Washable nappies - using fabric conditioner

[Zoero]

Hello all,

I have very kindly been given some washable nappies with boosters which have been used quite a bit already. Therefore they feel quite harsh against the skin. Does anyone know if I should be using fabric conditioner in the wash, and will this improve the condition of the nappies, or is there no hope left for them?! Hope this doesn't sound like a silly question, but I didn't want to ruin them if you're not supposed to put fabric conditioner in with them. Thanks for any advice!! Cheers, Zoe

No No No

No fabric conditioner, it makes them water repellent instead of soaking up the wee.

No, wash them in a cup of white vinegar instead. Then tumble dry with those spikey rubber balls if you have a tumble dryer.

White vinegar.

Calgon

You could try stripping them - long wash in the machine and rinse rinse rinse

Try even soaking them in white vinegar overnight

BTW you can use Bold 2 in 1 but only the powder not the liquid as it's a clay based fabric conditioner and ecover is supposed to be safe as well

THanks for all your advice - lucky I didn't go ahead and use the fabric conditioner! Phew...

I don't have a tumble dryer so I think I'm going to try the white vinegar first of all and see if that helps improve their condition.

Anna - sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but what is stripping?

Thanks again ladies for your wise advice! :)

Stripping is washing them to remove any left over detergent that's in the nappies - that can cause hardness and make them less absorbent.

you have to do as hot a wash as the nappies will stand with a full dose of detergent and rinse. And rinse. And rinse. And rinse some more until there are no bubbles.

But I'd try a good schlep of vinegar in the fabric conditioner drawer first if it was me it's a lot less hassle

You can use fabric conditioner but ONLY Bold 2 in 1 because it's made from different ingredients and not clay based. Other conditioners can reduce the absorbency of washable nappies. When we used them I used probably 1/3 the recommended amount of powder for a normal wash as well and did an extra rinse so we didn't get powder buildup as it caused rashes around my LOs legs.

Try the vinegar trick first. If no good ask a mate to use their tumble drier for 1 time (or go to launderette) makes massive difference (no drier and hemp nappies here and I occasionally stick them through neighbour's dryer)