What's your washing routine?

[vole3]

I'm sure this sort of thread has run before, but I can't find it.

Today I've started using ME onesize and would appreciate a few pointers with regard to laundry routine, but I also have a few specific questions.

1. Dry bucket or nappy soak?
2. How often, if at all, do you use conditioner?
3. What's this about vinegar as a rinse?
4. How long to line dry? Particularly pertinent given the wonderful weather we've been having
5. Does line drying produce a softer finish than tumbling?

All advice gatefully received.

1. dry
2. never NO NEVER NO NO NO NO
3. rinse and spin first with white vinegar
4. usually leave all day as am at work or out
5. no, quite the opposite, but is better for bills and environment

I flush any solids down loo, don't bother to rinse nappy or liner and dry pail. i wash twice a week with a cold rinse first then wash at 40.
Never use conditioner (although i did once by accident )
Tried vinegar in rinse, is meant to soften and neutralise odour but didnt find it made any difference so don't bother.
When line drying i hang them out all day, on a good day they'll be dry by evening (bamboo nappies), if not particularly sunny or damp in air i put them on airer/in airing cupboard to finish off-depends how damp they are.
Line drying makes them softer than airer or radiator drying, but not as soft as tumble drying. I used to put them in dryer for 10-20 mins at either beginning or end of drying time to soften but no longer have a dryer and they are actually not as crunchy as i feard they might be

Hiya,

I (now) do the following

1. Dry Pail
2. NEVER use conditioner, my mil did once and apart from being unabsorbant, they felt horrible (I have fluffles).
3. I now use vinegar in the rinse to combat urine smells
4. Fluffles dry really quickly so just a few hours. My quick flip takes a couple of hours longer and my bambineos take a couple of hours on top of that
5. My MIL tumbled my nappies while I was away and they were very soft and fluffly but they're still ok when line dried. Which is good, as I don't have a drier, just have to dodge the rain clouds

I also prewash (cold) my nappies and do an extra rinse. I also only use a quarter of a cap of liquid detergent. I was getting a strong ammonia smell of my nappies even when clean. But like you, I asked and was put on the right track.

1. Dry 2)NO conditioner(unless you want water repelling nappies) 3)I put vinegar in conditioner drawer as it helps with softness. I live in a hard water area. 4)Until they are dry No idea tbh I often put them on the line overnight and they are dry by the time the sun has come round to my back garden.
2. No. A vigarous rub or bashing against a clean wall helps to soften line dried nappies, but for fluffiness tumble is better.

1. Dry
2. Nappies-never. Wraps-when I throw them in with the main wash.
3. Use vinegar if I think there's any build up on nappies or now and then to ensure no thrush lurking. 4)Terries about half a day. All others- all day.
4. No

Hi,

I do the same as the others and my nappies are well crispy altho they are on number 4 bum (only 2 are my kids). My Wambamboos take FOREVER to dry even on a perfect drying day but the prefolds can be dry in a few hours. This summer has been horrible and if the weather looks halway decent I fill up a nappy load with towels and bedding just for the chance to get them out on the line.

When I had a dryer I used to give them 20 mins sometimes to fluff them up for a treat.

BTW there was a really good thread about washing nappies last week with some people saying they would have to use a seperate machine!!!! Have a search it's worth a read.

1)Dry bucket
2) NEVER!!!!
3) A splash of vinegar helps to clear the build up of powder and soften a bit (I think by clearing it softens iyswim)
4) MEOS - about 4-5 hours.
5) No, tumbling is softer

My line drying was based on a good sunny/windy day..... on an airer, more like 12-24 hours.

Mine is - dry bucket (well plaggy storage box with lid), used to have a mesh but now sick of fighting with the string so just handle the grunge and remember to wash my hands afterwards! Never use conditioner and never even buy it now as my dh is dim and will just chuck it in. I use white viegar when they get wiffy which isnt that often, dont do it every wash as i read somewhere it could damage the pul but i might have dreamt that. Never had meos so dont know about line drying question but i am geting some to try. Tumbling makes mine softer yes but i try not to tumble to often.

Good luck with your meos.