I could hang them on the rack in the house then move the rack outside. I found that much easier with a baby then trying to take baby and diapers outside to hang them. Also if it started to rain I could quickly run outside and bring the whole rack inside.

You will want/need to use the dryer every now and then. Actually it's good for your diapers to go through the occasional run in the dryer.

You'll want to look up how and when to "strip" your diapers too.

That is a lot of water! Wow...I am glad I used disposable way back when my kids were little. I would have gone broke with my water bill.

[Nomilynn]

my boyfriend's sister, who uses bum genius diapers, has a bin in the laundry room with a Borax solution and presoaks the diapers, after hand rinsing any bad stains. Then as far as I know, she just washes them once. She also used hemp inserts (she made her own). I don't know the specific details of it but I can see if I can find out.

[Logan]

If you have a newer model washer, you won't use nearly as much water as the older types. I imagine you would still come out cheaper than if you bought disposables. They are VERY expensive!
Kari, hope you get it all figured out! I'm sure you will.

[finn's mom]

Well, I've been told by several people that the cold then hot washes really are for used, but I went ahead and did it with the new ones. Not too bad, really, I did a medium load of diapers (I have 16 of them), in cold/cold, then I added the inserts for the hot/cold and rerinsed. If I was washing all my clothes that way, there'd be a problem, for sure. But, the size of the load is so small, medium will be the largest load size I'll use for the diapers. I'll probably usually use the smallest size. And, I use a miniscule amount of soap, anyway, and it calls for such a small amount...and not drying them will save a bundle, too.

I definitely think I'm still coming out on top as far as financially by going this route!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

We actually have a well so our water cost is way less than families with city water. Yes, we pay for the power and maintenance, but it's not much at all. Disposables are so expensive it's definitely cheeper to use cloth. I could wash a whole days worth of diapers for the cost of 1 or 2 disposable. (I did the math once, I don't remember exactly what it came out to though.) I went with cloth for many reasons though, not just because of the cost difference.

[ChrisH]

my boyfriend's sister, who uses bum genius diapers, has a bin in the laundry room with a Borax solution and presoaks the diapers, after hand rinsing any bad stains. Then as far as I know, she just washes them once.

That's exactly what I used to do with the nappies, as us Brits called them. Rinse, soak, hot wash. Simple. Many moons ago it was, (46years), and in those days disposables were not even an option.

[Lilith Cherry]

Me too, Chris and not one of my three kids ever had a nappy rash! Cloth diapers/nappies win hands down in my opinion.

[moosmom]

I'm guilty of killing the earth by using Pampers WAAAAAAAYYYY back in 1976. I don't think I could deal with a baby now. The guilt alone would kill me.

[Cookiebaker]

That's more important for "used" diapers. Though you are supposed to prewash them before baby wears them. I always washed (note the past tense-Nathan's been potty trained for a couple months, so no more diapers here!) them on a short cycle (wash and rinse) on cold without any soap. That was mostly to rinse much of the pee out of the diapers. Then a hot longer cycle (wash and rinse once again) with soap. Lastly I ran a second cold rinse to make sure all the soap was out. Then I hung them on a dry rack.

I used a dry rack rather than a line for a couple reasons. I could hang them on the rack in the house then move the rack outside. I found that much easier with a baby then trying to take baby and diapers outside to hang them. Also if it started to rain I could quickly run outside and bring the whole rack inside.

You will want/need to use the dryer every now and then. Actually it's good for your diapers to go through the occasional run in the dryer.

You'll want to look up how and when to "strip" your diapers too.

This is EXACTLY what I did, too, 'except I used the dryer at least 50% of the time.

I also wanted to comment on Happy Labs:

That is a lot of water! Wow...I am glad I used disposable way back when my kids were little. I would have gone broke with my water bill.

I have heard this 'argument' before and have to completely disagree. I would run 20 diapers through one load of laundry. Disposeables cost roughly $.25 each. 20 diapers x .25 = $5.00. It certainly does not cost me $5.00 to run one load of laundry! I only used 1-2 Tablespoons of detergent (a whole bottle which would last 3-4 months only cost $2.97 (tho' I know the price has gone way up since a couple of years ago - I used Purex free & clear), so the cost of detergent was just pennies.

Also, I have heard people say how horrible on the environment because you use so much water. But the fact of the matter is, how many loads of laundry do you do per week just for your clothes? I personally do 7-8, just for our family of 3. So adding in 2 or 3 extra, again is nothing, and the impact on the environment. Nothing in the great big scheme of things.