"Prepping" prefolds when they're new? What is this?

[Katielady]

I've seen prepping mentioned, and it seems to involve washing a bunch of times, but haven't been able to find instructions for it. I bought 6 regular prefolds from cottonbabies and washed them once with allen's naturally on hot. What else do I need to do before use? (I have one on my baby now- will it not work because it's not "prepped"?) help!

thanks y'all.

[Smirkin]

It just means to wash them TONS of times to help them get thick and fluffy, and they also shrink down (because they are getting so fluffy!). All this does in increase their absorbency power. Nothing terrible will happen if you use them not fully "prepped" other than they just won't be at their maximum absorbency (and they might be a little bigger than they're supposed to be).

My experience is that they need to be dried in the dryer for proper fluffing, though others may have ways to get that effect by line drying.

I'd say wash them 3-4 times on hot (I'd prob throw in a little detergent in the first wash and then use none for the subsequent washes) and then dry them for an hour on high. They still might not be at their complete absorbency, but they'll be pretty close, and you can complete the "prepping" simply by using and washing them normally for a few weeks.

[CookAMH]

I'm in the middle of this with the dipes I bought . I did two wash/dry loads last night and will do at least one, if not two more, tonight. The insert I got from green mountain diapers is that a test is cupping a diaper in your hand and pouring water in it - if it fully absorbs, it's ready to go. I think you need to do AT LEAST three washes and dries.

Good point from the pp about not needing detergent in every wash....hadn't thought of that .

ETA: there will be a lot of lint so you may want to clear the lint screen halfway through drying.

[Llyra]

There is a coating on the cotton when it's new, from the manufacturing process, that can make the prefolds actually repel water rather than absorb it. You know they're prepped enough when you can pour a cup of water on the diaper, and it soaks in instantly, rather than beading up first.

[Katielady]

aha! thanks, y'all!

they seemed to work fine today justhaving been washed once, but I'll toss em all back in for a few more hot washes just to be sure.

[Ifluffedthree]

The cotton ones will do fine washed once or twice. I have not heard of a coating on Cotton Prefolds.

However, Hemp is a different story. Hemp has natural oils in it that will indeed repel. I prepare my hemp fibers prior to sewing a minimum of 3 hot wash/hot dry. Hemp should still be washed again prior to use as with any new products coming from any manufacturer. It will take until about 8-10 times before they perform at peak absorbency. Commercial companys making hemp diapering products may not prep, most WAHMS prep their hemp fibers in advance of working with them.

Good luck.

[MoOnFiReGlOw]

Yep, it takes me about 5 times washed and FULLY dried for my prefolds to get prepped...and mine tend to shrink much more than normal which I love! I tend to get more of a quilt if I prep them for a longer time. I've even boiled some water and added it to the wash to get the temperature up a bit more!

:

[fairymom]

Question- is this only for prefolds? Or should you prep pockets and AIOs the same way? And fitteds?

[Llyra]

I would do it with anything I expected to be absorbent. For instance, I find that new bath towels frequently need prepping, too, or they don't absorb. So yeah, I'd do it with AIOs, fitteds, inserts, doublers, and wipes, too.

[MoOnFiReGlOw]

Originally Posted by fairymom

Question- is this only for prefolds? Or should you prep pockets and AIOs the same way? And fitteds?

I do it with everything, although I tend to do it less (3 wash/dry cycles) for fitteds/pockets/aio's than I do for prefolds (5 wash cycles). If the diaper has bamboo I do it the same as my prefolds since those need more washes to reach max absorbancy

[CookAMH]

Three washes and dries did it for me on my prefolds, though I only tested with water after three and not sooner, so perhaps they were ready before 3.

Good info on hemp, thanks. I have some hemp doublers that I need to wash.