Baby wipes should be dry pailed and washed along with your nappies. If you find your wipes are staining you can soak them in water before washing them to help prevent stains. If you decide to do this use a lidded container or bucket and store it out of reach of small children.
Baby Wipes Solutions
There are a huge variety of recipes available on the net, the ones below are ones I like and ones recommended by friends. Don't feel that you have to use a special solution on your cloth wipes, water or mild soapy water are just as good :)
There are also a number of commerical wipes solutions available. Please check under Links for some online stores who stock them.
Tea Tree and Lavender
1 tsp your baby's shampoo or body wash
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups warm water
6 drops of tea tree oil
6 drops of lavender oil
Add all ingredients to water and mix or shake until combined. Pour over wipes or spray onto wipes as needed.
Basic Chamomile
A very basic solution can be made by brewing chamomile tea bags in boiling water.
Allow the tea to cool then pour over wipes or spray on as needed.
This is a good solution to use for nappy rash.
Soft Bottom Solution
1 Tbs baby oil
1 Tbs baby soap
1 Tbs baby lotion
1 cup water
Add all ingredients to water and mix or shake until combined.
Pour over wipes or spray onto wipes as needed.
Sensitive Skin Solution
1 Tbs sensitive skin wash e.g.
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups warm water
Add all ingredients to water and mix or shake until combined. Pour over wipes or spray onto wipes as needed.
Anti-Fungal
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
3 drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1 cup water
Add all ingredients to water and mix or shake until combined.
Pour over wipes or spray onto wipes as needed.
NOTE: do not use vinegar if skin is broken or raw.
Soothing Solution
1 chamomile tea bag
2 teaspoons almond oil
cups hot water
Brew tea in boiling water, add oil, shake to disperse and pour over wipes
Cloth Pads
Soaking Method
For the soaking method, place the used pad in a container of plain cold water to soak until you are ready to wash.
You may leave them soaking until the end of your period and wash them all together, or wash at the end of each day.
A little teatree or lavender essential oil in the soaking water helps combat any odour, however it is recommended to change the soaking water every day or two if not washing straight away.
Dry Pailing Method
If you prefer to "dry pail" your pads, just place the used pads into your laundry basket and leave them until you wash them, or rinse them out until almost clean, then put them in the laundry pile.
You will have more stains this way but they will not affect the use of the pads at all.
Important Points
Cloth pads can generally be handwashed or machine washed, on hot, cold or warm setting, although pads should ONLY be washed in hot water if they have been thoroughly rinsed as hot water can set stains.
You should not use fabric softeners on cloth pads, as this can affect their absorbency.
A little baking soda rubbed onto fresh blood before washing can help remove stains, soaking them in salty water is also said to prevent staining.
Tumble drying pads is okay but not recommended, as it can affect their absorbency and will reduce the lifespan of the pads. If necessary only dry on a low temperature setting.
Hair Accessories and Clothing
How to wash fabric headbands and hairclips
Fabric headbands and hairclips are not machine washable. Most of my fabric flowers are a shabby chic style with frayed edges so they would fall apart in the washing machine.
Headbands should be handwashed carefully and laid flat to dry. The main band can be ironed if necessary on a warm setting.
Care instructions for clothing
Do not bleach Do not tumble dry Wash in cool to warm water and line dry in shade clothing with embellishments such as lace trims or fabric yoyos should be hand washed or washed on a delicate setting to avoid damage to the embellishments. Warm iron if necessary, do not iron lace trims or embellishments.
Nappies
Caring for New Nappies
Before using your new nappies it is a good idea to wash the inserts a few times to make sure they are as absorbent as possible. They don’t have to be dried in between, and it’s easiest just to put them in the machine with your normal washing.
Outers should also be washed once in cold water just to remove any residues from the manufacturing process.
Basic Washing Instructions
Rinse soiled nappies (see Rinsing Options), remove inserts and place all in empty nappy bucket, this is called dry pailing
Once bucket is full put all in washing machine and put on a rinse and spin cycle
Add detergent (less is more, about half the recommended amount on the box) and wash on a heavy duty wash with warm water
Hang or tumble dry (see Drying Options)
Drying Options
Line drying is best for your nappies, better for the environment and free! Plus sunlight acts as a natural bleach and will remove stains from your nappies.
The whole nappy can safely be tumble dried if necessary using a warm temperature setting, however the outers dry so fast that it is easier to just hang them somewhere inside and they’ll be dry in a few hours.
If your house has heating vents in the floor you can place a clothes horse over the vent and then throw a sheet over the top for super fast drying, just make sure you keep an eye on the clothes and move as soon as they're dry.
Tumble drying is hard on fabrics so although it's okay it’s best not to use this as your only drying method as it will reduce the lifespan of your nappies.
Rinsing Options
The easiest way to rinse nappies is to use a Little Squirt nappy sprayer which is an Australian Made product that attaches to your toilet cistern and makes it super easy to rinse dirty nappies straight into the toilet, they can be bought on ebay or at your local plumbing supply store or Bunnings. The Little Squirt is easily self installed on modern toilets.
Other options for rinsing dirty nappies are:
Rinse nappies in a bucket of water and tip dirty water down the toilet,
Try hanging nappies over the rim of the toilet and flushing
Hang nappies over the back fence and hose off
Flushable nappy liners will make removing solids much easier as they will contain most poo and can be dropped straight in the toilet when they’re dirty. Normal nappy liners are also useful but they will have to be rinsed and put in the bin when dirty.
