#ClothNappyMonday – My Cloth Nappy Washing Routine

#ClothNappyMonday – My Cloth Nappy Washing Routine

Updated on 18/01/2021.

When you use cloth nappies, you naturally have to wash them too and when you look online, you will quickly feel overwhelmed by different, quite complicated, nappy washing routines but I’ve always kept it simple and never had any problems with stinks. I’ve never had to strip-wash my nappies and they’re all in good condition. The only time I’ve had a smelly nappy was when I forgot about a small wet bag with one nappy in it in the bottom of the washing basket but it wasn’t too difficult to sort out. Now I keep my wet bags at the top of the laundry basket to avoid this happening again!

So, my simple routine. After a nappy change, I take the wet inserts out if it’s a pocket nappy and place everything in a wet bag. If it’s an AIO nappy (like Bambino Mio Miosolo or TotsBots Easyfit Star) where the insert needs to be pulled out, I do that straight away too.

If it’s a soiled nappy, the poo goes straight in the toilet. With my older daughter, I used Bambino Mio Mioliners to catch the poo and they make it so easy! They’re much larger than other brands I’ve tried so they stick out a bit on the sides of the nappy but this is a good thing as this means they stay in place. The poo goes in the toilet and the liner in the bin. I also used Little Lamb fleece liners as extra protection for the nappy and to keep my little one’s bottom nice and dry. I’m lucky that my toddler is at an age where her poos are solid most of the time so the disposal is easy.

With my third baby, I only use fleece liners as she always has ploppable poos!

I always start with a cold rinse and usually add a tiny amount of non bio powder to help get the cleaning process started. I use about a tablespoon or so for the prewash. My prewash cycle is only 20 minutes long.

I wash on 40-60 degrees depending on how dirty the nappies are and use a longer programme that’s just under 2 hours long to ensure a good clean.

I wash every 2-3 days and throw in other small items like cloth wipes, small towels, socks and pants if I need to bulk out the load.

I use non bio powder detergent and have tried most own brand supermarket brands successfully. I use a scoop that’s probably around 100ml or so for a full load. I never add anything else as stain removers, fabric softener, vinegar etc. can damage the nappies.

Drying the nappies has been a breeze this summer as the weather has been so hot and dry! I keep covers/wraps in the shade or indoors as the PUL can deteriorate quickly if you expose it to direct sunlight. When the weather is not so hot, I still put washing outside when I can as it helps speed up the drying process. If it’s rainy, I will dry on an airer indoors or put inserts and fitted nappies on radiator airers in the kitchen and bathroom. If I’m behind on washing, these can also be dried on low in the tumble dryer but I try to avoid this as my tumble dryer doesn’t have any heat settings.

That’s it! When the nappies are dry, I assemble the ones that need assembling, then put them away. I’m a bit slow with this sometimes, that’s why I have a large nappy stash! I can’t wait to have a better storage solution for the nappies in our new house. Currently they live in boxes in a Kallax unit but it’s not ideal.

What’s you cloth nappy washing routine like?