Washing Motherease Airflow Wraps

[sheepishangel]

We've just ordered some reuasable nappies (Bambinex bamboo nappies with Motherease Airflow wraps). I've heard that Motherease wraps, although very effective, are a bit delicate, so I have questions about the washing regime and products people find best ...

• The Nappy Lady says that Motherease recommends that their wraps should be washed separately from nappies. I can't actually find this advice on the Motherease website! It sounds like a huge amount of extra work when you're already doing a load every other day. Do you actually do this, or do you put the wraps in with the nappies, washable wipes, etc.?

• On the other hand, the Motherease website does have a whole list of "boutique type detergents" to avoid - but they're mostly Canadian brands. What detergent do you use for your wraps (and other nappy paraphernalia)?

• TNL also recommends putting Motherease wraps in a mesh bag. It sounds like in general, people put a big mesh bag in the nappy bucket, then put all the nappies, wraps, wipes etc. in there, then wash the whole lot in the bag. But for ME wraps, I'm wondering if it would make a difference to put them separately in their own mesh bag to avoid them getting snagged?

• Any other top tips about washing Motherease wraps?

(BTW the page on the Motherease website that I'm looking at is here: mother-ease.com/pages/care-guide and the TNL page I'm looking at is here: www.thenappylady.co.uk/newborn-prem-nappies/motherease-airflow-wraps.html)

If you join the motherease facebook groups there are pages and pages of washing discussion. Apparently nappy lady advice doesn't match the manufacturer advice. But none of the products they do advise are available here. I must admit, it's put me right off buying them!

I have to say I washed mine at 60 degrees in with the nappies, liners and wipes and they were fine, no bags or special detergents or anything. Use Fairy non bio, half quantity. Remember in the US they have top loading washing machines and use a lot of bleach. The soft binding on the edges of the Airflow wraps can go a bit bobbly but it's not the end of the world, perhaps that's what they mean by delicate. It's a nappy, not a silk chemise!

I wouldn't wash all the nappy load in a mesh bag. Let them have a good thrash about so they actually get clean!

Just saw your nappies are Velcro fastening - that could snag the binding. You'll know after one wash if they come out all stuck together!

Sorry about all my !!!'s. I'm not really that chirpy.

I bought second hand, washed at 60, used on two DC and then sold them on - they are indestructible!

I use colour bio and shove everything in together - wraps, nappies etc, and wash at 40 or 60. I haven’t had any trouble with bindings a year later so I think you’ll be fine!

I washed mine at 60 degrees with the nappies too and they did 2 babies and were then given to a friend for her LO.

Thanks everyone! Really useful :)

I just shoved them in a mesh bag or changing bag along with wipes and nappies and then shoved the whole lot in the washing machine at 60. They weren't happy about being tumble dried as I remember but lasted 4 kids no trouble.

I have two airflows along other brands, I would just put them in nappy bin with everything else and on wash day I would wash all together with just the airflows in mesh bag inside the washing machine..
I do use non bio which is not recommended by motherease but I don't care about warranty and I only have 2 wraps as I prefer other brands..so far they fine binding is intact and I haven't had any problems with them using this wash routine..

I shoved them in 60deg wash with everything else, no bag, but I am careful about velcro in the wash (which will snag the elastic edging).

You can't really get that brand for love nor money though can you! I prefer the bumgenius pockets anyway, simpler and keeps baby drier. Never leaked for us. Among a load of styles we have those are the best ones.

I use eco balls instead of detergent (have 1 set for nappies and 1 set for normal washing now). That seems to work fine for me, but it's the reason I use a hot wash not a normal one. May be illogical but there we are.

I put them in with the nappies, mostly at 40 but sometimes at 60. Used non-bio powder (not too much). They still looked new when outgrown. They did go in an open mesh bag but it was only to make it easy to empty the bucket - they came out of the bag during the wash.

Yes and make sure any velcro on nappies has none of the hook side exposed - use the laundry tabs or do them back up. The hooky side of the velcro rips other things if exposed.

If you've the Rikki wraps which are Velcro, then be sure to stick the tabs back down on the wrap (inside out if you wish) for washing.
Personally I didn't find them delicate (it was a while ago), and I didn't do anything spectacular on the washing just supermarket own brand non bio unscented where I could. Washed at 60 or 40. Sometimes I'd hand wash them if I ran low on wraps.
I do wonder if these modern machines that recycle the water and have super high spin speeds might have something to do with the binding problems, but you can always do rinse hold and hoick the wraps out at that point as they're not absorbent so spinning won't remove any additional moisture from them.

But there are other brands just as good if not better, my favourites were Imse Vimse and Nature babies wraps, both gave a really good fit and the Nature Babes were made in UK which is always a plus point.

I washed mine at 60 with the nappies with the normal fairy non bio and was always fine. They were amazing and still in great condition when I sold them on.

@SeeWhoRustsFirst Yes, they do seem to be out of stock everywhere! Do you know if that's a Covid-19 thing, or are they generally hard to find? I've managed to get some small ones which I'm hoping will be OK for the first month or two, and fingers crossed they'll be back in stock by the time we need larger ones. Or maybe we'll try some of the other brands people are suggesting ...

I got one of the smaller ones for DD last jan before she was born. Looked for bigger ones starting march/april (2019) - couldn't find any. Still couldn't all over the summer hence I've used other brands. So definitely not a coronavirus thing! Just supply shortage I think. Apparently there are some nutters who collect all the patterns and buy them all up (and I thought I had weird interests). Bumgenius can also be hard to find. You'lll probably end up with a load of different types unless you buy a whole 'set' of one type. I didn't want to go for that in case I happened to pick a type that leaked for my baby! Also I find using the same type repeatedly can cause marks to build up on baby's legs in the elastic place.

Beware that bamboo nappies shrink a lot btw, even on quite cool wash potentially I think (definitely at 60).

Not quite the original question but popolini vento wraps are quite similar in design to motherease airflows and much easier to get hold of!

I used Motherease wraps and nappies which had survived 3 babies, dc1, a friend's baby, and dc2. By which time the white wraps were rather grey but worked, and the others lost some threads round the edge, after years of 40 degree and some 60 washes and 1200 spins.
Several of the nappies had lost much of their fluff and gone lumpy but 2/3 were used on baby 7 and possibly more.

Didn't use that brand but had a few different brands and types and always washed everything in together. Did a prewash to remove any 'leftovers' then a 60 degree wash with a full dose of bio (I like Daz). I tumble dried the inners but not the wraps.

Just prepped my stash for baby no2 and they are still like new.