Water and Heat Basics

Before you dive into wash routines, it helps to know your water temperature and hardness. If you’re not sure how hard or soft your water is, you can check with your local water provider or grab a quick test strip online.

Why does this matter? Well, if your water is too hot you run the risk of damaging the PUL layer and severely decreasing the life span of your diapers. The hardness level of your water indicates how mineralized it is, and plays a crucial role in determining what type and how much detergent you use.

It’s a good idea to check your water heater settings to make sure you're not washing too hot (140* is the upper limit safe for PUL fabric). It is always best to reference any manufacturer instructions before altering any appliances. Always consult the user manual before changing the settings of your water heater.

Water Hardness

Basic Wash Routine 

This is a basic routine recommended for everyone. It can be customized to fit your specific home-life. NO wash routine is one size fits all. You may need to add extra rinses or increase your detergent amounts according to your water hardness. After a few washes, you'll figure out what works and this will be a breeze!

First Wash (Pre-Wash)

• Cold or warm water (according to your preference)

• Small scoop of detergent (½ normal amount)

• Regular (Normal) cycle (for HE machines you may need a Heavy-duty cycle for more water)

• A good rule of thumb for knowing how much water (and how much or how little your amount of diapers should be) your washer should have during each cycle, is you want a "stew" consistency, not a "soup". This is helpful to ensure the diapers get proper agitation (which is the main way they get clean), and also protects your diapers from getting stuck or caught under your agitator.

Second Wash (Main Wash)

• Hot or warm water (according to your preference, just keep it under 140 °F)

• Full detergent amount (based on load size, brand /type of detergent and water hardness)

• Heavy Duty/Whites/Cottons cycle

• Add softener if you have hard water

Drying

• Line dry pockets/covers when you can to extend the life of shells and elastics. If inside then drying them with AWJ-side out dries them faster. If outside, do not expose PUL directly to sun. Tumbling on LOW or AIR for 15-20 mins is okay. Beware of any hot spots in your dryer where the diapers can get stuck and burn.

• Inserts/ Absorbency: dryer safe on low/medium (this will help reduce any baconing. Also dryer safe on high (this dries faster) but make sure they aren't too high or you can damage your fibers and they can bald or shed faster

General Care Tips

• Store dirty diapers in a breathable bag, or laundry hamper. Adequate airflow will reduce smells and inhibit the growth of mold. Keeping them covered in some way can reduce the access of pests.

• Wash every 2–3 days to prevent ammonia and stains from setting. This is not a hard and fast rule, it just helps to prevent stubborn smells, stains, or wash issues down the road. Wash when it works for you and your lifestyle, just try to keep it no more than 7 days in between washes.

• NO FABRIC SOFTENERS OR DRYER SHEETS OR SCENT BEADS. These can coat the fibers of your diapers and cause repelling.

• Treat funk or stains before the next wash cycle. Check our blog for trouble shooting if you wind up here.