washing dipes w/o detergent?

[GodChick]

I saw this on a FB support board. The FB representative said it was okay for the dipes. Anybody do this? Does it actually work?

For my regular cloth diapers and covers I normally run a rinse cycle with 1/4 cups of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar and it elimates the odors. Then in the wash cycle I add another 1/2 cup of backing soda instead of detergent and it works just fine nothing to smell but clean.

I tried this on the Fuzzi Bunz too and it seems to work just fine, no odors when they came out of the wash and no repelency issues or anything else. They were well cared for.

[canadiyank]

This freaks me out! LOL! But I've heard of it being done successfully, also maybe adding a little TTO or lavendar...try it and LMK 'cause I'm too chicken...

[OnlyBelieve]

I have heard of it being done. I do it every other wash. One day I wash with detergent and the next day with baking soda and tea tree oil. I find that I never have to strip them when I do it this way.
:bf2

[ChristineG]

I've never done this, though I can see how it would work. There is nothing magical about detergent. It is the agitation of the washing machine that gets the diapers clean. The detergent simply helps make the dirt slippery (like soap in handwashing) so that the agitation can do its job more effectively of ridding the diapers of dirt and bacteria. I think baking soda and tea tree would do a great job.

It is similar in teethbrushing. It is the action of the toothbrush that is the most effective, not the toothpaste. The toothpaste helps the toothbrush do its job (Yes, I know, there is the protective quality of fluoride.). It would be much better to brush with no toothpaste than to simply do a rinse with a fluoridated mouthwash.

Hmmm. Maybe I'll try this every other time, too! :)