help-my bamboozles have turned to cardboard!

[Arti]

Hello fellow mumsnetters. I would gratefully receive any advice on a problem with my bamboozle nappies-I have been using them on my DD for 3 months and they have gone quite hard. I've tried putting vinegar in the final rinse and also tumble drying and shaking lots but nothing has worked. They are now leaving red marks on the skin as they have become so hard. Also, the motherease rikki wraps I am using are causing red marks. Any suggestions on anything I can do to rescue the situation? I'm going to try hanging the nappies out in the rain tomorrow as I've heard that might help...
thanks alot.
Arti

How much powder are you using in the wash? Build up can make them hard. Soapnuts generally leave things softest as they don't leave any residue, followed by liquid detergent.

Some children react to the bindings on the motherease wraps, it could be worth trying a different make (a fleece one/fleece edged would be softest and least likely to react)

Have you been tumbledrying your bamboozles or drying them on direct heat like the radiator? I have a bamboo square which I have tumbled and that was too hot so the fibres cooked and now it always feels hard and crunchy.

Hi I have not started using mine yet as I'm due to give birth any day now - but I have been pre-washing them to increase absorbancy and I have been advised to follow this school of thought:
Second the soap nuts, then leave as long as possible to dry naturally AWAY from direct heat of radiator. If they still not dry then just finish off in tumble dryer for no more than half an hour.

what are soap nuts? My new bamboozles are on the dryer/airer thing after their first pre-wash. I put a tiny bit of powder in the machine, tumbled them on cool for 10 mins and then hung them on the rack, not near radiator. How long do you think until they are dry? Do I need powder with all the pre-washes or just keep rinsing them (which is what it is without soap), need a little soap to get rid of residues etc?

Also I got a few coloured ones but I'm thinking of sending them back and swopping fro natural colour as surely you will have to seperate the colours and wash separately? Not sure I can be arsed with that, besides they are hidden by the plain/funky wrap. What do people think?

thanks for all the comments so far. I've been using soapnuts to wash the bamboozles from the beginning, so I know it is not excess resiue that is causing the problem. They are normally allowed to dry naturally but over the last few wks I have been tumble drying for about 20 min first in an attempt to get them softer. They are currently on the washing line out in the rain as I've heard that might help, so lets see what happens this evening!
Arti

Liz, you shouldn't need to seperste the coloured nappies and they are still really cute when they have no wrap on, mine never have a wrap on at home.

ecotopia.co.uk/soap-nuts.ir?cName=home-kitchen-all-home-kitchen-products&gclid=CPSn5urmkJACFRMXQgodo GB2_Q

Liz79 here is a link about soap nuts

nappies are still REALLY damp, been on airer since 2.30AM (couldn't sleep). I put the airer near the radiator when the heating came on. Is this ok, as long as they aren't actually ON the radiator? They are just in a warmer atmosphere. Also tommee tippee wraps arrived today, very pleased with 5 for £10. Tots bots web site sell them for £8.50 EACH

Liz39 - Best to use some powder with all your prewashes to get rid of the residues.

I agree with Lairyfairy - colours will not run with totsbots nappies (although they can fade with time)

Best reserve judgement on the tommee tippee wraps until you have tried them . Motherease airflow are pretty much bomb proof if you find neither work well for you. Thay are about the same price as tots but.......

Arti how are your bamboozles? Hope you haven't cooked them .

I use thin hemp nappies (get very hard if you're not careful) and I can say 'hand on heart' that if you tumble dry for the last bit of drying instead of the intial bit of drying they will be softer than if you do it the other way round (hope that makes sense to all )

Hi all.
The rain has helped to soften up my bamboozles abit-they are not back to their original silkiness but at least it has gone in the right direction! I also heard that soaking the nappies overnight in a water/vinegar solution and then washing can help-has anyone tried this?
The tip about tumble-drying at the end rather than the beginning is helpful-thanks Coby-I will try this.
Also, does anyone leave the wrap off the nappy when at home?
Arti

thanks everyone, they are still a bit damp but getting there! aaarrrghh! I knew they took ages to dry but its going to be 48 hours at this rate. Is this what everyone else finds?

I think the early days will be a mix of size 1 bamboozles, disposables and muslins pad folded into a wrap. Just spent a happy few minutes in the nursery folding my muslins and piling them up with a liner on each one . At least I can tumble dry muslins and terries and get those dry quickly! Does anyone tumble their bamboozles until they are completely dry or just give them a helping hand for 10-20 minutes to fluff them up?

Just waiting for baby.....

Do you live in a hard water area Arti ?

A friend who lived in London gave me some bamboozles which were like cardboard, after a few washes in Northumberland's best they were like new !

That explains a lot - I have a water softener and my second hand bamboozles were a little crunchy when I got them, but are now soft again.

Hi there. Yes I do live in a hard water area and I am sure that is the problem. I am going to keep trying the leaving them out in the rain thing because it is the only thing so far that has worked! It is reassuring to know others have had the same problem!