Washing Cloth Diapers - Dry Pail Or Wet Pail?

Mention cloth diapers to some people, and they will grimace in disgust. For them, it's not the perceived hassle of using a two-piece diaper system, nor the initial financial outlay that puts them off. It's the thought of all that washing. They immediately think of the way their mothers and grandmothers used to wash cloth diapers. They imagine dirty diapers soaking in a pail of stinking water. And because washing machines are still relatively new, they may even have memories of their own parents or grandparents having to wash dirty diapers by hand. No wonder the initial reaction is one of revulsion.

Today, though, this image couldn't be further from the truth. For a start, if you've got a washing machine, the whole laundering routine becomes much more straightforward. You barely need to handle the used cloth diapers, never mind actually hand-wash them. If you use a launderette, or pay for a cloth diaper-washing service, using cloth diapers is still worth the extra effort. But washing your cloth diapers at home really isn't as difficult as it may at first seem. Many parents start off full of doubt, but quickly discover that, with a washing machine and a vague routine, washing cloth diapers is really quite straightforward. You'll soon wonder what all the fuss was about.

There are two basic ways to approach washing cloth diapers.

1. Dry pailing (no pre-soaking)


2. Wet pailing (soaking).

For both, you need a pail with a lid. Buy a roomy mesh to line the inside of the pail. If you can't get hold of a mesh, use an old pillowcase instead.

Wet pail method
This is a bit more of a hassle, but it prolongs the life of your diapers and so may save you money in the long run, especially if you hope to have another baby. If you leave used diapers too long, urine will begin to damage the fabric. So pre-soaking helps them last longer, particularly if you're only washing every few days, rather than every day. Ideally, you should drain the water out daily, and fill it up again with fresh water. Don't soak for more than three days, or your diapers will start to go mouldy.
Fill the pail with water.

Flush or throw away any pooey liners (depending on whether they are flushable or disposable). If the liner hasn't got any poo on it, you can wash and re-use it several times before it disintegrates. Keep your wraps separate. Soaking wraps in water can gradually affect the waterproofing and elastic on wraps. You can add a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), a slosh of vinegar, or a few drops of tea-tree essential oil to the soaking water. This helps eliminate odours.

When it's time to put on a wash, tip out the water. Leave the diapers in the mesh. The easiest way to do this is let the full mesh drain for a bit in the bath.

Take the mesh to the washing machine, loosen the opening and shove the whole lot in.
Wash at 40 degrees. The diapers will tumble out of the mesh during the wash.

Dry pail method
Dry-pailing is easier and more popular. If you're using cloth diapers full-time or nearly full-time, you'll probably be doing a diaper wash every 1-2 days. In that case, dry pailing is fine. Don't put any water in the pail.

Ideally (if you can be bothered) rinse the diapers in cold water first. Cold water stops the stains from setting.
To help eliminate odours, you can sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) on the bottom of the pail, or put a few drops of essential oil (eg tea-tree) on a cloth and spread this over the top of the pail, under the lid.

Drop the diapers directly into the pail.
Carry the mesh to the washing machine, loosen the opening and wash as above.

So, if you're new to cloth diapering, try both methods - dry pailing and wet pailing - and see which one works best for you.

If you enjoyed reading this article by Tamsin Constable, a professional, BBC-trained writer, and you would like free tips on how to improve your own writing, please feel free to mosey along to Tamsin's blog at http://www.tamsinconstable.com.

Hand Washing Is Up in Public Restrooms in US

I'm Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Health Report, from voaspecialenglish.com | http Every few years, two groups do a study of how many Americans wash their hands after using the toilet. These groups are the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute, formerly the Soap and Detergent Association.There was good news in the latest study. Researchers found that eighty-five percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms in August. That was the most since the studies began in nineteen ninety-six. Researchers visited restrooms at a baseball park in Atlanta, Georgia and a science museum and aquarium in Chicago, Illinois. They also visited two train stations in New York City and a large farmers market in San Francisco, California. In all, they observed about six thousand adults.The researchers found that seventy-seven percent of men and ninety-three percent of women washed their hands. That was up from sixty-six percent of men and eighty-eight percent of women in the last study three years ago.The lowest rate of hand washing among men was at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Only sixty-five percent of men washed their hands, compared to all but two percent of women. Chicago and San Francisco had the most hand washers -- eighty-nine percent of adults. Atlanta followed at eighty-two percent. New York had the lowest rate, at seventy-nine percent of the adults observed at Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station ...

