Detergent for reusable nappies

[tulalulah]

Hi everyone

I've recently ordered some reusable nappies that I want to try.

Mainly micro fibre cloth for daytime and bamboo for night.

Can anyone recommend a detergent to use for reusable nappies?

I currently use all in one tabs so I can't use these for the nappies.

Tia xx

Fairy non-bio powder (or similar)

Do not use fabric conditioner

Just any regular non bio powder is absolutely fine. Bambino mio have their own brand of washing powder for nappies but personally I’ve found it a waste of money when you can just use normal stuff.

Thank you both for replying x

Have a look at the website Clean Cloth Nappies. They have a UK washing powder detergent index of ones they recommend.

Any normal detergent will be fine. Bio can age bamboo fibres, and powder is usually recommended by washing machine repair people.
No fabric conditioners, no bleach. Rinse cool to warm (up to 30) then wash hot (40 to 60).
Store soiled nappies in a bucket or waterproof bag, and tip solids down the loo first (milk poo is water soluble)

Had 2 DCs through cloth birth to potty training and always used supermarket own brand powder - started out using non-bio but accidentally used bio a few times with no ill effects on their bottoms so used bio after that. Best was Lidl powder but they were all much of a muchness.

More important than the powder brand was that first cold pre-rinse, and then drying in sunlight to shift stains (even in the middle of winter the sunlight will still help with stains).

I prefer Coop Non Bio but also use Fairy Non Bio too but fine that is a bit bubbly. Persil or Ariel are meant to be good too.

I also use the full recommended dose, the half measures often recommended don't cut it. Longest cottons wash at 60, after I've done a short rinse or 40 degrees wash. Never had any issues with staining or smells. Full load is better - can bulk up with tea towels or cloth wipes etc.

Non bio we use fairy. We quick wash with no powder and no spin (or quick rinse) use a half dose and extra water. A lot of machines use little water these days so look for an allergy/baby cycle or an extra water/rinse program.

Thanks everyone I've gone for fairy non bio, it's annoying it didn't come with a scoop.

0800 085 2592 Contact p&g and they'll send you a scoop

It should tell you what weight you need as well - so you can use any old scoop, yog pot etc and just mark where you need. It took forever for my scoop to arrive when I ordered one.

Thank you both

I've rang and ordered one thanks for the heads up. If it doesn't arrive soon I'll source a yogurt pot

Be careful on Clean Cloth Nappies advice as many manufacturers don't advise harsh washing methods and Clean Cloth Nappies talk about using bleaches / oxyaction products to sanitise. It's not needed.

Supermarket non bio works well, as does Fairy. Try to use the powder rather than liquid detergent.

Clean Cloth Nappies don't promote harsh washing advice, they promote scientific washing advice.

Bleach is not a bad thing when used correctly. Milton is dilute bleach and that's used to sterilise baby bottles. Bleach is also used in baths for children with eczema. They don't advise dunking your nappies in neat bleach but using the correct dilution to sanitise the nappies when necessary which should only be for when they are purchased second hand or have been incorrectly washed.

Nappies are literally toilets, giving them a cold wash and sunning out the resultant poo stains 🤢 is going to cause stinks and ammonia build up which is far more likely to damage the nappies than a proper wash routine.

OP, bio powders are no more likely to cause skin irritations than non-bio (as stated by the NHS) and bio is far better in getting out biological dirt. If you do choose non-bio then you'll need to be washing on hot (60c)

Please don't disregard Clean Cloth Nappies. They are very experienced, many of them in the fields of science and understand how detergents work. I've been following their routine for 9 months and our nappies are bright white and fresh. Not washing correctly can lead to horrible nappy wash as well as gross nappies so it's really important to get it right :)

It's always the way if anyone advises caution on CCN: 'but they are scientific', or claims that not doing CCN causes ammonia build up and issues.

The UK Nappy network don't advocate CCN methods. Many manufacturers don't advocate strip and sanitising, and doing so can void warantee.

Yes people need to get a washing routine that works for them, but that doesn't mean nappies need to be bleached to be clean.

I've never met anyone be evangelical about how their way to wash is right other than people who are CCN fans.

Well second hand nappies won't be in warranty anyway and if new nappies are washed properly then they won't need sanitising, so voiding your warrantee shouldn't be an issue really.

I'm not sure if you understand the CCN routine properly as they definitely don't advise bleaching as part of your wash routine. It's only if your nappies already have problems or if they are second hand. The rest of the time it's just decent warm and hot washes with plenty of good quality detergent. Definitely not harsh :)

I'm definitely not evangelical, just see a heck of a lot of rash photos on UK cloth nappy pages from people following the 'cold wash and bleach out the poo with sunlight approach' which we still seem to be stuck on here.

