How to wash reusable diapers so they are clean and soft?

The first months after the birth of a child are the most difficult for new parents. In addition to caring for a newborn, you have to do household chores and learn new skills. For example, the skill of washing children's reusable diapers. It’s good if you asked in advance how to wash muslin and flannel diapers.

The recommended temperature in both cases is 30-40 degrees, the spin cycle is gentle, the washing machine mode is “Delicate”, with an additional rinse. The detergent must be safe and hypoallergenic. For softness, it is good to use baby fabric conditioner or rinse the diapers in water with the addition of 1 tbsp. l. vinegar. If washed incorrectly, items may change size, fade, become stiff and become covered with pills.

Choosing a detergent

Gone are the days when diapers were boiled in order to somehow disinfect and restore whiteness. Today, the choice of diapers is simply huge: muslin, knitted, flannel, white, colored, with patterns and prints.There is an equally large range of detergents for washing children's clothes that can effectively remove dirt without boiling.

You can use any detergent. The main thing is that it is suitable for newborns (see information on the packaging).

Need to consider:

• The baby has allergies or skin problems. In this case, temporarily or permanently use laundry soap, baking soda, and return to the good old method of boiling laundry. The most common diapers, cotton ones, are used.
• After an infectious disease, washing at 90 degrees is recommended. After it, the tissues become thinner and may fade, but health is more important.
• Temperature conditions at which the product “works”. Washing powders for the most part can remove dirt only if the water temperature is 40 degrees or higher. Washing gels are suitable for washing in cool and cold water. Read the instructions carefully, otherwise the diapers will not wash.
• Machine or hand wash. Only special powders and washing gels with reduced foaming can be loaded into the machine. If your priority is natural detergents, soap nuts, soap, homemade laundry detergent, it is better to wash diapers by hand so as not to break the machine.

Store-bought detergents

Separate lines of detergents are produced for washing children's clothes, bed linen, and diapers. Almost every large company has one. Look for the inscription on the packaging: “suitable from 0 years”, “for newborns”.

The difference between baby washing products is the absence of aggressive chemicals, to which the skin of babies is so sensitive. This does not change the fact that powders and gels for washing newborn clothes come in different qualities.

Pay attention to the following criteria:

1. No fragrance. A strong smell can cause headaches and excite the baby's nervous system.
2. Brand. Large manufacturers value their reputation. Do not use unknown or little-known detergents.
3. Compound. Safe baby powders do not contain phosphates, chlorine, and do not contain optical brightener. The surfactant concentration should be reduced.

The best detergents are those based on laundry soap, soda, and herbal ingredients. There are some that are machine washable.

Top 7 washing products for reusable diapers and clothes for newborns:

• Ecologica. Made using a special technology from natural oils, super concentrate, washes in cool water, rinses off quickly and without residue. Costs 1 kg 590 rub. Rating – 5 out of 5.
• "Burti Hygiene". Disinfects, kills 99.9% of germs without boiling, contains oxygen bleach and cares for the washing machine. Price – 620 rub. for 900 g. Rating – 4.9 out of 5.
• Tobbi Kids. Contains laundry soap and soda. Can be loaded into a washing machine. Cost – 110 rubles. for 400 g. Rating 4.9.
• "Meine Liebe". Washable at 30 degrees, economical in consumption, suitable for machine washing. Costs 410 rubles. for 1 kg. Rating 4.9.
• "Garden Kids" Made from coconut and palm oil soap, concentrate, suitable for the machine. Price – 400 rub. for 1 kg. Rating 4.9.
• "BioMio with cotton extract." Biogel for children and adults with sensitive skin based on soap. Cotton extract prevents the formation of pills. Suitable for machine and hand wash. Cost 1.5 l – 500 rub. Rating 4.8.
• "Frosch baby" Liquid detergent works great in cool water.German quality, cares for the fabric, gives it softness. Price – 890 rub. for 1.5 l.

Attention! It is impossible to say with certainty which washing powder or gel will suit you and your child. Much depends on the individual reaction and the degree of soiling of the laundry.

Advice. Buy different products in small portions to choose the one that suits you best.

Homemade laundry detergent

Many new mothers make homemade diaper washing powder. It is inexpensive, but the product is absolutely safe and removes stains well. Recipe:

• laundry soap without additives 72% – 1 bar;
• soda ash – 400 g;
• baking soda – 500 g;
• citric acid – 3 tbsp. l.;
• table salt – 2 tbsp. l.

