Washing & Care Instructions
Prepping Prefolds & Flats
PREPPING: When you get your prefolds they need to be washed and dried at least 3-4 times with detergent prior to use. This will get all of the natural oils out of the fabric and once they have been fully prepped they are safe to wash along with all your other cloth diapers. Prefolds can be washed with hot water and dried on medium/hot heat.
WASH ROUTINE OPTIONS: Line drying will always extend the life of your diapers. Extending the life of your diapers is important if you plan to use them on future babies. If you do line dry a short time in the drier will soften them up. As part of my wash routine I wash on cold (to break lose any yuckyness), then wash on hot with detergent, and finally do three rinses on warm. The rinses ensure that you are washing out all of the detergent which will help keep you from getting build up. When drying your diapers in the dryer do not use any dryer sheets as these can cause build up on your diapers. If you feel you need something to soften them I suggest trying wool dryer balls, they are a safe way to accomplish the same thing.
DETERGENTS: Do not use any detergents with additives. No added scents, softeners, and enzymes. Sticking with "Cloth Diaper Safe" detergents can sometimes be the best decision (ie: Soap Nuts, Rockin' Green, etc). There are several detergents that can be found locally that many use and have not noticed any problems such as detergents that are "Free and Clear" Keep in mind that detergent companies exaggerate the amount of detergent actually needed in a wash cycle. A good rule of thumb is to use a 1/4 the recommended amount. Using the full amount can cause build up over time and compromise the natural fibers which will cause them to not absorb.
WASH ROUTINE OPTIONS: Line drying will always extend the life of your diapers. Extending the life of your diapers is important if you plan to use them on future babies. If you do line dry a short time in the drier will soften them up. As part of my wash routine I wash on cold (to break lose any yuckyness), then wash on hot with detergent, and finally do three rinses on warm. The rinses ensure that you are washing out all of the detergent which will help keep you from getting build up. When drying your diapers in the dryer do not use any dryer sheets as these can cause build up on your diapers. If you feel you need something to soften them I suggest trying wool dryer balls, they are a safe way to accomplish the same thing.
DETERGENTS: Do not use any detergents with additives. No added scents, softeners, and enzymes. Sticking with "Cloth Diaper Safe" detergents can sometimes be the best decision (ie: Soap Nuts, Rockin' Green, etc). There are several detergents that can be found locally that many use and have not noticed any problems such as detergents that are "Free and Clear" Keep in mind that detergent companies exaggerate the amount of detergent actually needed in a wash cycle. A good rule of thumb is to use a 1/4 the recommended amount. Using the full amount can cause build up over time and compromise the natural fibers which will cause them to not absorb.
Prepping Wipes
There is no special prep needed for flannel wipes simply throw them in with your normal wash and dry routine.
Prepping Bamboo Velour Diapers
As with any natural fibers it is recommended that you wash them separate the first few times to get all the natural oils out of the fibers. Wash on warm/hot 3-4 times with 1/4 the amount of recommended detergent (drying after each wash) to reach full absorbency. Do not use any detergents with additives. Do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets.
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