Do I need to soak?

[chipmonkey]

Am jsut starting to use "real" nappies. Is it better to soak? And if so, just in water or should I add cleanser/tea tree oil?

I soaked for a few months but hated all the stinky water, drips when trying to get the liner into the washing machine, etc. Now dry pail with a few drops of tea tree oil in the bucket before the liner goes in. So much nicer!

I bleach the buckets twice a week (ok, sometimes once!) and they don't smell (even if I forget the tree tree oil). Have to say that they are usually only just wet though (have mastered the art of paper liners now ).

I have 2 in nappies atm - counting the days until there is only 1 again...

Like Gem13 I soaked for while, but was fed up with tranferring wet dripping mass to the washing machine and now just put them into bucket 'dry' (or rather wet/dirty). I add the cleanser stuff (nappy bright, nappy san or whatever) to the wash.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've only disinfected the bucket once in two years though!!!

Thanks everyone, will probably be posting lots more inane questions!

I soaked for months with Napisan then discovered tea tree oil, then spoke to the nappy lady and now just dry pail the nappies and wash at 60. So much easier.

anyone heard of little lambs nappies f so can i only buy via internet also do they do starter packs or do i buy individually thanks

I've soaked nappies for years! And recently I discovered a comment about dry-pailing on here. Searched for a thread to find out what it was, and I've never looked back! I don't use anything in the bucket, then I put a bit of Napisan in the machine and a splosh of vinegar when I wash them.

Message withdrawn

dry pail with cotton wool and lavendar or tea tree for wet nappies, pooey nappies soak and then throw them all in machine and wash with napisan.

Yorkiegirl, I'm using Bambino Mio at the moment but am going to get a couple of Tots Bots to try out, seeing as everyone else seems to prefer them!

waswondering did she get them off internet and do you purchase them individually or as a starter pack? i have only seen on net at 3.50 per nappy which seems cheap too other brands

did she get them off free range kids .com?just that i can only see the terry part not an outer part

am about to buy some motherease all in ones for dd2 who is 9 weeks. Do I need a special diaper/nappy bucket or any old bucket with a lid? Trying to cut down costs wherever I can!!

Jolly4, both Tots Bots and Little Lamb do v reasonable trial packs (Roughly 10 pounds each), with a nappy and wrap to try. Also LL do a 30 day return if you're not satisfied, I found them too small for my boy (enormous thighs) and sent them back and got a full refund. Has anyone else noticed that Tots Bots are going for alot on eBay at the mo - definitely a good time to sell, if you have the option!

Can't do links but...
www.littlelamb.co.uk
www.totsbots.com

We have a bin with a lid (1.99 from one of these cheap places) and we don't soak. We have to wash every 2-3 days else they don't fit in the washing machine, and Ok the bottom ones do smell a little, but only when you put them in the machine. I don't think our bathroom smells.

BTW soaking them shortens the nappy's lifespan.

I am using bambino mio and use their nappyfresh which is like napisan but more environmentally friendly to both nappy and water. I don't soak but tend to wash them at ninety or sixty and rinse them in machine before I go for wash without a spin to let go all the pee. You can pick up nappyfresh cheaper, its a fiver I think from BM, usually in organic eco shops if there are any round there.

I thought soaking extended the nappy's lifespan as urine attacks the fibres if you don't...?

& do you dry-pailers stick the pooey nappies in a different bucket after you've rinsed them, or what? When I tried putting rinsed pooey ones in with wet ones but NOT adding extra water was the only time the bucket honked. So I usually fill bucket with water & tea tree now - admittedly hauling sopping nappies into washing machine isn't my favourite job of the day...

Carrie - I'm not sure that the soaking affects the life of the nappy, but rather the life of the elastic inside. I'm sure that when people always soaked, it was usual to use terry squares with no elastic, or to wash daily (the only day I ever missed a wash was Christmas day....... quote MIL)

I rinse all of my nappies under running water, pooey or not, and then put them in the bucket. I have two buckets - unrinsed (with lid) and rinsed (no lid), as I only tend to rinse my nappies out once a day but then do it really well. By the time I put them in the machine, the water drips down to the bottom, and only the last one is really wet.