What should I wash nappies in?

[frans]

I've been using eco liquid at 60 degrees but the stains don't all come out and the washing machine permanently smells. I've ordered BioD - is this likely to solve the prob or should I give in and buy non-bio? Really wanted to avoid any nasty commercial washing liquid getting near DD's little bottom...

Have you tried soaking in white vinegar before a hot wash to get rid of the smells?

Bio D is an antibacterial, and will help with smells, but probably not for stains. I wet bucket mine with a few drops of tea tree oil or bicarb.

For stains, line drying in the sun is the best to get rid of them!

Napisan:

this

Might be worth a try.

Lots of people don't like Napisan - apparently it is the work of the devil but you decide for yourself.

These methods work well and may be more environmentally friendly....

To get rid of smells in your Nappies do this

soak them in white vinegar and cold water (500ml bottle of vinegar and top up the nappy bucket with water) overnight. Then put the whole lot in the washer, do a prerinse on cold, wash hot with a full dose of biological detergent. rinse two times with warm or cold water to shift the detergent and the nappies should smell ok.

To get rid of stains - hang them out on the washing line on a bright sunny day.

To stop your machine smelling run a service wash as and when you need to by cleaning all your filter, drawer bits etc then run a hot 90C wash with a dose of biological powder with the machine empty.

Some people find washing in biological powder helps with the stains, others use vanish etc.

For me, they are nappies, if they are a bit stained so be it - the smelly washing machine would irritate me though (which is why I do the odd service wash).

hth

I second the washing line for bleaching stains out.

Noooooo, not napisan!

It is very effective, but perhaps you could try one diaper and test out on your baby? My DD got a terrible rash as a result. But she is quite sensitive.

I used to wash all my nappies in eco powder.

But I'm afraid I now use surf, still get the odd stain but it bleaches out in the sun.

My children have sensitive skin but have never reacted, modern washing machines have such good rinse cycles it isn't really an issue.

And I do most other washes in bio-d or soap nuts or eco balls, they just don't cut it for nappies imo.

Someone told me the other day we are the only country in the world with non-bio washing powder? does anyone know if this is true? Esp. US, AU seemed unlikely to me.....

really hanaflower? Why has nobody ever told me that before....

no non bio here in Aus although we have sensitive and natural washing powders but I had never seen non bio until I moved to the UK.

I must say that the Napisan in the UK is not the napisan that I used with my three dds.

this is the one we use here in Aus

Oooh my A level chemistry is coming babk to me now.....

I still think that bio works better than non though, even at 60?

I ordered some Bambino Mio cleanser to go in the wash but it took ages to arrive so I bought a box from Mothercare for £2.50 as I couldnt get stains out. After one wash with some of that and her normal Fairy tablet they are as good as new x

I use non bio with a bit of nappy soak- it's an eco friendly one I get from the supermarket can never rememnber the name. But try running super rinse or extra rinse with the wash, that might help. Lots of washing machines are not brilliant on the rinse.

I have no idea what enzymes they currently use in bio but there is no reason why they cannot use thermostable ones if they chose to as biotechnology has delivered a fair few which can cope with 90C. That said, such enzymes are more expensive and what with most people not washing at 90C I wonder if powder manufacturers don't bother with them.

My washing machine does a colder rinse before the hot bit on a 90C wash so the enzymes would still take effect for the first part. The reason for the hottest wash you can do is to dissolve any solidified fats which build up in your machine and cause the pong .

Don't 'they' say that if you run your towels through a hot wash once a week it's enough to clean the washing machine? I don't use bio powder at all am I a freak?

THIS is an excellent resource for anyone who has a washing machine - esp if they use it for nappies. Well worth a quick look IMO

that is a good article, I'm bookmarking that one, thanks