How to cook:

1. Heat the soap in the microwave and grate it on a fine grater.
2. Mix the ingredients thoroughly in a deep container.
3. Pour into a container with a lid.

Store for up to 3 years in a dark and dry place. To wash 5 kg of laundry, use 200 g of powder. When machine washable, place in drum.

Washing diapers

A reusable diaper is a universal item. This includes clothes for a newborn, a diaper, a sheet, and a blanket. You can cover your baby with a diaper while breastfeeding, or turn it into a curtain from the sun. And of course, it is used for swaddling babies so that they sleep peacefully.

If the baby is in a diaper almost all the time, washing diapers is not much different from washing clothes and bedding for a newborn.

It's a completely different matter if the product is used instead of a diaper. Washing diapers that come into contact with feces and urine has the following features:

1. You need to immediately clean the diaper from solid particles (feces). You can flush your baby's stool down the toilet with a stream of water, collect it with toilet paper, and throw it away.The stain should be soaped with laundry soap or treated with another detergent.
2. The described diaper should be rinsed under running water or in a basin.
3. Dirty diapers are washed immediately or collected in a separate plastic basket (basin).
4. No need to soak them! If you stay in the water for a long time, an unpleasant odor will appear and the water will begin to “bloom.”
5. The linen must be thoroughly washed within 2-3 days, it is better not to delay this.

Advice. If you wash diapers in a washing machine, first run the “Quick Wash” or “Extra Rinse” mode (2 cycles) without detergent. Water will wash away surface contaminants, and during the main wash the diapers will be washed well.

You can also follow these instructions if the child burped on the diaper, smeared it in baby puree, porridge, or other food.

In the washing machine

If the appearance of baby diapers, long service life, and softness are important to you, gentle washing in a washing machine is recommended:

1. Heavily dirty diapers should be soaked, rinsed or pre-washed by hand.
2. Load into the washing machine drum. Fill no more than two-thirds full.
3. Place the detergent in the special compartment. Check the dosage on the package, do not pour “by eye”.
4. Select the “Delicate Wash” mode. You can “Children's things” with a temperature limit of up to 40 degrees, spin up to 600 rpm.
5. Click "Extra Rinse".
6. Start the wash.
7. Take things out, shake them lightly and hang them on a clothesline to dry.

Hands

If there are only a few diapers, you can wash them by hand. For this:

1. You need to fill a basin with warm water (40 degrees).
2. Dilute the detergent according to the instructions.
3. Lower the diapers. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
4. Without removing it from the water, rub it with your hands.
5. Rinse in clean warm water.
6. Wring out and hang to dry.

Features depending on material

Reusable diapers will last longer if the characteristics of the materials from which they are made are taken into account when washing. Washing in lukewarm water on a delicate cycle refreshes, but does not remove heavy soiling.

Muslin diapers

Made from muslin cotton, the fabric is very soft, delicate, and loose. The structure is similar to gauze. The material breathes well, absorbs and evaporates moisture, great for summer newborns.

1. Washing muslin diapers with laundry soap makes them tough. We recommend using liquid detergent.
2. Diapers will become softer if you wash them by hand, use conditioner or add 1 tbsp. l. vinegar per 6 liters of water when rinsing.
3. After washing, muslin diapers should not be twisted too much or pressed in the machine at high speeds (over 600).
4. It is better to dry naturally vertically.
5. Drying in the sun and in a dryer is contraindicated. You need to air dry in the shade!
6. The fabric can shrink by 3-5%, shrink, and wrinkle. Ironing at medium temperature helps restore it to its original appearance.
7. The recommended water temperature is 30 degrees, the maximum is 40 degrees (unless otherwise indicated on the label).
8. What mode can you wash on: “Delicate”, “Hand wash”.
9. You can steam it.

Flannel diapers

Flannel is a very soft, warm and cozy fabric. Its peculiarity is the soft short pile on the surface. In terms of composition, flannel diapers are made of cotton; wool and wool blends are less common. They usually have a pattern on one side.The print is applied to the woven fabric from the front side so that the newborn’s skin does not come into contact with the coloring composition.

