Laundering Plastic Pants

[Jock]

I recently bought a selection of plastic pants from Gary Wear and several other brands. I'm wondering if it is ok to wash them in a washing machine and put them in a dryer. Or, should they be hand washed and line-dried? If they came with any care instructions I must have lost them. A couple of them are also terry-lined (if that makes a difference). Any other tips and tricks and wearing advice would also be appreciated.

I really.enjoy wearing them over my MegaMax, Trest and NRU disposables. Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[PoofsNFloofs]

If it is regular plastic, then you would need to hand wash and hang dry.

My PUL pants from Adult Cloth Diaper can be washed in a washer and dried on low or medium heat in the dryer.

All of these pants should have come with laundering instructions, whether on the label or on a slip of paper included with the shipment. If not, you should be able to write to them and they'll let you know what to do.

 

[Jock]

If it is regular plastic, then you would need to hand wash and hang dry.

My PUL pants from Adult Cloth Diaper can be washed in a washer and dried on low or medium heat in the dryer.

All of these pants should have come with laundering instructions, whether on the label or on a slip of paper included with the shipment. If not, you should be able to write to them and they'll let you know what to do.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

Personally, I wash in cool water with a loose load of clothes, then air-dry after patting dry with a high-nap towel. The only significant heat my PPs encounter is body heat. Still great after a few years. 🥳

 

[Belarin]

PVC/Vinyl should really be washed in cool water preferably hand washed or they can stiffen and crack, but a cold rinse cycle on your machine should be ok, some detergents and softeners can cause issues with them.

PUL can be washed at lower temperatures (40 degrees and below) and tumble dried on a low heat if need be I personally prefer to either rinse by hand or just put in the pre wash rinse cycle (cold water no detergent) with the nappies and then take them out for the main wash and then every so often in the full wash if they start getting a smell. PUL dries quickly on a line (don't put it on a radiator, though you can hang them near one)

 

[Seasonedcitizen]

I rinse mine off and hang to dry . Sometimes I will put them in lingerie bags in the washer and then line dry them. Heat is not your friend.

 

[Zeke]

It depends on how long you want them to last. I’ve always washed my plastic pants in a five quart ice cream pail I keep in my bathtub for just this purpose. Warm water and aloe vera soft soap has worked well to clean them and keep them from getting hard and cracking. I’m not sure if the aloe vera helps plastic like it’s supposed to skin, but it seems to work well. After soaking them for about five minutes I hang them on the shower head without rinsing them. It’s best to wash them as soon as it’s practical after using as urine, feces, and oils produced by your body have a detrimental effect on vinyl (although PEVA and EVA plastics are largely unaffected by these bodily byproducts). This has been my washing procedure for over seven years and has served me, and my polymer friends, well over those years.

 

[tenderbottoms47]

This is very simple to do. For plastic pants, I always rinse them off in the shower while rinsing off the cloth diapers. Towel dry the plastic pants and store in a pal until I have about 15 or so to wash. Set the washers temperature to warm and use 1/2 cap full of regular tide laundry detergent. Set washer to the hand wash setting if you have one and set to the max wash cycle. I also run a "cool" temp extra rinse cycle as well and then lightly towel dry by hand and hang them on plastic hangers above the dryer overnight to dry completely. Been using the same plastic pants for 3 yrs and they look and feel like new still!

 

[Edgewater]

Excellent advice above.

The combination of natural body oils and the chemicals in Barrier Creams and Pastes can with time and exposure cause the PVC/Vinyl and with more time PUL pants to harden and crack, as it is a reality of the products. Northshore's diaper covers have been the longest lasting to date.

Rotation helps as it extends the point that the inevitable hardening and cracking will occur.

 

[Napincolove]

Nowadays I only wear PUL pants and these need to be washed on a regular basis and the one and only time I put one in with the wash it picked up the detergents green colour and came out a very light hue of lime 😠 so from then on they get washed either every day or every other day which helps prevent them from acquiring any odours and all washing is done by hand in the shower or sink using a mild detergent, so far no discoloration or other ill effects.

 

[Rita]

Back when use to wear them I hand wash them with Dove hand soap with warm water then hang dry .