What do you wash with?

[Cherished]

Hi ladies, I've been using cloth on bubs cute little toosh for about 3 weeks now and am wondering what you gals wash your cloth in to make them smell nice? I am under the impression that you should use products that aren't scented, don't soak in anything etc and to use a small amount of detergent to make sure you don't saturate the fabric? Anyway I'm pretty sure I haven't been using too much detergent and I am using the unscented melaleuca washing powder which is supposed to be natural etc. I like the detergent and have been using it for a couple of years now and it's cleaning the nappies well, they don't smell as such but I noticed when I walked in the room where they were drying on a clothes airer as it's been raining and the room smelt a tiny little bit like the dirty nappy bin so it's started me thinking that maybe I don need to use a scented washing liquid or add something that smells nice or soak them or something???? TIA

[UntoldAngel]

I just use our normal washing powder, half scoop, and haven't needed to use anything else. I don't have any problems with smell but I haven't had to dry them inside very often.
Maybe a bit of vinegar through the wash? I've heard that helps in the cleaning of them and would probably eliminate any smell....

[Visitor7]

I do a rinse first, then use Rockin' Green nappy wash. They smell lovely

[LimeSlice]

EcoStore, Earth Choice or bicarb.

No fab softener at all, if you want to though, grab some Epsom Salts and whack them in the fab softener dispenser with some water. They will naturally soften the fabric without the waterproofing

If you use normal washing powders, make sure you use only half the normal amount at the most for a FULL wash. The build up of the residue on the nappy fibres is the most common culprit for that odd nappy smell.

HTH

ETA: Strip washing will also help get rid of the smell, as will a good soak in bicarb and tea tree or lavender oil. I wash with eucalyptus or tea tree in the rinse or wash too most often, kills fungal infections lurking in the nappies and the odours as well.

[~Kim~]

:yeahthat:
I use teatree in the wash and rinse too.

[wysiwyg]

Mmm how do you use the tea tree and eucalyptus, in the drawer is it oil you use? my nappies could use some freshening. The powder I use is good but has zero fragrance.

[LimeSlice]

Just ad about 6 drops to the wash, or to the fabric softener dispenser and fill it with water to disperse it and it will go through the rinse cycle.

Make sure you ge the pure essential oils, no blends or dilutions.

[Cherished]

Thanks heaps girls.

LS I have both eucalyptus and tea tree so I will try both. I've been cautious to not use too much washing detergent so I think I'm ok there, I just think that not having any scent in the liquid may result in the wash not smelling 'nice' kwim. I even had a jumper that kept smelling like smoke once after a camping trip

[Heda]

I use Rocking Green - Rinse & spin first, then delicate wash (most amount of water in my front loader) with extra rise and a lower spin. The once in a while I'll do a huge soak of all my nappies.

I am so interested in the use of Tea Tree....hmmm..very interesting! Must give that a go Thanks for the ideas!!!

[Cherished]

Just updating my results with the washing. A few drops of eucalyptus in the final rinse has done the trick (either that or I've gotten used to the smell) lol I couldn't find the teatree that I thought I had but I'm happy with the eucalyptus so thanks so much everyone