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All that’s missing from Alyssa’s life is a washer and dryer. She has access to coin operated machines within her building (certainly better than schlepping them to a laundromat!) but anyone who has paid for laundry knows how expensive it can get. So, she washed her diapers by hand every day, for several months. She agreed to allow me to post this so everyone can see that it can be done! -Maria
My name is Alyssa and I love cloth diapers. Like, really love. So much so that I went against everyone’s “advice” and decided to CD my daughter while living in an apartment with no washer/dryer. Our diaper laundry costs were pretty much the cost of what disposables would have been (I’m a bargain shopper.) But the money wasn’t the point. I wanted my daughter to have what I had. Nice, comfortable, and breathable cloth next to her tush =)
As for the laundry, we made it fit in the budget. We were struggling, but we weren’t on the brink of homelessness or anything. I probably could have continued to use my apartment building’s community laundry room. But, for some reason, the spirit of George Costanza took hold of me (it happens from time to time) and I decided that spending $40 a month on diaper laundry was inhumane, and that I would wash the diapers by hand all by myself, even if my arms lost all feeling during the process.
My diapers were always squeaky clean when I hand washed them. I think it was the individual attention of that final rinse and wring. (I always dunked and swished in the toilet right after a poopy diaper. I was pretty aggressive with it too. Plus, all the pre-soaking did the rest of the work for me.) I’m out of shape and admittedly kind of lazy. If I can do it, anyone can!
So this is basically it. These pics were taken about two years ago. I did this every day for a few months. Don’t mind the gross tiles. It’s not mildew, just really old and peely grouting that is in desperate need of redoing:
-Prerinse with Tea Tree Oil and Baking Soda
-Swish swish swish. Notice my ghetto swishing stick. It’s a baseboard. I don’t even know how I came into posession of that. Moving on….
-Drain. Then fill tub again but this time add detergent and OxyClean. Oh, and at this point, you might need a glass of wine. Then swish swish swish again for a while and leave them there for at least ten minutes. Drain.
-Squeeze out excess water with your (CLEAN) feet. In this pic are a lot of mama made diapers plus a few Happy Heiny’s, a Mac a Doodle, Roo Bug, and a few prefolds.
-Fill tub again. Rinse (by way of swishing.) Then using your sink, rinse and wring each diaper indiviudally.
-Place on rack to dry. Have another glass of wine.
I think I could have gotten away with doing a soak, wash, and rinse. I tend to go overboard…
-Alyssa
Do you think you’d cloth diaper if you had to hand wash then? What if you had to use coin operated laundry or lug them to a laundromat? Does anyone already do this? -Maria
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
This is an awesome post! Thank you for the info! If I had to chose between hand washing and a laundromat or coin laundry, I would chose hand washing. I’m so allergic to name brand/mainstream detergents that I can’t even wash my clothes at a laundromat. I wouldn’t want to risk all of the softeners/brighteners/icky stuff that is in “community” washers getting into my diapers. I’m so in love with my diapers that I would be right there with Alyssa! By the way, Alyssa, you are a GREAT momma!
I’m in an apartment and sometimes I just hand wash the diapers if the laundry room is too busy or if I don’t have change for the washer.
Wow, good job! I have done this once or twice when my washing machine was broken and it takes awhile but everything came out clean!
It really wasn’t that bad at all. And like I said, the diapers always came out extra clean with absolutely no left over residue from detergent.
Really terrific post! Alyssa, you’re hilarious! Love the wine in the shot! An essential ingredient to limber up those arms, I’m guessing!
Kudos to you, mama! Your brave venture has debunked a lot of the scariness for so many of us!
Lisa
Wow!!! I’m glad i have my own washer, but still.. That’s really impressive!!! Kudos!!!
Wow, amazing! That’s what my parents and grandparents used to do. But these days you deserve a monument in your name
a
LOL, I’m imagining a bath tub with a baseboard sticking out of it, with “Alyssa” emblazoned on the side.
Wow! I have my own washer, but it’s a bit sensitive (that’s what I get for having a 15 yr old washer, and being to cheap to buy a new one since we’re only planning on living here one more year!) I’ve debated washing them myself before, but usually by the time I decide I can do it, my washer decides it’s going to work (maybe it just wants to know I’m willing to do it’s job?!) Good to know it can be done. Oh, and I love the getto swish stick. We’ve got random strange things used for other things at our house too. Sometimes, you get something that can do the job, and you just go with it!
i was washing my diapers like this at first. but, i decided to just go down and use the coin operated machine. i live in an apartment. but i DO do the first rinse / wash in the tub before tossing in the diaper laundry. sometimes i dont even bother! you are a miracle! makes me want to dump my diapers in the tub now and hand wash! =] well, foot wash really … lol
what a great post. i’m totally into this & my son isn’t even in diapers any more.
How great! I will definitely book mark this in case I ever need it. It does make me feel inspired to at least try.
Thanks!
Living in an apartment we decided against cloth diapering because of the laundry cost, etc. But 3 months in, we’ve changed our mind and are going to start cloth diapering. I am researching hand washing (love your post) … wondering how much tea tree oil / baking soda did you use in the bath soak?
I think she used about a Tablespoon.
So glad I am not the only one crazy enough to hand wash cloth diapers. I have been washing every other day in my tub or bucket for the last 12 months. Somedays I want to quit and use disposables, but I know all my hard work is for my child’s bum. Thanks for the tip on tea tree oil, I will need to try that for my next presoak
! P.s. my swish stick is a plunger
I live in an apartment with no washer/drying and I’m doing the same thing right now. Except I only pre rinse with water, wash with soap and rinse again. I hate it but refuse to spend the money washing them at the laundromat too! I also appreciate the tea tree oil tip, I’m going to have to try that.
You rock!
Call me crazy but we live in a nice apartment with our own washer and dryer that work great and I am still considering hand washing. Think how much you would save on your electric bill if you hand washed. Our water isn’t very high but electric is what kills us if we do an extra load of laundry.
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