What to do with a dirty/wet nappy
Remove the nappy. If using flushable liners you can simply flush any solids away. If using washable fleece liners – remove the worst of the poo before you put it in the bucket. This can be done by holding it in the toilet and flushing – or, some people keep a long handled brush for this purpose. (It is useful to keep your bucket near the toilet for this reason)
Do the same with the nappy to ensure that as little poo as possible goes into the nappy bucket. If using a separate, PUL wrap you do not need to wash this at every change unless it has poo on it. If it is just damp, leave it somewhere to air for a couple of hours and it will be ready to use again.
(more about wool and fleece wraps in another article)
Choosing whether to dry pail or soak nappies
Dry pailing simply means storing the nappies in a bucket without soaking. If doing this it is helpful to add a couple of drops of tea tree oil in the bottom of the bucket. You might want to use a nappy mesh which makes it easier to load the nappies into the machine but it is not vital.
Dry pailing is a lot less messy than soaking – it will also make it a lot less smelly affair! When you come to wash your nappies just use a pair of rubber gloves and transfer them into the machine. The smell will really not be that bad if you have been storing them dry. Today’s washing machines are so efficient that they are more than able to cope with dirty nappies – without having to soak them.
If you do decide to soak nappies it will no doubt increase the smell at wash time. You will also need to change the water in the bucket every day which can be a bit of a pain. Soaking can help if you are having problems with stains but be aware that adding any nappy solution can affect the lifespan of your nappies.
Do not soak PUL wraps as this will damage them over time.
A nappy bucket full of wet nappies and water will be very heavy so it is best to drain the excess water into the toilet before you take it to the machine.
When transferring wet nappies to the machine it is a good idea to keep an old towel ready to catch any drips in the front of the machine.
Rinse the bucket with hot water and add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to freshen it up.
Washing nappies
Nappies are usually washed at 60 degrees however, if your baby is over 3 months old and is not suffering from any kind of illness then there is no reason why you cannot wash at 40 degrees. It is best to wait until you have a full load of nappies but if you do not want to do this you can just make up to a full load with other washing.
When washing nappies, use a non bio washing powder and just use around a half of the normal amount of washing powder. This will avoid powder residue building up in your nappies which will eventually affect their absorbency. You can also use Eco Balls to wash nappies - we have trialled these very successfully. They also avoid any potential problems with powder build up. If using Eco Balls, always wash at 60 degrees.
Do not add fabric conditioner. This coats the fabric with a wax like substance and will definitely affect the absorbency of your nappies. You can try adding a couple of tablespoons of distilled white vinegar to your fabric conditioner drawer, this will leave your nappies smelling fresher.
Washing wraps
PUL wraps can be washed at 60 degrees. They don’t have to be washed every time they are used though. They can be simply aired between use, or just quickly hand wash them with warm soapy water to freshen them up.
Fleece wraps should be washed at 40 degrees. Any hotter and you may get some bobbling.
Wool wraps need to be hand washed using a special wool shampoo.
Drying nappies
It is always best to line dry nappies when possible. This will give them a lovely fresh smell and the sunshine naturally bleaches out any stains. It is also the economical and environmentally friendly way of drying them.
Of course in this country that is not always possible! The next best option would be to dry in a warm room such as an airing cupboard or on an airer.
It is best to avoid drying directly on a radiator as this will eventually damage the fabric. Most nappies can be tumble dried – always check the manufacturers instructions to be sure. Tumble drying will make them come out nice and soft – of course if you are trying to be as environmentally friendly as possible then you would probably not want to tumble dry too often. Using dryer balls will reduce drying time by 25%.
Drying wraps
PUL wraps will usually dry in just a couple of hours in a warm room. You can kick start the drying process by wiping them over with a dry towel – this gets rid of most of the moisture and they are then almost dry anyway.
Fleece wraps can be air dried in just a couple of hours, they can be tumble dried on a low temperature but this shouldn’t really be necessary.
Wool wraps should be hang dried/aired only. Do not tumble dry.
Washing new nappies
All new nappies should be washed before use – usually a couple of times. This is to remove residue from the manufacturing process and to increase absorbency. You do not need to dry in between washes.
If your nappies start to smell a bit whiffy, even after a wash - try stripping them. See our FAQs for more information.