Hi, I am new to using Flats. How do I prep the flats for the first time? And how do I wash and dry them subsequently?
350763
The unbleached kind need to either get boiled for a bit, like 15-20 minutes or you can wash them in hot water a few cycles, though this uses a lot more water and is not as efficient as boiling. You wash then, same as any other cotton diaper: cold rinse, hot wash with plain soap, then two rinses. I typically do the last rinse on cold just to save energy. Flats dry on the line in no time and the sun bleaches stains and kills germs.
350764
You can washwith detergent and dry them once. Over the next washes absorbancy will increase some. You can hang dry or in the dryer, whatever you like. I recommend http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/ to get yourself off with a proper wash routine. :)
350765
Prepping flats, prefolds, and flour sack towels are all the same. Wash with the hottest setting to help the fiber absorb more readily and spread among the cloth faster. Some people have washing in hot water more than once to get them started, for us it was just the once.
350766
Some people boil them before first use, i don't believe i did. To clean them i first shake off any solids, then rinse them in the toilet, tub, sink or hose them off. Machine wash with regular baby detergent (some use special diaper detergents but i choose not to for flats, the special detergents are more often used for stuffed diapers). Every couple weeks i machine wash and then hand wash with dish soap, the dish soap helps break down any build up of baby powder or rash ointment in the fibers. Really these diapers are great and low maintenance cleaning wise.
350767
They probably don't reach maximum absorbency until after 4-5+ washings, but I started using them after 2. You want to wash them a couple times to get off the natural oils from the cotton. When soiled with human excrement, I wash hot with an enzyme-containing detergent and then line dry or tumble dry. They are sturdy diapers. Tumble drying makes them very soft but I find the line drying makes folding easier, and sunshine can get out stains. They dry very quickly as well!
1969962
Agreed - hand wash and dry. I wouldn't use them frequently though, maybe just one more time.
965872
I actually did put them in the washer and they were fine. Do NOT put them in the dryer. Or you make soak them in warm water with fabric detergent. Rinse well and Air dry.
348238
I stopped using them before I needed to wash them. But I'm sure just wash them in a machine then hang dry.
2269198
I dry on delicate. Then remove and fluff. Run one more cycle on delicate. If still slightly damp - let it air dry. No shrinkage, no clumping.
1407805
We recommend that you hang them up with the loop hook on the back of the shoe slipper and let the mud/dirt dry out. Once they are dry shake them out like a rug. This usually works better than washing them.
2214689
It is good to get them going in hot/warm water to speed the release of soap but not absolutely necessary. For a very large or dirty load I usually soak them in hot water a bit before I add them. Some times I'll just stick them in the washer let it run a little warm water and then put the clothes in before I turn it on cold and start it so they had a minute to warm up. But actually I went a year just throwing them in the cold water load directly, I guess I just started heating them when I read something suggesting it but they always worked fine before and lasted longer. I try to make a concentrate sometimes but then I use way more than I need too and waste it because it seems weird to only need a spoonful :) do keep in mind if you get stains you will need spot cleaner, these do general cleaning well but stains need a little extra effort.
1647245
You should definitely prep these before use. Because they are unbleached, they retain a little bit more natural oil. You can boil them to prep them or wash them a few times (you don't need to dry between washings), and the absorbency will improve with more washing. You can use a detergent specific to cloth diapers, or any detergent that is free of dyes/scents. We use Country Save.
1808193
There are no instructions given, but I will just soak them in Woolite for a short time, and dry them on a towel. My drawers look beautiful when I open them now, especially my sock drawer. I can find what I need right away.
1279686
I throw mine in washer with towels & cleaning rags. I dry flat instead of using dryer.
1547373
I've hung these and other flats to dry -- in my experience it's not important to fluff up flats. They aren't like prefolds, which seem to be more absorbent the quiltier and fluffier they are.
1336468
Yes I removed them by the zipper and washes them w a mild detergent and hang dried... Came out as new!
1090085
I put mine in the dryer. Drying on a lower heat is best. (Keeps them a bit more fluffy.)
761484
I wash them on gentle in cold water and dry them for 10 minutes at regular heat in the dryer then hang them to finish drying. :-)
504457
I just throw them in with colors & warm water. Then in the dryer. They are very easy maintenance.
788257
I have just washed them with the rest of the laundry in either cold or warm water. Most of the time in the winter I use drying racks to add more humidity to the indoor air so thus far I have not dried them in the dryer. They do dry quite quickly being air dried.
751505
Gentle cycle wash, and NO HEAT or FLUFF dry (5-6 times depending on dryer) comes out perfect! Must use dryer or wont fluff up. Wash and dry alone. Enjoy :)