Cloth diaper washing - white vinegar rinse

Status
Not open for further replies.

JonQuixote

Est. Contributor
Messages
75
Role
  1. Diaper Lover
  2. Sissy
Just wondering how many cloth diaper users add "white vinegar" to their final rinse when washing in automatic washing machines?

I've noticed that the diaper is much softer - supposedly just a small amount of white vinegar added to the final rinse will eliminate any soap residue that may irritate the delicate skin.

Any other washing recommendations? :educate:
 
Well that makes sense, most detergents are bases, vinegar is an acid, so that should help remove any lingering soap.

It should also help when trying to dry clothes that were washed in hard water - combat those minerals iike Lime which once again is a base, to keep the clothes from getting stiff from dissolved minerals.

Also, avoid fabric softeners when drying cloth diapers, if you dry them in a machine. The soapish residue they leave is good for fighting static, but can really lower the absorbency of the diaper material. (makes it a bit water-repellant) Lots of people prefer to line-dry their diapers.

Plastic pants also have their own washing care - mild soap and low temperatures, definitely line-dry.
 
Our house is on a well, and the water is pretty hard, even after it comes out of our water softener. I tried the vinegar thing a few times, and just didn't notice much of a difference. What has helped me quite a bit is Charlie's Soap Laundry Booster and Hard Water Treatment, which is a powder you add to the wash along with your detergent. It's really helped a lot with keeping my diapers soft, or at least preventing them from getting stiff.

As well, I do use softener. I put one capful of Ecover "Morning Fresh" softener into every other load. It makes the diapers smell really nice, too. I do this with full awareness of the implications (I did a bit of science on this a while back). My advice regarding softeners would be: If you're wearing for need, then by all means avoid softeners. You will undoubtedly get more mileage from your diapers. If you're wearing for pleasure, then you may well find the extra softness is worth sacrificing a little absorbency for. And softener is not forever. Just like the oils you have to wash off your cloth diapers when they're new, softener does wash out, so... Don't be too afraid to try it.
 
Instead of a "dry pail" my cloth diapers are soaked in a large container of water and white vinegar until wash day. Usually 2 days or so. The white vinegar neutralizes the ammonia odor that you would get just letting them sit around. I am not sure if it softens them. I dont mess, too much work with cloth. But it works well controlling odors with wet diapers.
 
Here's a good list of Soap Bars. It has been about a year since I started buying all the soap there.
 
I use Borax powder in the wash. It goes in with the detergent and helps to eliminate that soap residue also.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top