They aren't quite as crazy as they may sound over at gDiapers Diaper Therapy. There really is an enjoyable, meditative aspect to washing cloth diapers. It is so much more rewarding than buying a package of disposables.
I could hardly wait to use gDiapers for my daughter, but I was NOT going to wash the inserts. We'll get a service and use prefolds, I naievely planned. Hahaha.
Enter gCloth gifted from GrandMa! Just in case, she said...
add then, out of neccessity, I tried them.
I had already succumbed to the softness of the gCloths. Seriously! Feel them- they are plush and smooth, just right for your baby like a ripe, juicy watermelon is for those dog-hot summer days. No online commentary or even a picture is going to suffice. Just touch 'em! Even better? They soften up....!
Despite the awesomeness of the cotton/hemp blended gCloths, I was intimidated by the thought of keeping up with the resulting laundry. I was determined to cloth diaper, though, and gave it a try. Like all things baby [life], you sometimes try things that don't work, so you learn what you can, and try something different.
I have a toddler as well, and I promise I don't feel like I do any more laundry now, than when he was an infant. I suppose that technically, I do two extra loads a week...the diapers + another person worth!
Now, I do laundry twice a week, Saturday & Wednesday. I do as many loads of colors (including gPants) and whites as we four have accumulated, a load of gCloths and liners, and towels/linens as needed. I really prefer this method over a load a day.
For all of our laundry, we use All Free & Clear.
I do not use fabric softners, because of sensitive skin but have found some natural alternatives.
Houston is notorious for hard [gross] water, so we get build up on our diapers from the small amount of detergent used in their cleaning. We fight this [strip the diapers] with (blue) Dawn and white vinegar. I've found I need to do this at least once a month.
Stripping can be accomplished with:
-repeated machine washing with very hot water and NO detergent
-adding a small amount of Dawn to the wash and rinsing profusely
-adding vinegar to the rinse
Good Luck in your g[reen]Endeavors! Feel free to comment with suggestions. I'd recommend contacting the ladies over at gDiapers with questions [or even if you need replacement hook!], they are a superb example of customer service.
Resources:
www.gdiapers.com/diaper-therapy/laundry-day-really-its-fun/
Http://www.zany-zebra.com/stripping-cloth-diapers.shtml
Community.babycenter.com/post/a26709331/how_to_properly_strip_your_gdiapers_fleece_inserts_the_man_way
Enjoy the picture of the bubbles, this load being sans detergent, clearly needed to be stripped.
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