Anyone use Ecowash balls instead of detergent with nappies?

[malaleche]

Am using the balls for all other washing. Is the heat alone (60ºC usually and 90ºC occasionally) enough to disinfect the nappies?

i used to use them with a little bit of ecover laundry bleach as well in the drawer. seemed to do the trick. if very stained used to use a bit of ecover powder as well.

Thanks! Sorry, forgot to explain that i stopped using detergents in the wash because of my daughters eczema (which after 5 weeks of using the ecoballs has virtually gone). I reduced the detergent by half for the nappies. Is Ecover any friendlier on the skin than normal washing powders/liquids? I'm pretty sure i won't be able to get nappy powder, whatever that is, here in Spain...
Thought you werent supposed to use detergents with the balls?

bump, anyone use them without detergent, for nappies?

I use them without detergent at 60 degrees on nappies and they're fine

I drypail; I rinse and spin with white vinegar before washing

then add about 6 drops of tea tree to the drawer in the wash as it makes them smell fresh

hth

Hi Malaleche I have been using wash balls for over a year on DS's nappies. We started after he developed nappy rash and stuck with ecoballs after the rash disappeared.
I wash at 60 degrees and have found this works pretty well, I also put white vinegar in the fabric conditioner drawer, for practically all washing - it is a great anti-bacterial and helps to promote more skin-like ph value.
I found an article that stated a 5% solution kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses).
If you have white nappies, the occasional bit of oxi-action or ecover bleach might help to restore the whiteness. If you use coloured nappies, the ecoballs are great because the colours don't fade and look quite vibrant IME.
Regarding the temperature - someone posted a while back that 65% is what nurses uniforms are washed at - so it is obviously considered a pretty effective method of killing germs. I remember reading that sewage farms use a temperature of around 70 degrees to kill off bacteria, but I shouldn't think you would need that for a few nappies.
If you combine a 60 degree wash with some vinegar in the final rinse, I would have thought you would 'nuke' most bacteria.
Hope all that helps.

Great advice, thanks everyone!

Hope you don't mind me using your thread malaleche, but I'm really interested in getting some ecoballs - what are they like? We use cloth nappies too (onelife) so I'd be interested to know if they are effective enough for nappies. Also, this sounds daft, but where do you get white vinegar from???

it's ok walnut, i got mine from allergybestbuys. they seem to work fine on normal clothes tho' not so well on underwear under 40ºC, sorry if tmi!. My dd1 doesnt get very dirty tho so it depends if you have a garden and a kid who likes rolling in the mud... I think white vinegar is the fish and chip shop variety - not the malt one the other one...

Walnut - I have been using 'gold star' or something very similar - I have bought this brand from Asda and Morrisons, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it in other supermarkets.
It is a standard vinegar bottle shape, like in a chippie.

Thanks very much ladies, I'll be going for both balls and Gold Star vinegar ...

LOL at TMI malaleche. Never TMI on MN I say!