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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wash clothes with the nappies?

54 replies

MakeHayAndSneeze · 04/04/2012 19:53

He thinks I am; I don't - the machine cleans them, surely?! I wash the DSs' clothes (and would be happy to do mine) with them if the nappy load is small enough, pre-wash the nappies and use an extra rinse cycle; he thinks this is gross.
What do you think?

OP posts:
SparkyMcSparrowLaidMiniEggs · 04/04/2012 19:56

YABU.

Its gross! Nuff said!

Birdsgottafly · 04/04/2012 19:57

I woud do them seperately and surely they need a hotter wash?

Many on MN would agree with you, but, tbh, i am not surprused when posters write about how they have all had stomach bugs/viruses for weeks.

I follow cross infection hygiene rules that i learnt a long time ago in health care.

PuppyMonkey · 04/04/2012 19:57

Don't think I'd like that thanks very much.

discrete · 04/04/2012 19:59

Nah, always do this.

Put the nappies in first for a rinse and spin, then chuck in the clothes and do a full wash.

It all comes out perfectly clean.

Original poster
MakeHayAndSneeze · 04/04/2012 20:00

Fair doos, I'm in the minority so far then. Although they don't actually need a hotter wash, and my boys have never had a stomach bug between them . Both streaming with cold now though...

OP posts:
Original poster
MakeHayAndSneeze · 04/04/2012 20:01

Phew - thanks discrete! Good to know I'm not the only one (does it make me a slattern though? Always wanted to be one...)

OP posts:
GoblersKnob · 04/04/2012 20:02

I always did, four years worth of 'em.

MeKathryn · 04/04/2012 20:02

I used to rinse the pooey ones first but wash them together otherwise. My 4 year old (not in nappies now!) has only ever had 1 stomach bug in his life and that was when we were away and he was in disposables.

ravenAK · 04/04/2012 20:03

I always have if they're just wet - I put them in with bedding & towels if there are any, but I'm perfectly happy to wash nappies with clothes - I sling them in a bucket of water to soak until I got round to putting the machine on, so the wee would be well dliluted.

Now past the soiled nappy stage (dd2 just wears a washable pull up at night) but I did try to wash those at 60, so with towels etc rather than clothes.

AWomanCalledHorse · 04/04/2012 20:03

I don't; clothes (in our house) have fabric softner in their wash.
Towels, nappies and pads don't, so they all go in the same wash.

Yanbu, it all gets cleaned. Really don't think it matter when your/DC clothes are caked in sick/dribble/piss anyway!

redskyatnight · 04/04/2012 20:04

I normally did nappy washes on their own but occasionally threw the odd one in with the main wash. Don't see how this is different from washing clothes that are wet/soiled due to nappy leaks or clothes that are wet/soiled due to accidents in a child out of nappies.

Wrigglebum · 04/04/2012 20:04

I don't generally wash clothes with them, as I prefer to wash nappies at 60c, but I do pop towels or bedding in with them after the initial pre-rinse.
Again, not many bugs here.

LadyWidmerpool · 04/04/2012 20:04

I do it, at 60 degrees.

Bugs from clothes? That's a new one on me.

Firawla · 04/04/2012 20:05

no it seems wrong to wash them all together. surely not that much more effort just to separate them out, for your peace of mind?

shebird · 04/04/2012 20:08

Ewww...don't fancy using tea towels and bath towels that have been washed with nappies. Really need to be washed at

shebird · 04/04/2012 20:08

Oops 60 or higher.

FutureNannyOgg · 04/04/2012 20:09

Nope, washing detergent or softener makes nappies less absorbent. I use a half dose of detergent or antibac nappy detergent, I wouldn't wash clothes with that. I also think nappies need room to tumble about a bit to get them properly clean.

FutureNannyOgg · 04/04/2012 20:09

shebird, some modern cloth nappies can't take hot washing. I use bamboo nappies that need to be washed at 30 or 40.

NagooBunnytail · 04/04/2012 20:11

I didn't do it, just because of the softener.

AnHonestHCA · 04/04/2012 20:13

they need a 60 degree (ideally 70 if your machine has one) to kill of nasties like candida, can the rest of your clothes take that?

I always had full loads of nappies anyway?

lolajane2009 · 04/04/2012 20:13

i do and have for the last five months, although it is only a few pieces of clothing as nappies usually fill it up.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 04/04/2012 20:14

I used to do the poo ones just with other nappies, mainly because at that stage I quickly had enough for a nappy-only load. Once they were older and nappies were just wet I'd wash wet ones with clothes.

OP is "he" your husband? There's an easy solution here if he doesn't like the way you are doing the washing.....

naturalbaby · 04/04/2012 20:14

I don't because the baby/toddler clothes go on a 1/2hr 30 degree wash and the nappies need a 2hr 60 degree wash. they need different washing liquids and softner too.

AnHonestHCA · 04/04/2012 20:14

"shebird, some modern cloth nappies can't take hot washing. I use bamboo nappies that need to be washed at 30 or 40."

if they cannot be washed at 60 they are not fit for purpose

but FWIW I washed all nappies at 70 and the ones that said 30 were absolutely fine

dementedma · 04/04/2012 20:15

don't use softener so not a problem. DCs now WELL past the nappy stage but yes, I used to wash nappies and clothes together. Obviously shitty ones were scraped, soaked and rinsed first. Nobody died.

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