Washing & Drying Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers are a great thing to use. They are better for the environment and can save you a lot of money. This article goes over issues surrounding washing and drying cloth diapers and things to consider.

Washing

Traditionally boil washing was the used to wash cloth diapers. This was considered the only way to kill bacteria and is still something many people do, however you can actually get away with washing diapers at 40 degrees. This, however, is not recommended when dealing with newborn babies and the first 6 weeks. In these weeks it is much better to stick to a 60 degree wash. After this time you can then wash at 40 degrees, although it may be a good idea to do a 60 degree wash every so often. Most wraps, however, can only be washed at 40 degrees so if you choose to do a 60 degree wash make sure your wraps aren't in it!

You also have to consider what to use to wash them. You may be using cloth diapers because you don't want chemicals near your baby's skin and thus want to use something eco to wash them in. Eco-balls are a popular choice to use on clothing but from research, AI have discovered that eco balls are not a good choice for dealing with diapers. According to searches on Google, eco balls can potentially damage the diapers.

There are many great eco detergents available but these can be expensive. A better way for you, if you want to save more money, is to use soap nuts. These are placed in a cotton bag and then put in your machine. These are a great way to clean diapers. White vinegar can also be used to help neutralize smells and you can also use tee tree oil for its anti-bacterial properties.

Drying

If you have a concern for stains your best bet will be to dry your diapers outside in sunshine. Sunshine will naturally bleach your diapers and will also deodorize them. If you decide on using a tumble drier be careful as a drier will shorten the lifespan of your diapers. I have found that my cotton diapers have fallen apart fairly quickly as a result of using a drier often and I have had to replace ties often. However I found a drier important because it was the only way I could get them to be soft and also I live in the UK and the weather is never good enough to dry my diapers quickly.

If you have problems with getting your diapers soft but don't want the drier to damage them, you could compromise and half dry them on the line and then put them in the drier for a shorter period of time. Also don't be tempted to use fabric conditioner to soften nappies as fabric conditioner reduces absorbency.

Marie enjoys writing about various subjects around parenting. As a mother herself she knows how hard it can be to go with instinct and encourages it in others. Some of her sites include baby cot beds and baby sling carrier.

How to Clean Your Washing Machine

Cleaning washing machines are important. Washing machines are engaged with detergent deposit, mineral deposits, dirty water and including the washing of diapers so you should keep your washing machine clean and in superb condition.

Most dishwashers, bathtubs and sinks could get dirty even though their job is to clean things. The same goes for your washing machine - it could become a mess with all the washing, dirt and soils from your used laundry. The dirt washed out with soap and water and other dirt particles could be left behind in your washing machine.

As such, it's important for you periodically clean and divests this filth away. Every time you wash your clothes, detergents and hard water builds up and accumulates inside hoses, pump and tubs. This could be the reason why a washing machine could not perform well and this may be cause future problems with clothes, diapers and other things you wash.

Steps to cleaning

In cleaning your washing machine, there are four general steps to follow.

Step #1
Release grime and soap by putting lemon juice or two cup vinegar along with hot water.

Step #2
Remove the container of the fabric softener and bathe it in a detergent with hot water. Cleaning the bleach dispenser is done using Q-tips, paper towels and spray cleaner. The top rim of wash bucket is usually being forgotten to clean because it is hardly seen and it could easily becomes dirty.

Step #3
After this, put in a hot water and run the washer.While the washing machine is running, check all the hoses for leaks because this may lead to leaks and bursts. It is good to practice maintenance in checking hoses periodically for any signals of leaks and weaknesses. Make sure that your hoses are replaced because manufacturers recommend replacing a new hose in every 5 years because this could be a mess if not replaced.

Step #4
After soaking the container of the fabric softener, replace one and don't forget to polish up the exterior part of washing machine by using cloth towel and vinegar. You can now wash happily with a better washing machine.

Timonty is a washing machine specialist who has written a number of articles on washing machines to several ezines and publishers. Find washing machine reviews, ratings and tips at http://www.washingmachineadvisor.com