mould in bamboo fabric

[leckert]

Just hoping someone has an idea on how to get mould out of bamboo fabric.

I've got some cloth breast pads (only in the past 3-5 months - only been milked the past 7.5 weeks) and I seem to have mould in 4 out of the 14 that I've got - started in the past week. None match up into pairs. I change them (individually) as soon as I notice that they're wet though - not necessarily soaked. Have tried a hot wash and fabric colour safe bleach as well as normal detergent washes. Usually I chuck them in a bra bag with my bra while washing DS's nappies (less than normal amount of detergent) every other day at the least (they get washed a bit more often than our clothes at the moment) or if I need to wash my & DH's clothes they'll go in there with normal amount of detergent. They get dried on the line outside or on the clothes rack inside (been a bit wet & cold here to dry quick enough and I don't have a dryer at home).

[~clover~]

Not sure if you could use fabric mould remover or not?

[leckert]

anyone got any other suggestions?

[Gigi]

how bizarre

we used bamboo nappies for 27 months, never got mould, and we're in the same city, so i can honestly say, same climatic conditions. I found bamboo products (inserts, nappies) that were TWO layers thick, dried ok. but three layers or more, forget it, that was a "leave it on the clothes airer for MANY days thang".

i can't imagine you'd leave the used breastpads to sit around very long before washing them, so it coudln't be that they're staying wet too long. which is the main thing i think of, when thinking of mould. e.g lack of aeration, too much moisture.

my breastpads were hemp and microfibre, but how i dried them, was to buy a round plastic thing from the supermarket, that has pegs hanging down - the kind of laundry thing you'd buy to hang up socks. ANyhoo, i used it to hang up my breastpads. i hung that circular thing on the clothes airer, and have a fan blowing on the clothes airer.

With the breastpads being against your skin, your baby suckling from your skin, i was advised to use the mildest wash detergent (to avoid detergent buildup and rashes in me and my baby). Normal strength washing powders have perfume, colours, heavy preservatives, optical brighteners, enzymes and all this stuff that isn't the kindest on delicate skin. Ecostore and PLanet Aware are very mild. (excellent for nappies too) and easy to find at woollies, coles and foodland.

when you take the breastpads out of the washing machine, do they feel heavy? if you squeeze them, does any water come out? i wonder if your washing machine is on a low spin number?

have you asked the person who made your bp's? they might have some useful tips for you.

[leckert]

Thanks for that Gigi - thought it was a bit odd that I was getting a mould like thing on my bb pads here - have been using the individual peg hanger thingys - machine has a high spin so not much moisture left in there after the wash cycle is done. Usually use little or no detergent so not sure there. Will get on to the maker for suggestions for next time as well soon.

Have gone and got some stain remover spray stuff - just rinsed them again in the machine after attempting to remove some of the stain. Got some of it out but not all; am about to go and use my usual heavy duty stain remover on them and then wash them x2 again before wearing (once with detergent and stain remover & once without detergents)

[Gigi]

ask the bp seller/maker, are your breastpads for example, four layers thick?

cos all my experience with bamboo products really, has been items two layers thick, three max. and breastpads are a small item, all stitched around, so it would be much harder for four layers, close together, to dry well. that's the only thing i can think of.

sounds like you have tried most things you could be doing, already. (in my view).

sometimes i see some questions about mould on nappies, on the ozclothnappies yahoo group. People post questions, then whoever, in the entire yahoo group, has ideas, will post them. i haven't paid much attention, as we never had mould problems. wish i had now, so i could be of more use to you!

the only things i recall on the "mould on nappies" topic, is humidity, not washing out nappy bucket very often, washing three or more days worth at once etc. Nothing that would apply to your bps. so back to square one.