Modern Cloth Nappy Care Instructions
Pre-washing
I pre-wash the bamboo used in my boosters twice on a long hot cycle prior to sewing. So your bamboo fleece booster should be nice and fluffy and ready to use when it arrives. You may find however that absorbancy increases a little more with a few extra washes.
A pre-wash of your nappy prior to use will remove any residue from the creative process, including soluble stabilisers used on embroideries.
Tip: a few minutes (just a few) in the clothes dryer on a warm setting will "heal" any small holes in the PUL waterproof inner left by the sewing process.
General washing and care
Do NOT use bleach, whitening agents, enzyme soakers (such as napisan), vinegar or fabric softeners on your shells.
DO remove solids from your nappy into the toilet, never the garbage bin
DO rinse the nappy if there is any soiling residue on the nappy which could stain
DO Dry pail - this simply means place the nappy in a dry nappy bucket and seal the lid. Soaking is not required and will actually reduce the lifespan of elastic and PUL. Boosters may be soaked separately if required, using an enzyme free soaker such as Eco Store power oxygen whitener, Rockin' Green or sodium percarbonate.
DO wash at least every second day
When you are ready to wash, run through a short rinse cycle, then wash on your normal cycle using warm water to hot water (max 60 degrees) and only the normal amount of washing powder for your sized load. You need to ensure you have a good water to nappy ratio ie: full water to 2 thirds full nappies. Please ensure you only use the recommended dose, not more. If you have bubbles in your final rinse, then you either need to reduce the amount of detergent or you need to add an additional rinse to your cycle to ensure all detergent is rinsed and removed.
Make sure your washing powder does not contain cellulase enzymes, optical brighteners or a built in fabric softener. Residue from these agents may react when in contact with urine and cause skin irritation. Softeners will leave a residue on fabric which reduces its absorbency and life span.
Line dry in the sun. The sun is a natural sanitiser and will help keep your nappies bright and fresh. Always lay your nappies across the line with the inner of the nappy facing up to the sun rather than hanging from one end. This will reduce stress on the elastic so you can enjoy maximum lifespan from your nappies.
If you must use the dryer, please only use sparingly and on a low heat setting to avoid damage to the elastic and PUL. Prolonged or regular use of a clothes dryer will reduce the life span of your nappy. Boosters may be dried separately on a higher heat.
If your nappy has any ruffle or skirt embellishments, please do not use an iron on the full nappy as this will damage the elastic and PUL. A hair straightening iron on the ruffle/skirt is a better option. You may also choose to wash your ruffled nappies in a laundry delicates bag for extra protection.I support the recommendations of The Australian Nappy Association, as found in this document.
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