like Christmas today!

[schmamy]

The mailman had a big stack of boxes for me today--including some Kushies classic fitteds I ordered used from a mama on DiaperSwappers, and my big shipment from WeeBunz! Now I have to get to work prepping my prefolds...I can't believe how stiff and hard the CPFs are! I know they will quilt up, it's still just surprising. The IPFs are lots softer even though they're bleached IPFs.

Seems I heard somewhere I should prep my prefolds separately from other dipes for some reason or another? True? I'd like to wash the pockets/fitteds/covers I've bought used, but guess I'll wait until I finish a few prep loads of the PFs. Then again, I've got to go find some appropriate detergent first...all I have on hand here is Tide/Tide Free...or would that be OK for prepping? I know some of you were saying you wouldn't use it for the dipes once baby is wearing them...but maybe OK for the first couple of loads to prep? :shrug

I said I would update on WeeBunz...very pleased with the service there, FYI. Shipped quickly and it was the cheapest of all the sites I researched.

My only hesitation is the Swaddlebees big bags I got. I wish they had a small loop to hang from a hook, like some bags do...but all they have is a LONG elastic drawstring. If I was handy I could probably sew on a loop...maybe I will put my MIL on that when she comes down after the baby is born :)

[2sunshines]

Sweet! Isn't is really cool to get fluffy mail?

As for prepping, anything that is natural or unbleached should be washed separately. That's because natural cotton has some oils that need to be stripped off and you don't want it to transfer to other dipes. So I'd prep your prefolds separately from your other diapers.

Depending on what else you bought, I'm guessing most of your other diapers don't need prepping, just washing to get all residues from the manufacturing process off. There are a few exceptions to this rule (hemp, organic cotton).

[schmamy]

Depending on what else you bought, I'm guessing most of your other diapers don't need prepping, just washing to get all residues from the manufacturing process off. There are a few exceptions to this rule (hemp, organic cotton).


I didn't buy any other new dipes from WeeBunz. I'd just like to wash all the used stuff once. I'm sure it came clean...but I'd like to wash it anyway :)

[Niphredil]

Yayy! Fluffy mail is the best, isn't it? Hmm, I'm expecting some too.

I know nothing about PF's so I'm no help there. I just wanted to say I wash mine in the fragrance & dye free Purex & it works great. Cheap too. ;) Ya know what they say, the cheaper soaps have less 'power' & fewer chemicals.

Congrats on your first dipes!

[2sunshines]

I'd just like to wash all the used stuff once. I'm sure it came clean...but I'd like to wash it anyway

I NEVER use bleach, however, my one exception to this rule is used diapers. When I get a batch of used diaper, I wash on hot with just a small amount of bleach (you really need only a tiny amount). There are a few things (like staph infection) that can stay in used diapers. This is very very rare, but imo, better safe than sorry, kwim? Bleach will kill any of that.

For that reason, I wash my used diapers alone for the first time and then rinse them several times to ensure that all the bleach residue is rinsed out, and also to ensure that the diapers have been adequately stripped.

[Calliope]

OooooOOoo, I am so jealous of your fluffy mail!!! :clap I'm waiting for my first Fuzzi Bunzs and then my whopping load of co-op purchased prefolds in the next couple weeks.

I can't wait to hear how your prepping process goes. Are you going to wash like a zillion times or boil them?

[schmamy]

I NEVER use bleach, however, my one exception to this rule is used diapers. When I get a batch of used diaper, I wash on hot with just a small amount of bleach (you really need only a tiny amount). There are a few things (like staph infection) that can stay in used diapers. This is very very rare, but imo, better safe than sorry, kwim? Bleach will kill any of that.

For that reason, I wash my used diapers alone for the first time and then rinse them several times to ensure that all the bleach residue is rinsed out, and also to ensure that the diapers have been adequately stripped.


Can I do that even with the FBs? And the fitted that is colored? what about covers? now I'm feeling paranoid :nails would boiling them do it?


I can't wait to hear how your prepping process goes. Are you going to wash like a zillion times or boil them?


They're all bleached, so I don't think I need to boil them. My understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong) is that about three or four hot washes will do it. And I have to dry them each time, right, to fluff them?

[2sunshines]

Yea, you can use a tiny bit of bleach with the fb and fitteds. It won't affect anything. I'm only talking like a tiny capful (the smalll bleach bottle caps, NOT laundry detergent caps) in a FULL tub of water (obviously make sure you put the bleach in BEFORE putting any of the diapers in). However, you can also use tto to disinfect if you are more comfortable with that. You definitely don't want to boil them -- you should never boil anything with snaps. I wouldn't worry about the covers -- washing them in hot should be adequate. They have never been directly on another baby's skin. Like I said, the chances of your used diapers having anything in them is slim, BUT it has happened. And because of that, unless you know the person you bought them from, for me, the risk isn't worth it, kwim?

Know that I am EXTREMELY conservative in the care of my diapers. I NEVER use bleach, except for one time in that one instance.

If your prefolds are all bleached, you only need to wash them a few times on hot and they will prep pretty quickly. I didn't dry them each time because I was impatient and needed them, but I've heard that some people do. A good hot dry after a few washes will fluff them up pretty good.

[mle]

:hunh Staph infection can travel in used dipes?!

Okay, so a small capful of bleach WILL NOT ruin FBs? Won't spot the colored PUL? :think Promise? :shifty

[2sunshines]

Staph infection can travel in used dipes?!

I'm not positive. I heard once on another board that there was concern when someone sold cd's after their child had a staph infection. I'm not sure if any other child actually got staph from the used diapers, but it was enough to scare me a little. Not to scare me out of buying used, because you can get some great diapers at great prices if you are willing to do that, but enough to use a tiny bit of bleach on my used diapers.

Okay, so a small capful of bleach WILL NOT ruin FBs? Won't spot the colored PUL?

I've never done it with fb, but I have with drybees. A tiny bit of bleach in a full tub of water. It didn't do anything bad to the diapers. :shrug Of course, I can't promise anything, just sharing with you my experience. :yes

[2sunshines]

Here's some info on staph:

Staph is the shortened name for Staphylococcus (pronounced: staf-uh-low-kah-kus), a type of bacteria. These bacteria can live harmlessly on many skin surfaces, especially around the nose, mouth, genitals, and anus. But when the skin is punctured or broken for any reason, staph bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection.

People can get staph infections from contaminated objects, but staph bacteria often spread through skin-to-skin contact — the bacteria can be spread from one area of the body to another if someone touches the infected area.

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/infections/bacterial_viral/staph.html

So it sounds like it's possible, though unlikely, to get staph infection from a used cloth diaper. However, even a hot water wash would probably eliminate the small possibility.

I really hesitate to talk about this, because I don't want people to get scared of buying used diapers. The risk is slim to none. Buying used cloth diapers is very very safe. I just use a tiny bit of bleach to make that risk nil.

[mle]

:highfive gotcha! thanks for the info :heart

[Calliope]

Oh, I wasn't talking about boiling pockets or covers or anything with snaps. Just some of the mamas boil unbleached prefolds to get all the oils off in one go, rather than washing multiple times.

[2sunshines]

:yes You're right, you can boil prefolds to prep them. I was referring to this quote when I talked about not boiling;

Can I do that even with the FBs? And the fitted that is colored? what about covers? now I'm feeling paranoid biting nails - nervous would boiling them do it?