New machine has ruined elastic in BumGenius's

Oh I'm so disappointed! I've tried to do the right thing and have bought a new water-efficient front loader washing machine (Electrolux), but after 2 washes the elastic in my stash of BumGenius's has completely gone. Grrr!!
I washed them on the regular cotton (ie. 2 hr) cycle at 60 degrees. I wonder though if the water was actually hotter than 60 degrees as the washing all seemed really warm when I got it out of the machine.
Do you think it was the temperature that was the problem or is the long cycle too hard on them? I'm not sure how to best wash them now (after I replace all the elastic in them that is!) :(
Has anyone else had this happen to them?

:( That's really sad!

I wish I could offer some suggestions, but I have always washed my cloth nappies (including BumG's) in my front loader on 60 degrees (the 2 hr cycle) plus I usually do a prewash if there is a lot of poo also. So far we've had no problems whatsoever, except my Baby Beehind are a bit crunchier than some friends who have top-loaders.

i only wash at 30 degrees, perhaps it was hotter but i doubt it, my stuff comes out warm if i do happen to do other stuff at 60 degrees, id stop washing at 60 degrees,

Hmm I wish I had some way of checking the water temperature as it seems like the most likely problem... Cherie, do your nappies feel quite hot when you take them out of the machine?

does your machine heat the water or are the hoses attatched to both hot and cold taps?

The machine heats the water itself (hence I would have thought it should be the correct temperature).

I wash my nappies at 40 degrees in my front loader, and so far no dramas. I would maybe lower the temp and see how you go. Very disappointing to have lost those BGs though!

Just a note, even though front loaders have longer cycles, you'll find that they are much nicer to your clothes.

I'm really hoping I can fix my BGs - 9 of them! Let you know how I go...

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Cherie, do your nappies feel quite hot when you take them out of the machine?

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No ... but because the wash cycle is so long, I tend to put on a load before I go to bed at night, and then hang them out the next morning. If they were hot when the cycle finished I wouldn't notice it because they'd be cold again by the next morning.

My nappies have survived better in my front loader than in mums top loader. I nearly cried when we were living with her and I watched all the fluff come off my beautiful nappies :(

I usually wash at 40 degrees (mine connects to both hot & cold tap) and do the occasional hotter wash if they get stinky.

The elastic has gone in some of my nappies, but I reckon that's from the odd strip wash I've done with vinegar (I do a different strip wash now :) ) oh, and also the dryer can kill elastic too.

It might be coincidence that the elastic was about to go anyway, and it just happened to go with your new machine.

How old are your BumG's? They may still be under warranty so check your receipts and email the store you got then from.

I've got an old top loader and it is pretty rough on things sometimes and our elastic is fine so maybe it was the higher temperature or it could be the batch.

Really, they have a warranty? Do you know for how long? Mine are only about 6 months old. I'll have to dig around for the receipts. Thanks for mentioning about that!
I'm pretty convinced my problem was too hot water from what you've all said. They were all fine up until a few days ago and now every one is wrecked.

the bumgenius v.2 has a six month warranty
the bumgenius v.3 has a twelve month warranty

i've been washing our MCN on a baby cycle in our front loader for 15 months, the baby cycle is 60 degrees and it's a long two hour cycle - hasn't caused problems for the nappies, they're in great condition, but i do separate some nappies using zipper bags.

contact where you bought the nappies and describe your washing regime. Nine nappies is too many not to at least attempt some resolution to this.

best of luck

ps - does your machine have a metal drum? that might make the washing seem hotter than it really is, when you take stuff out.

don't have any experience with your particular washing machine to offer.

REREAD your OP and just realised, you said you used a COTTON cycle, but BG are made of SYNTHETIC fabrics? They are PUL outer and suedecloth inner - both synthetic fabrics. The BG inserts are microfibre - also synthetic. Most washing machines have sepearate cycles for Synthetic and Cotton fabrics. I don't often hear people mentioning a Baby Cycle, so my machine must be unusual to have that. but all the baby cycle is, is a pre-wash, slow long wash (water efficient), thorough rinse. I guess other machines must have the same thing, maybe just called some other name.

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REREAD your OP and just realised, you said you used a COTTON cycle, but BG are made of SYNTHETIC fabrics? They are PUL outer and suedecloth inner - both synthetic fabrics. The BG inserts are microfibre - also synthetic. Most washing machines have sepearate cycles for Synthetic and Cotton fabrics.

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Err... I guess I chose the cotton cycle as it is the cycle that runs at 60 degrees (and the label does say to wash them in hot water). The synthetic cycle is 40 degrees and a lower spin speed (are there any other differences usually?). Ohhh! ...I'll make sure I use the synthetic cycle from now on!

I found my receipts too - 3 of the nappies were purchased 5.5 mths ago, but the other 6 were purchased 6.5 mths ago. :redface: Anyway, I'll see what the stores have to say, as you suggest.
Thanks so much for all your input!

hmm.. I use cotton cycle for all my washes coz of the spin speed. To only spin at 1000 my nappies would never dry! Plus - I don't have a bamboo cycle nor a hemp cycle LOL - so cotton it is!

I have been washing my Hautes, pea pods and green kids for about 6 months on a cotton cycle, with temps varying from 40 - 60 degrees and they are fine (touch wood!!!)
Good luck with contacting the store

Does anyone wash in cold water? I only use cold and am about to purchase MCN. Didn't consider until now that you might HAVE to wash in hot water... What would be the consequence of using a cold cycle? Any ideas?

Sorry to hijack thread... ;)

Nettie, i only wash in cold...
I don't know that it really makes a difference, but my nappies come out fine, with enough sun they're bleached clean and they'rer still soft and flufyf liek when i bought them.

To me, it kind of defeated the purpose of saving money on sposies if i was going to have to pay for hot water... :redface:

To check the temp, you could feel the water as it was running out of the machine IYKWIM. My electroulux front loader rinses with cold even on a 60degree wash, so clothes are never warm when i take them out.
Like you say though, on the tag it says hot wash...... so shouldn't matter.

My bumG's have been washed on 60 degrees on a long cycle and are fine. (7 months old) I agree with Raven, drop them an email, you never know you might get some newies!

I do a pre rinse in cold then a long wash cycle in 60 deg water...none on my nappies have lost elastic yet...and i sure hope they dont!

Thanks. Glad to know I don't have to change my washing routine. :)