When it comes to washing diapers, simpler is better. The less ingredients in a detergent, the better it probably is. You want to stay away from detergents that contain perfumes and dyes, fabric softeners, brighteners, and phosphates. Here is a breakdown of the effects these ingredients can have.
*Perfumes and dyes: Can be an irritant to Baby’s sensitive skin. Can also lead to UTIs and vaginal infections in baby girls. If you would like your diapers to have a nice fragrance, put a few drops of lavender oil on a washrag and put it in the dryer with the diapers.
*Fabric softeners: Leave a chemical buildup on diapers that 1) reduce absorbency and 2) can be an irritant. White vinegar is a great substitute in the wash for fabric softener. You can also use dryer balls in the dryer to make the diapers soften as they dry.
*Brighteners: Optical brighteners are simply a chemical buildup that make your clothes appear brighter. Buildup can be irritating to Baby. For a natural alternative, try lemon juice and some sunlight to help lift stains.
*Phosphates: Phosphates are extremely hard for water treatment plants to breakdown, and are thus pumped back into natural water sources. Phosphates reduce oxygen levels in the water, making a deadly environment for fish and other water life. To read more about this, visit http://www.lenntech.com/aquatic/detergents.htm .
So what SHOULD I use to clean diapers with?
There are a few detergents out there designed specifically for cloth diapers. Rockin’ Green ,and Charlie’s soap are a few of these and are available in store at Elegant Mommy! There are also an abundance of recipes available online if you’re into making your own products.
For a chart on which commercial detergents are recommended and which are not, visit http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html .
For a quick link to Elegant Mommy’s detergents, visit:
http://www.elegantmommy.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/Category_ID=12/home_id=2/mode=cat/cat12.htm
Jessica
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