How to wash prefolds

[NewDirections]

I'm new to cloth diapering and I want to make sure I wash them correctly Do I do a cold rinse first then hot? 1/2 the normal amount of detergent? Extra rinse? Please educate me on this

[Katie T]

Everyone has there own wash routine, but what I do is a cold wash with no soap to get the poo and pee out. Then a hot wash with 1/2 the amount you would normally use. Then how washes with no soap as the hot water gets soap build up out better/faster than cold. I do the hot washes with no soap till I see no more suds. And your done, either throw in the drier or hang to dry.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

I typically hand out the advice to keep it simple unless you run into a problem. I do a cold rinse first to keep stains at bay. Then a hot wash with 2 tbsp of detergent, and a cold rinse. And I'm done.
Once in a while, I'll use 1tbsp of detergent in a short cold wash, followed by a hot wash, and a cold rinse. I use non-sudsing detergent, so I don't do multiple follow-up rinses/washes.
I hang my covers and dry my flats, prefolds, fitteds, and AIOs in the dryer on regular.

[treegardner]

Are you prepping them or looking for a wash routine?

[luv-my-boys]

if they are new prefolds and your getting them ready to "quilt" up I have always ran them thru several hot cycles with a tiny bit of detergent (less than what I would use for a normal CD cycle) It helps strip the fabric of the natural oils and allows them to quilt up nice and fluffy.

If you are already using them you will find a technique that works for your water hardness. Typically I ran a full cold cycle to remove soiling/urine, Full hot cycle with detergent, and then a prewash cycle on hot no detergent. I ran super full cycles with lots of prefolds.

[rlmueller]

Cold rinse (no det) to rinse the dipes so they are not washed in poopy water.
Warm/hot wash with tiny det with the extra rinse cycle on
dryer no softener or sheet as not necessary with natural fabrics

Vin or bleach or Borax with extra no detergent and extra hotwash every month or so just because.

[NewDirections]

So far, I've just put them on the longest hot cycle with an extra rinse.

rlmueller, I'll have to try the vinegar wash. I bet that gets them super clean.

[Mandynee22]

I pretty much only use prefolds and covers. I've got other stuff but the majority is def that. I <3 them.
Here's what I do...
Use The Potty Pail and diaper sprayer on all diapers then ring them out and throw them in my pail (I use the laundrymat so pre rinsing is not an option unless I want to spend the time and money on a whole extra wash and honestly, it already costs more for me to CD than it would to use disposable). I throw them in the pail throughout the day and rinse/ring them as I feel like it. If it's sunny out, I hang them on my porch after I rinse them and throw them in my pail when they're dry. A lil sunnin' is always good.
Then I take them to the 'mat every 3 days or so and wash them on hot with a few TBS of Rockin' Green
Then I dry all the prefolds and fitteds on hot and line dry my AIOs, pockets (I use the pockets as covers because I decided I don't like actual pockets...) and covers.
Done...

[NewDirections]

I ended up with the washing routine of half the amount of detergent and a fre drops tea tree oil washed on hot with a second rinse. It works great