The answer to almost everything on some of the pages I'm on from CCN advocates seems to be 'strip and sanitise' or false claims that the options are 'use scientific CCN or risk ammonia build up and rashes and nasties' or try to argue that it's a choice between CCN and cold washing.

If CCN was really the default gold standard of washing (as opposed to what one group of people prefer), then surely manufacturers would be making it clear that's what's best for their product?
Surely if CCN was the gold standard (again rather than some people's preference) then the UK Nappy Network would also be advocating its use and nappy libraries would be following CCN.

CCN is just one way some people choose to wash and the sooner it's followers stop trying to present it as a gold standard or falsely suggest the alternative is to cold wash and hope for the best/risk nappy rashes if you don't follow it etc, the better.

If people are starting on cloth then they'd be better placed to look at what manufacturers suggest as a starting point instead of the inevitable scare-mongering on social media that doing anything other than CCN causes issues.

If you're saying to look at the manufacturers recommendations, a lot of the time that is cold washes, so it's easy to see how it could look like it's cold washes vs CCN.

Why do manufacturers not recommend it? Some perhaps are just stuck in their ways, cynically I think others just like to have a get out for their warranty. Do not wash above 30, do not use bio detergent, do not use optical brighteners, do not use stain remover, do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not place near a radiator. Create such a long and ridiculous list of requirements and you can easily say that it must be something the customer did wrong rather than a fault with your nappies. I mean washing at 30? I wouldn't wash my body or my clothes with water that cold, never mind nappies. Some manufacturers are starting to move towards more realistic washing instructions but it will take a while. Obviously whilst manufacturers are telling people to wash a certain way, retailers, nappy libraries and groups like the UK nappy network end up following suit.

I used the CCN detergent index to find a detergent which was available in my area, suitable for warm wash in hard water and not too expensive. Settled on Asda Tropical Bio and it seems to be working so far.

However I do follow the Nappy Network or Nappy Lady wash routine - cold rinse and long cycle on 40.

None of the manufacturers I use have said wash at 30. I think Motherease can be a bit awkward, but most manufacturers say to wash at either 40 or 60 (so not a cold wash as commonly claimed by CCN fans).

A quick double check shows:

• totsbots don't specify a temperature but does advise against harsh chemicals, bleach and says not to use a hot 90 wash
• baba and boo say 40 or 60 and no harsh chemicals
• UK Nappy network says 40 or 60
• pop in don't specify a temperature but do say a cold wash before a 60 wash can help. They also warn about harsh washing and bleach

-the Nappy Lady advises 60

Many say that inserts and shaped nappies can be tumble drier depending on the fabric.

It's common sense not to tumble dry the waterproof outers. Same for radiators and direct heat. I wouldn't put any of my technical clothing such as hiking gear, waterproofs, tents, cycling lycra on direct heat because it ruins the fabric immediately or over time.

So no, it's not a case of promoting cold washes.

Again, you're proving my point about CCN followers having a tendancy to make false or misleading claims about other methods. There are many washing approaches and parents need information, not 'CCN is science + misleading claims about other approaches'.

Alva are 30c wash, as are Littles and Bloomz. Charlie banana are a 'cold or warm wash'. So I definitely wouldn't be recommending cloth nappy newbies to just follow the manufacturers instructions when they are so varied.

Even those manufacturers and retailers that do recommend warm and hot washes are often peddling nonsense about detergent build up and only needing a half dose. Or sunning out stains instead of actually cleaning them properly.

Telling people to follow the manufacturers advice is leading them to absolute confusion when the majority of people will have nappies from multiple brands. So wash at 30,40,60? Full dose of detergent? Half dose? Bio? Non bio? Cold rinse? Prewash? It's mind boggling how exactly the same product could have such vastly different instructions from each brand. Okay you don't agree with CCN, you do you. But at least it is clear and consistent for somebody starting out.

Nothing I have said has been false or misleading, I am just clearing up the inaccurate statement you made about CCN methods being harsh. Ammonia is harsh, decent washing and the use of dilute bleach where necessary is not :)

Another vote for Fairy non-bio powder. Also stick the washing machine on the heaviest water setting for the best clean, e.g. I stick mine on a 40°C or 60°C eco wash with an extra rinse as eco uses more water.

Thank you. They came out smelling lovely! Much nicer than the disposable smell.

Can anyone recommend how to get poop stains off the fabric nappies? The liners caught most but there is a bit of poop on a couple of nappies.

I don't think I can rinse them in the toilet! Would they be alright going straight in a rinse then a 60 degree wash with the other nappies?

Thanks

Dry them outside in the sunshine - stains will bleach out in the sun.

TBH I'm not that bothered about stains as long as the nappies are clean, but if I'm selling nappies on, I'll always do a full strip wash and dry in the sun.