wash & dry are a great thing to use. They are better for the environment and can save you a lot of money. This article goes over issues surrounding washing and drying cloth diapers and things to consider.

Washing

Traditionally boil washing was the used to wash cloth diapers. This was considered the only way to kill bacteria and is still something many people do, however you can actually get away with washing diapers at 40 degrees. This, however, is not recommended when dealing with newborn babies and the first 6 weeks. In these weeks it is much better to stick to a 60 degree wash. After this time you can then wash at 40 degrees, although it may be a good idea to do a 60 degree wash every so often. Most wraps, however, can only be washed at 40 degrees so if you choose to do a 60 degree wash make sure your wraps aren't in it!

You also have to consider what to use to wash them. You may be using cloth diapers because you don't want chemicals near your baby's skin and thus want to use something eco to wash them in. Eco-balls are a popular choice to use on clothing but from research, AI have discovered that eco balls are not a good choice for dealing with diapers. According to searches on Google, eco balls can potentially damage the diapers.

There are many great eco detergents available but these can be expensive. A better way for you, if you want to save more money, is to use soap nuts. These are placed in a cotton bag and then put in your machine. These are a great way to clean diapers. White vinegar can also be used to help neutralize smells and you can also use tee tree oil for its anti-bacterial properties.

Drying

If you have a concern for stains your best bet will be to dry your diapers outside in sunshine. Sunshine will naturally bleach your diapers and will also deodorize them. If you decide on using a tumble drier be careful as a drier will shorten the lifespan of your diapers. I have found that my cotton diapers have fallen apart fairly quickly as a result of using a drier often and I have had to replace ties often. However I found a drier important because it was the only way I could get them to be soft and also I live in the UK and the weather is never good enough to dry my diapers quickly.

If you have problems with getting your diapers soft but don't want the drier to damage them, you could compromise and half dry them on the line and then put them in the drier for a shorter period of time. Also don't be tempted to use fabric conditioner to soften nappies as fabric conditioner reduces absorbency.