nappy care

storing nappies and wraps

I recommend 'dry pailing', in other words storing your used nappies dry, without soaking. You simply place the used nappy in the lidded bucket or a large drawstring bag after you have flushed any poo down the toilet.  The nappy doesn't need to be perfectly clean.  During warm periods, the nappy bucket or bag does smell (no worse than a bin of dirty disposables) when you open the bag or take the lid off the bucket. This is easily rectified if you place a damp cloth on the top of the nappies with a couple of drops of lavender or tee tree oil.

If you prefer to soak, just place nappies in a bucket of water after flushing away any poo.  The water may smell and needs replacing daily.  You can add a nappy sanitising solution, like nappy fresh, to the water or add a few drops of lavender or tee tree oil. Coloured nappies may fade if soaked, and wraps may deteriorate. However soaking unbleached or white nappies can prevent stains setting in.

Most people end up 'dry pailing' as it is easier. No smelly water to change, no heavy buckets to carry, no mess transferring nappies to the washing machine and safer if you have a toddler around because there is no water to spill!


washing nappies and wraps

New nappies need to be washed before use at least two or three times to become absorbent.  Like a well worn towel a nappy gets better with use.

If you soak nappies, pour the water down the toilet and transfer the nappies to the washing machine. If you've used a nappy sanitizing solution then you only need to wash the nappies at 40°C.

If dry pailing, just transfer the nappies to the machine and a 60°C wash will hygienically clean the nappies.

If your machine allows you to do a cold rinse cycle before the main wash, this will get rid of excess soiling and urine.
As mentioned elsewhere, you can reduce environmental impact of washing by trying to do some or all of the following:
-use 'A' rated appliances
-wash nappies at 60ªC maximum
-store used nappies dry
-use half your usual amount of eco-friendly detergent, or use 'eco balls'
-don't use bleach
-dont use fabric conditioner as this will reduce the absorbency of the nappies


Every so often, I would advise doing an extra final rinse to remove detergent build up on the nappies.
Most wraps can be washed at 60°C but will last better if washed with clothes at 40°C.
Wool wraps should be washed in cool water with olive oil soap or wool shampoo as required and will need lanolising every month by hand.  Wool wraps sold by mamigreen are machine washable. 
You should wash coloured nappies separately from unbleached or white ones for the first few times to ensure colour fastness. 


drying naappies and wraps

Line drying is by far the best option and won't cost you a penny. The nappies will smell lovely and fresh, and dry nice and soft if there is any air movement.  The sun (when it shines!) will also bleach out any stains.
If drying inside, first shake the nappies, then hang them to dry somewhere warm with good air circulation.  Drying directly on a boiler or radiator will make the nappies stiff.

Although tumble drying is not environmentally friendly, it is convenient. If you choose to tumble dry, then try to do the following to reduce environmental impact:
· tumble dry nappies with a dry towel to reduce drying time
· use dryer balls which can reduce drying time by 20%
Most manufacturers recommend tumble drying on cool. Tumble drying will leave nappies soft, however it may shorten their lifespan too.

Most wraps can be tumble dried if need be. As fleece and PUL wraps dry naturally within a few hours there is little need for this, and they will also maintain their condition better without tumble drying. Wool wraps on the whole do not tolerate tumble drying.


how many nappies and wraps

This all depends on your nappy usage, how often you want to wash them and how you plan to dry them. Obviously the more nappies you have the less frequently you will have to wash them. Washing every 2 or 3 days is probably ideal as this will give a full washing load.
If you use separate nappies and wraps then you will need less wraps than nappies as they don't require washing after every nappy change.

So for a newborn I would suggest having around 24 nappies and 5 or 6 wraps.  You may need more wraps if using flat nappies as containment isn't as good as with shaped nappies.  Once your baby is in size 2 nappies you probably only need 18 - 20 nappies and 4 - 5 of each size of wrap (as you will be changing less often)

You can get away with fewer than this if you wash daily or want to tumble dry.
If you have more than one baby using the same size nappies, you will only need about 1¹/₂ times the above quantities of nappies, as you will fill the washing machine up quicker. However you will still need double the quantity of wraps.


nappy extras

lidded bucket
A lidded bucket is used for soaking or dry pailing used nappies.  Most available have only loose fitting lids (not great with inquisitive toddlers about) and tend to be small, so you may find that you need two.  Alternatively a trip to the £1 shop will sort you out with a larger bucket with a clip fastening lid.

nappy mesh
A large mesh bag which lines the nappy bucket makes washdays much easier.  Just transfer the bag filled with nappies to the washing machine making sure that the drawstring neck is open.  The nappies will work themselves out during the washing cycle.

large drawstring bag
A great alternative to a bucket for dry pailing used nappies.  Air circulation within the bag surprisingly reduces odours compared to a bucket with a lid.  It is very versatile as it can be hung on the back of a door or used to line a nappy bucket. On wash day transport the bag to the machine, open the drawstring top, place just inside the door, push the contents out and then throw the bag in too. No need to touch the nappies! If you are short of space in the nursery / bathroom or have inquisitive toddlers about, this will be great for you.  Also useful for trips away as it folds flat.

wet nappy bag
For nappy changes when out and about, keeping wet nappies separate from your change bag.  The bag can be washed with your nappies.

washable wipes
A green alternative to disposable wipes.  Made from cloth these wipes can be washed with your nappies and re used time and time again, saving you money in the long run.  Disposable wipes are unnecessary consumption of natural resources, contain chemical preservatives and are expensive.  It is much kinder for your baby's skin to use just water or a home made wipes solution..  Change the solution every 5 - 7 days or so as it won't contain preserving agents like commercial bought ones.  You will need about 20 - 30 wipes.  Washable wipes are also great for cleaning messy hands and faces - although I would advise buying separate ones for this purpose and washing these with your everyday clothes.

oils
Both tea tree and lavender oil are natural essential oils possessing antiseptic qualities.  They are useful to make washable wipe solu