[Mama K]

Grrr....

: I just typed out this long thread of questions, and then something stupid happened and it all went away....

Anyway, I am still waiting on my stash, but I want to get all the washing figured out now...

I borrowed some of my friend's CDs and when I did the no-detergent pre-soak cycle, I was SHOCKED to see so many suds when I peaked in! I guess the detergent was left over in my washer from my clothes load?

So that (and another thread on here I just read) got me thinking... If I have so much detergent in there already, should I just not use detergent in my diaper loads? Is baking soda/TTO suitable for hard water, and would it get them sufficiently clean (along with the little bit of soap residue from my normal clothes loads)? How much baking soda/ TTO do I use? Can I use lavender oil instead? Does it have the same antibacterial properties that TTO has? What would make TTO better than lavender oil? And when would I add the baking soda and TTO or lavender oil -- during the cold presoak or during the hot wash cycle?

Also, I know not to use fabric softener, but I have noticed my dryer kind of smells like fabric softener all the time (from my regular clothes). Is there a residue that might stick on the diapers and decrease absorbency, just from using fabric softener in a previous load? Should I just switch to Downy Advanced for my regular clothes, and then it won't be so bad if there is a little residue that might get on my diapers?

So, what do you think? Advice, please!

Thanks in advance!

Kim

 

[Oceanone]

Hi Kim,

The suds you saw could have been from leftover residue in the diapers themselves, rather than the washer. Finding your own washing routine is trial and error. If you do use baking soda be sure to only use it in the cold cycle, or it can BAKE into the diapers and cause more problems than it solves.

I use lavender instead of tto. I only use it now and then in the rinse, mostly because I like the smell. I think the hot wash and then the dryer take care of any bacteria etc on its own.

I say start simple, with adding some powder to each wash, double rinsing and then see how you go. Then maybe one week, you don't use any powder. Rinsing is key.

I can't help you with the fabric softener at all. We don't use any, as our babies skin reacts.

Good luck. Just play around with it until you get the results that suit you.

 

[kimberlylibby]

Umm, it's my fault!!

I umm, suck. I haven't done a strip cycle in a LONG time and my dipes are all full of soap. ESPECIALLY the dyed ones.

Don't use detergent for a few loads. It's all my fault! BUT I

ya!

 

[kimberlylibby]

Oh, and your siggy can only be 2 lines long! Just tellin ya so you can fix it before the

mods

come and get ya!

I add tto if I remember, sometimes....

Kimberly