Will soaking ruin my diapers?

[MandaMommy2]

I've been soaking my diapers overnight in the washing machine in cold water and then washing them in the morning. It's been really great at getting out stains, but I'm worried that over time I'll ruin the diapers. I wash every 2-3 days; 18-24 diapers at a time. My stash consists of prefolds, work horses & sometimes flats. Thank you.

[susan6070]

I soak my prefolds and flats with no issues. That's how I get the stains out too.

[epanouie]

Seems like it would be kinda like having a wet pail. I use a dry pail now, but used a wet pail for my first three kids and used the same set of MEOS on all of them (well, partway through the third.. ). HTH!

[AZmommy]

you might see the elastics on your work horse more relaxed sooner than if you didn't the rest though should be fine. I occasionally do a soak especially with my wipes which tend to stain the most of my stash.

[MandaMommy2]

Originally Posted by AZmommy you might see the elastics on your work horse more relaxed sooner than if you didn't the rest though should be fine. I occasionally do a soak especially with my wipes which tend to stain the most of my stash.

Hm I purchased the workhorses used so maybe I should baby them more. I guess I don't really have to soak all the diapers; just the poopy ones. I try to put her in a flat or prefold when its time to go anyway for easier clean up. Maybe it's time to think about a two pail system so I only soak the poopy ones overnight and then add the piddles in the morning. I like soaking them because it just makes my wash routine to easy. I soak, spin out the laundry tub, Switch to permanent press cycle because it has a double rinse, Add detergent & walk away. When I don't soak I have to do a quick pre wash, regular wash with a double rinse, check for stains. Then sometimes I have to wash again and sun. I've used oxi clean in the past, but I try to stay away from it because my LO has sensitive skin.

[nonipie]

I would think in the long run it might cause issues since you are basically soaking them overnight in urine and poop particle water. Stains are not a big deal. I would not run a bunch of extra rinses and washes just to avoid them. That's a lot of water, energy and wear and tear on the diapers. Make sure your detergent is working for you. With the right detergent we get very few stains and those wash out eventually. Occasionally I have to sun one or two diapers and they are stain free with an hour. If it simplifies your wash and is working for you though then go ahead but it may shorten the life of the ones with elastic.

[AZmommy]

I would think in the long run it might cause issues since you are basically soaking them overnight in urine and poop particle water.

good point, are you doign a prewash first? THe few times I have soaked its not in poo filled water but after Ive run a rinse cycle with some bleach to clear out the ickies first. Id deffiently not just soak without a good rinse first.

[kirst]

Originally Posted by nonipie I would think in the long run it might cause issues since you are basically soaking them overnight in urine and poop particle water. Stains are not a big deal. I would not run a bunch of extra rinses and washes just to avoid them. That's a lot of water, energy and wear and tear on the diapers. Make sure your detergent is working for you. With the right detergent we get very few stains and those wash out eventually. Occasionally I have to sun one or two diapers and they are stain free with an hour. If it simplifies your wash and is working for you though then go ahead but it may shorten the life of the ones with elastic.

This^ exactly. I worry less about stains and more about bacterial biofilms that will lead to ammonia in your diapers, because the ammonia will burn baby's skin. I rinse my poop diapers right away and just dry pail the others I have very few stains. For daycare, I use flushable liners and if a poop diaper is really bad, I will rinse it at the end of the day when I am unstuffing pockets at home...but have just left a few until the next day and it was fine, no stains.

There was a whole other thread about stinking dipes due to "marinating the diapers overnight in poo water", sorry I can't find it now, but I really wouldn't recommend it. There will be bacterial decomposition of the fabric fibers, too, if they are soaked often like that.

[Kait5757]

I don't think I would soak poopy diapers unless rinsing them first either. I've heard a lot that wet pails aren't even a good idea because of the bacteria and stuff.

[MandaMommy2]

Originally Posted by AZmommy good point, are you doign a prewash first? THe few times I have soaked its not in poo filled water but after Ive run a rinse cycle with some bleach to clear out the ickies first. Id deffiently not just soak without a good rinse first.

Yeah definitely. I rinse out all poopy diapers thoroughly now that she's on solids so there's no little bits floating around that I've seen. I have a crude bucket in the tub system and them I dump the water in the toilet and bleach everything. We don't have a diaper sprayer and our toilet is low flow so its a pain, but it works. Luckily she usually only goes poopy once or twice a day now so most of my diaper laundry is pee only.