No washing line, no tumble dryer, can I use washable nappies?

[hopingforanother]

I have no garden- hence no washing line and no tumble dryer. Well - I have a washer-dryer, but the dryer takes a VERY long time to dry anything and to all intents and purposes, may as well not be there.

Can I use reusable, washable nappies, with any degree of success?

Has anyone tried it?

Yes you can! You just have to dry them on a airer. They aren't as soft as if you dry them in the tumbler but otherwise it works fine.

Yes so long as you are careful with what you buy and you have plenty of them to allow for slower drying.

Shaped nappies tend to take longer to dry than flat nappies for example. Bamboo is slow drying, microfibre is very quick drying.

I would look at terry squares, a pocket nappy or something like the pop-in which does a microfibre version.

I used them with no tumble dryer or washing machine with no problems, if I had got behind with the washing I used to put an electric fan on to give them a bit of a blast, I know this isn't very environmentally friendly but it was in hot summer so we were using it anyway.

notso I hope you mean no washing line and not no washing machine

Yes.

We don't have a dryer and successfully used cloth nappies with both DS.

You just need to get yourself into a routine with the washing.

We used to wash nappies every 2 days, and I bought enough for 3 days because mine used to take a whole 24hrs (longer for night nappies but I finished them on the radiator in winter) to dry.

We washed overnight, hung up before breakfast/work.

Yes, I used tots bots with motherease wrappers with just airers, with no problem at all. I think I'm right in saying a nappy and wrap system will work best as they will dry faster. I had 20 nappies iirc, and about 10 wraps, and never had a problem keeping on top of the washing. Of course sods law says that now we don't use them anymore, we've just been given a tumble dryer

Thanks for your replies! They're all very positive!

We also have under floor heating so no radiators either. I already have a constant stream of washing on airers (I really HATE having no garden...) and I worry about how hideous it will be, but I'd like to try reusables (used only disposables with DD).

EasilyConfused - terry squares do appeal because of the simplicity, but I'm a little worried about effectiveness! Maybe I should ask my mum what she did - I know she used them on me...

I thought the bum genius flip ones looked quite good too because of the throw away bit you can use if need be, if a little complicated?

I'm thinking of changing my kitchen a bit anyway so I can have a slightly concealed but well ventilated drying rack fixed to the wall, so that could help the horrible washing everywhere issue.

We had totsbots and me too!

Yes you can, I did - washing lines are useless a lot of the time anyway and babies don't hold their poo in because it's been raining for a week

Yep, I've done this fine. Just use airers. We use MotherEase nappies and wraps, they dry pretty quickly.

I was in same situation as you and used MotherEase nappies and wraps. They dried really quickly.

A friend of mine is using terries for her DD and they've been absolutely fine - no leaks or anything, and are probably much quicker to dry than MotherEase.

As you have a drying problem already, can I recommend a dehumidifyer ? We have a Mitshubishi one, and although it was pricey to begin with, you can put it under a big airer, and dry a couple of loads of washing (sometimes 3 if theres lots to go on hangers) overnight and very cheaply.

The advantage of terries, besides the quick drying is that there are so many fold options, you can always find one to suit. They are pretty much bomb proof once you have the knack, and they are just about the cheapest nappying system. You can use muslins in the early days too. Motherease airflow wraps are the best to go over anything.

The pocket nappies with microfibre are very fast drying, but I've always had problems with leaks and NONE of them lasted overnight. FuzzyBuns were the best though.

I do have some BumGenius Flips and I really like them, but only with the cotton insert. I do have some of the disposable inserts, but they're not much good, certainly nothing like a disposable - they get bunched up as soon as they are wet, and are USELESS at catching poo. The microfibre inserts are OK, but I wouldn't rave about them. Even with cotton are still no good for overnight.

Yep, has worked for us for 2 years with just airers (Motherease Sandies and Totsbots with ME wraps).

I am the same and i dry them over the curtain pole in the front room! just whip them down if guests turn up - you always have an extra minute as they have to get up the stairs

Terry squares are easy, we use them no probs. It only takes a couple of poo leaks before you perfect it Another advantage is that you can just pad fold them to double nappy for the nights so no bulky, slow drying boosters.

I admit ot loveing my bulky night nappies and boosters and things though! We started out in a flat with all quick drying nappies but the range has expanded with our drying options (no tumble drier though)

Bambinex Teddies dry really easily. I also use Motherease nappies and I find they take ages to dry, even with a washing line in a south facing garden.

I use cloth nappies without a dryer or a line, and manage easily with a wire airer. I think using a dryer seems to go against the green ethos of reuseables anyway. I have used pocket nappies with mostly microfibre, but some bamboo inserts. Bumgenius 3.0, Tots bots and fuzzibunz pocket nappies are all really good. Night times are fine if I stuff extra inserts in a bumgenius ( 2 microfibre and one bamboo) and last all night now little one no longer poos at night. Good luck and happy nappy-buying.

NormallyBites I hadn't thought about rain - it must be my general angst against not having a garden!

It sounds like Motherease (though not for everyone and terry squares are what I need to try out. Lionstar and EasilyConfused do I need extra stuff to use with terry squares, bits to go inside or over the outside? I have no idea really!

I don't mind using a few disposables, compared to last time, any use of re-usables will make me feel happier. I think I'm going to use washable wipes too... The cheeky monkey ones look good.

Thanks so much for your replies everyone!

I use good old terry squares and dry them on the airer overnight

And terries are FAB. Very effective - I never get the "up the back" poo explosions. Or nappy rash. I would never use disposables now, I love my terries

I use nappy nippas and motherease rikki wraps, it makes it all very easy

A more expensive option is a nappy service - they collect, wash and leave you fresh nappies. No line, tumble dryer or washing machine needed.

and don't waste your money on cheeky wipes. 10p flannels from sainsbury's, a bottle of tea tree oil and some tesco large foodbags do the job just as well for a lot less £££££

Yes, I have no tumble drier and had 2 in cloth for about 15 months til DD was potty trained. Airers work fine, I used a mixture of quick drying ones - bumgenius, and slower ones - bumbles with wraps.

It is quicker to dry on a line of course, but very doable without, I found the damp days but not cold enough to have the central heating on meant the biggest backlog of stuff drying. I have a concertina style airer and add a fold out fence type one when I need to.

And as someone said, the containment is better than disposables so what you gain in nappy washing you save on poo covered clothes

Yes Fibilou this did occur to me - and having looked at the cost of cheeky monkey - flannels seem a much better option!