How to strip wash your nappies & do a maintenance wash

by **SaturdayNext** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:08 am

Velvetsteph wrote:I've never used washing-up liquid for my strip-washes but I believe some people use it when they've got a build up of greasy creams on their nappies and that's certainly how to clear fleece altho' I believe you do that by hand...

Yes!

Repeated use of petroleum-based creams and ointments can render a nappy, especially one made of synthetic fibres, completely moisture-repellant even when it appears to be sparklingly clean.

The only successful method for stripping a waterproofed nappy I've found, is to scrub washing-up liquid into the lining (best done wearing washing-up gloves) until it's turned pale green (in the case of a white nappy) all over. Then leave it overnight, run it through a couple of hot washes and rinse it an awful lot of times until there are no bubbles in the rinsing water.

It really works but it isn't something you want to do very often because it takes ages to work the washing-up liquid into the nappy and even longer to wash and rinse every trace of it out.

by **0_Lisa_0** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 10:38 pm

Every time I do a wash, I have never seen bubbles, I think I might be looking at the wrong time, when should I be looking for them as I want to do my strip wash tomorrow.

by **dawnsmummy** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:26 am

My machine doesn't do cold wash

The lowest temp it has is 30 on a silk wash. is that low enough?

by **Amanda** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm

0_Lisa_0 wrote:Every time I do a wash, I have never seen bubbles, I think I might be looking at the wrong time, when should I be looking for them as I want to do my strip wash tomorrow.

I'd check during the final rinse stage of the cycle. Even if you haven't spotted any bubbles earlier in the cycle this is when the machine should be full of water and agitating the contents well. If there are bubbles then it needs another rinse. Or in the case of my old and inefficient machine, another three or four rinses :roll:

dawnsmummy wrote:My machine doesn't do cold wash The lowest temp it has is 30 on a silk wash. is that low enough?

As far as I know cold rinses are recommended as hot water can fix smells. I would've thought 30 is cool enough to rinse rather than fix. I used to rinse mine at 30 until I found a different setting on the machine, have to say I have had smell problems but I really don't think it was the rinse temp as I'm still struggling with smells despite now doing cold rinses :roll:

Velvetsteph wrote:I've never used washing-up liquid for my strip-washes but I believe some people use it when they've got a build up of greasy creams on their nappies and that's certainly how to clear fleece altho' I believe you do that by hand...

I notice on the Itti Bitti site their advice for strip washing is to use washing up liquid, they don't mention barrier creams, just that it's good for getting rid of detergent residue:

"You may wish to do an occasional strip wash to move detergent residue, which can sometimes cause build up and reduce the performance of your nappies. To do this, wash your nappies on hot, with 1/4 cup of dishwashing detergent (eg Dawn), then continue to rinse until there are no more bubbles." ref http://ittibitti.com.au/index.php?main_page=page&id=3

Am willing to try anything at the moment as I just can't get smell-free although I suspect a new machine would help...

by **dawnsmummy** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 pm

Amanda wrote:"To do this, wash your nappies on hot, with 1/4 cup of dishwashing detergent (eg Dawn), then continue to rinse until there are no more bubbles."

LOL I have to wash my nappies with my child :giggle:

by **Amanda** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm

dawnsmummy wrote:
Amanda wrote:"To do this, wash your nappies on hot, with 1/4 cup of dishwashing detergent (eg Dawn), then continue to rinse until there are no more bubbles."

LOL I have to wash my nappies with my child

by **Bluetomato** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:09 am

How often do you need to strip wash nappies? I stripped mine last week, but they still smell

by **Emma1977** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:24 pm

Bluetomato wrote:How often do you need to strip wash nappies? I stripped mine last week, but they still smell

I'd like to know the answer to this too. Do you have to strip more often in hard water areas as well?

by **sophie2198** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:48 am

Amanda wrote:
dawnsmummy wrote:
Amanda wrote:"To do this, wash your nappies on hot, with 1/4 cup of dishwashing detergent (eg Dawn), then continue to rinse until there are no more bubbles."

LOL I have to wash my nappies with my child

1/4 of a cup of washing up liquid seems like an awful lot! :-?