How to wash correctly:

1. To find out at what degrees you can wash flannel diapers, pay attention to the composition. The cotton variety can be washed at 60 degrees. Woolen and wool-blend diapers, with a mixture of synthetics - at 40 degrees maximum.
2. Cotton flannel diapers will become softer if you add 0.5-1 tbsp to soapy water. l. glycerin.
3. Before use, new products are washed in lukewarm (up to 35 degrees) water with the addition of a small amount of detergent. Then they keep their shape better and don’t shrink.
4. Do not rub the fabric too hard or use brushes. Otherwise, the appearance of pellets cannot be avoided.
5. To remove stubborn dirt, soak it.
6. Flannel loves a gentle spin and does not tolerate twisting or drying in a crumpled form.
7. In what mode to wash such diapers depends on the composition. "Cotton 60", "Cotton 90", "Baby" and "Everyday Wash" are suitable for 100% cotton flannel. It is recommended to reduce the spin cycle to 600-800 rpm. Woolen and wool-blend diapers are washed in the “Wool”, “Delicate Wash”, “Hand Wash” modes with minimal or no spinning at a temperature of 30-40 degrees.
8. Dry flannel diapers only in air.
9. You can steam and iron at a temperature of 110-160 degrees, unless other restrictions are specified by the manufacturer.

Other diapers

If you have doubts at what temperature and in what mode to wash baby diapers made of different materials, keep this cheat sheet for yourself:

• Calico.Hand and machine washable at temperatures up to 90 degrees (bleached chintz), machine drying and spinning, steaming, ironing at high temperatures.
• Knitted. Wash at 30 degrees, do not stretch, handle with care. In the machine, use the “Delicate wash” mode, spin up to 800 rpm, iron with steam at medium temperature.
• Calico diapers. Wash by hand or in a machine at temperatures up to 60 degrees (bleached thick calico), spin - 400-600 rpm. Ironing at 150 degrees.
• Marquisette. Gentle hand wash at 30 degrees. The machine has the “Delicate” or “Silk” mode. Spin is turned off, do not unscrew. Dry vertically and iron on reverse side at medium temperature.
• Cocoon diaper. Before washing, fasten all buttons and Velcro. Mode and temperature - depending on the material. Spin up to 600-800 rpm. Do not iron Velcro or snaps.
• Waterproof. Wash with liquid detergents without soap in the “Delicate” or “Hand Wash” mode at 30-40 degrees. Add two additional rinses. Turn off the spin or set it to minimum. Dry outdoors in the shade. Do not iron.

Useful tips

To keep the diaper fabric soft, prevent pilling, and maintain color, use half a cap of fabric softener when washing. There are children's versions of Lenor, Cotico, Vernel, Eared Nannies, Faberlic, Synergetic (suitable for all ages). Additionally, the conditioner helps to form a protective shell on the fabric, and the diapers are washed more easily. When washing by machine, the conditioner is poured into the compartment next to the powder reservoir; when washing by hand, it is added to the rinse water.It is correct to first dissolve the product, wait 10 minutes, and then rinse the already washed item.

Helpful tips for washing baby diapers:

• If the water is hard, dissolve 2 tbsp in 5 liters of water. l. baking soda. Contaminants will come off easier.
• If washed in cold water, the cycle should be long. Don't cut time!
• Before complementary foods are introduced, the baby's stools are not as caustic. The diapers wash perfectly even in cool water. A minimum of detergent is needed.
• Children's clothes are washed separately from adults. This rule also applies to diapers.
• Monitor the dosage of detergent. It's better to reduce it than to put too much.
• If there are wounds or rashes on the body, rinse the diapers in warm boiled water.
• Ironing provides additional protection to the baby's skin from irritation.

Question answer

How do you boil baby diapers?

Boiling in a soap-soda solution is considered the safest. For every 1 liter of water, take 20 g of grated laundry soap and 1 tsp. baking soda. The diapers are boiled for 2 hours, then rinsed. 6 liters of solution is enough to wash 1 kg of diapers.

How to quickly wash very dirty diapers?

Even very dirty baby diapers can be washed using oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine and optical bleach!). The product pushes dirt molecules out, kills bacteria, works at low temperatures, and is suitable for colored and delicate fabrics.

To summarize, modern baby diapers require more careful handling than Soviet ones.To keep them soft, cozy and comfortable, you need to wash them at a water temperature of 30-40 degrees, do not rub with much force, do not twist them, and use fabric conditioner for children's clothes. In washing machines, the “Delicate” mode is optimal. Only in case of heavy soiling can you resort to high-temperature washing. If you use diapers as a diaper, pay attention to the materials chintz and calico, which can be washed at a temperature of 60-90 degrees.