Clean-rinsing detergent question

[Midwesterner04]

Hi all,

I am new to cloth diapering, which I will begin with my newborn who is likely to be born about a month from now.

I am planning to use primarily prefolds and cotton fitteds, and I received the last bit of my newborn stash today. Included in the shipment were instructions for diaper prepping. I was familiar with the suggested routine of 3-5 hot washes for breaking in 100% cotton diapers, but the information packet's warning that using a clean rinsing detergent without running bleach through the washing machine first would cause the worst components of conventional detergents to adhere to the diapers or clothes washed with the clean-rinse detergents was news to me.

I use clean-rinsing detergent most of the time but have intermittently been using a conventional free and clear for cost reasons. My understanding is that I will need to treat my washing machine (and rewash and rewash baby clothes!) before prepping the diapers and returning to clean rinse detergent full time. Do you much more experienced mamas think this is the case and if so, do I need to use actual chlorine bleach, or would an oxygen bleach or some other fabric stripper work?

I should probably add that the reason I plan to use only clean rinsing detergent from now on is that childhood skin sensitivities are common in my family, so I want to avoid as many potential irritants as possible. I do realize that many of the standard free and clear detergents work brilliantly for many people.

I would be grateful for any advice you fabulous mothers would have--I have already learned so much from just reading the posts in this section of MDC. Thanks!

[Katie T]

I use Charlies Soap and when I got my first order of it is said to put 2 T (twice the normal amount) in with some old towels and run a cycle to clean the machine. If you don't want to waste 2 loads worth of your detergent I would use vinegar and some rags or kitchen towels and run a cycle and I think you should be fine.

Congrats on the new baby!

[mamadelbosque]

That seems like way overkill. I wash our diapers in planet and use Ecos on our cloths (ecos caused repelling issues when I tried it). I've also had to wash diapers in laundry mats and at family's houses on occasion, and I definetly did *NOT* strip their washing machines first!! (though, I did take advantage of their water and rinse'm a couple extra times - we have a well and frequently run out of water so I can't wash as much as I'd maybe like

[Midwesterner04]

Thank you, Katie T and mamadelbosque!

I ended up washing the machine with two cycles of vinegar, a hot water cycle, and a cycle of clean-rinsing detergent with an extra rinse--I just kept going until the water stopped getting sudsy. The washer is on the older side and has had a number of owners, so my guess is that it had acquired a good amount of buildup. It seems much cleaner now and the first load of laundry I have done with the clean washer is much softer and better rinsed than the previous loads were. I'm glad to have been able to avoid using bleach! So thank you, Mamas, for your advice!

:-)

[Katie T]

Originally Posted by Midwesterner04

Thank you, Katie T and mamadelbosque!

I ended up washing the machine with two cycles of vinegar, a hot water cycle, and a cycle of clean-rinsing detergent with an extra rinse--I just kept going until the water stopped getting sudsy. The washer is on the older side and has had a number of owners, so my guess is that it had acquired a good amount of buildup. It seems much cleaner now and the first load of laundry I have done with the clean washer is much softer and better rinsed than the previous loads were. I'm glad to have been able to avoid using bleach! So thank you, Mamas, for your advice!

:-)

Hurray, glad it worked so well!