The Inside Scoop! The Skinny on Laundry

I don't know if you know this, but there is a lady over at Bummis who I like to call the cloth diaper laundry whisperer. Seriously, she knows her stuff inside and out, and I often say I wish I could bottle her knowledge up! So everyone, please join me in saying hello to Shirley (hello Shirley!).

We know so many of our customers struggle with hard water conditions. And the minerals in hard water can lead to premature wear and tear on diapers. Short of installing a water softener, there isn't much that can be permanently done to affect your water. If you do want a trick to combat those pesky minerals - check out Calgon (look for it at your grocer's). Calgon, added to the wash cycle, will bind to the minerals and help your detergent work more efficiently. There will still be some mineral deposits from the rinse cycle, but not nearly as many.

Did you know there are other ways you can help your diapers live a long and happy life? Check out these four Red Flags.

Cloth Diaper Laundry Routine Red Flags:

• Diaper Laundry Delay - Waiting to wash too long between laundry days - the microbes will start to eat the natural fibers - optimal timing is to wash every other day. 
• Bleach - Oxygen (aka Oxiclean and its like), chlorine or otherwise - weakens fibers. Did you also know? Oxygen bleach not thoroughly rinsed out will again weaken fibers once the diapers are put in the dryer.
• Heavy Agitation - The more the fibers rub against each other, the more weakening will occur. Avoid the 'heavy agitation' cycle on your machine. 
• Overdrying - In other words, drying the fibers past the point where there isn't any moisture left to come out. Try to line dry when possible. And, if you will use the dryer, use a low heat setting and remove diapers as soon as they are dry.

Just one of the above will cause diapers to wear out before their time (along with the usual suspects: soaking, too high of heat in the washer/dryer). Two, three or all four of the above? Yes, your diapers are going to look old far before their time.