Many people find the idea of rinsing out dirty nappies disgusting or a hassle and use this as an excuse to use disposables, few have read the fine print on the back of a disposable nappy package that says solid waste must be rinsed out of the nappies before they are disposed of.
Important Points
PLEASE REMEMBER TO FOLD VELCRO TABS IN ONTO THE VELCRO SAVER SQUARES WHEN WASHING OTHERWISE THEY WILL DAMAGE OTHER ITEMS IN THE WASH
Do not use any kind of bleach or vinegar when washing as they can damage the PUL outer
Using too much detergent can lead to a build up of product on your nappies and can affect the nappy's absorbency and perhaps make them smelly, it’s best to use half the amount recommended on the detergent pack
Never use fabric softener as it will leave a residual coating on the fabric fibres and affect their absorbency
If you need to use nappy rash creams of any sort you will need to use a liner to stop it going on the nappy. Most of these products will clog up the inner fabric and will repel water meaning your nappy will not absorb wee and you'll get leaks.
Deep Cleaning Instructions
Every now and then (once every few months) it is a good idea to put your nappies through a deep clean, this will ensure nappies stay as absorbent as possible, will remove any residual smells or stains, and will remove any build up of detergents.
There are heaps of methods for doing a deep clean, you can use Rockin Green washing powder, Charlies Soap or similar (available online) to soak nappies, or you can use one of the following methods:
Method 1
Take all your clean dry nappies and put them in the machine, with NO detergents and put them through a hot wash
Wash nappies a second time, again with hot water, adding ½ cup of bicarb this time
Dry as usual
Method 2
Take all clean nappies and put in the machine with a small squirt of dish washing liquid (cheap detergent, free of moisturisers etc)
Wash nappies on warm or hot
Repeat the rinse cycle until there are no suds left in the rinse water
Dry as usual
Nursing Pads
Washing Nursing Pads
Nursing pads should just be washed with your regular clothes wash, and line dried. As with all cloth products avoid using bleaches, fabric softeners etc, and only tumble dry on a low heat setting for a short time if necessary. If you are using Lansinoh cream or similar it may leave a build up on your nursing pads so if you find they are less absorbent than usual then wash in hot water with a little dishwashing detergent and rinse until there are no suds in the rinse water.
Soap Nuts
Can you use soapnuts if you have a nut allergy?
Soapnuts are not actually nuts, they are a berry, and will not cause any nut allergy
Can I use soapnuts with cold water?
Yes! The saponins release more slowly in cold water but they still work effectively. If you want to you can soak the soanuts just prior to using in hot water to help release the saponins.
Why are there no bubbles in my wash? Are they working?
Soap nuts are not supposed to foam in the wash. Commercial detergents usually contain a foaming agent to make them bubble, this foaming agent has no bearing on the effectiveness of the detergent and is completely unnecessary.
How many should I use?
We recommend that you use 4 soapnuts in a bag, which can be reused around 4 times - When the soap nuts lose their smell and become grey and mushy it's time to replace them. As a general rule 50g should last for 1 month, and a 250g bag will last closer to 5 months.
Why is it okay to leave them in the rinse cycle?
Soap nuts are not like detergents, they don't leave a residue that needs to be washed away. The little remaining saponin in the rinse cycle acts like a natural fabric softener, leaving your clothes soft and lovely.
Will soap nuts remove stains?
They are effective at removing everyday stains but you may need to use a separate stain treatment for more stubborn ones. We recommend Ecostore Laundry Soaker and Stain Remover as it is safe to use on your nappies and can be found at Woolworths
Can they be used on nappies?
Yep, soap nuts are perfectly safe for use on all nappies, andwork just as well as any detergent.
Can I use soapnuts if I have sensitive skin?
Soap nuts contain no chemicals so they are safe for the most sensitive skins.
Are soap nuts safe to use on delicates?
Yes! Soapnuts have been used for centuries for the most delicate of fabrics and shawls and can be safely used without bleaching out colour.
Can soap nuts be used to handwash clothes?
Yes you can either make up a soap nut solution (see soap nut recipes) or else you can soak them for a few minutes in their bag in hot water, then top up with cold.
What are Soap Nuts? How do they work?
Sapindus Mukorossi is a tree which produces a berry like fruit. When the shell of this 'fruit' is dried, you get Soap Nuts! Mother natures fantastic little invention for washing clothes, hair, carpets - well, just about anything! Soapnuts contain saponins which are a natural detergent. Similar to soap, when the shells of the soapnut come in contact with water the saponin is released and suds are produced - these are excellent for cleaning laundry and leaving it beautifully soft. * Being 100% natural means there are no reactions for sensitive skin or other allergies. * Not containing chemicals means your grey water can go straight out onto your garden. * Being Fair Trade, you needn't worry about where they are coming from. * Suitable for all types of clothes washing, from Nappies to Delicates. * Hot or Cold Water. * Front or Top Loader. * Old or New Machines. * Hard or Soft Water.
What else can soap nuts be used for?
Soap nuts can be used for a whole range of things, from liquid soap, to shampoo and household cleaners. Check out our Soap nut recipe page for some ideas!
Are soap nuts good for colours? Will my whites stay white?
Soap nuts are fantastic for colours, your clothes will look bright and new wash after wash! For best results we recommend separating your colours and whites.Because they don't contain optical whiteners like other detergents you may experience some greying over time. Try adding half a cup of lemon juice to your wash to keep your whites white.
Are they fair trade? Are they organic?
Yes our soap nuts are certified fair trade and 100% organic.
