Strip or invest in new diapers?

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I have a ton of prefolds from GM that i used for my last baby. However...we moved to Mexico when baby was about 3 months old. The water is so sooo very hard,and we had an awful washing machine...so i hand washed diapers every day...I also had to boil diapers once a month to strip them of the stink. And on top of that we only have cold water to the washing machine. I still have all these prefolds and I know they need stripped before I use them on our new baby...due in April.

Thing is.....we have a newer washing machine that actually gets clothes clean. We also have a dryer. Still cold water only.

Tell me exactly what i should do to strip these diapers that i have

Or would you just invest in a new stash?

And how do I keep from having to strip once a month?

[dayiscoming2006]

Try stripping them if they are still in decent shape and if it doesn't work, get new ones.

I don't really know how to strip dipes so I'm useless there.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I need a step by step guide on how to strip diapers with a cold water washer....I really dont want to stand in front of the gas stove all day stripping either. But....if that's the only way to fully strip is by boiling...then i guess i could go for it.

[dayiscoming2006]

In case you don't get any answers here, you might try http://www.diaperswappers.com

I wish I could help, but I just don't know.
 

Originally Posted by Mamato3wild ponnie 

I need a step by step guide on how to strip diapers with a cold water washer....I really dont want to stand in front of the gas stove all day stripping either. But....if that's the only way to fully strip is by boiling...then i guess i could go for it.

[clovergirl]

Just a thought... do you think it might be possible to add hot water to your washer?  Washing on warm as opposed to cold may help extend the period of time needed between stripping.  You would still need to boil water though maybe, to add to the washer?  Or can you get hot water directly from the tap, it's just not connected to the washer?

Also, make sure you are using a detergent that works well in hard water or add a laundry booster, like Calgon.  I don't know what kind of access you have there to products, but it may be worth it to have things shipped in if possible.  Most detergents are available on Amazon, if they ship to Mexico that may be an option?

To start though, I would just go ahead and strip the prefolds by boiling.  Might as well use what you have for now and hopefully you can find a washing routine that will reduce the frequency of having to boil/strip.

[cristeen]

Whether old or new, theyre both going to require taking care of. Not sure what advantage new would offer you.

Do you have a top loader or front?

Id start by getting ahold of something like Calgon and just wash them. Add as much hot water to the machine as possible (in a FL, start the machine, let it get everything wet, pause it, open the door and dump in a pot or two of boiling water and continue the wash cycle).

Id do that before trying anything more drastic or labOr intensive. And Calgon a couple times/mo should help prevent future problems.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I can get hot water from the tap.....the washer is outside in the back of the garage....so i would need to carry it out to the washer.

Calgon.....ok.....and adding a few pots of boiling water to the washer a few times....think that will do it?

I really dont want to boil them.

I live on the border of Texas....so i can get ahold of anything from the states.