How do I wash Roam reusable nappies?
Here are our recommendations on how to wash your reusable nappies. It is meant as a guide, but this is what works well for us. If you have your own way of doing things and it works for you - stick to it. These are quite in-depth step-by-step instructions to make it clear for anybody who might be new to reusable nappies.
The condensed version is in our printed fit and wash guide, sent out with all new orders.
We think that the best method for storing nappies in-between wash days is in a lidded nappy bucket (pail), lined with a mesh bag. You can store the bucket under the sink, in the bathroom — whatever works for your routine & household. Hanging wet bags can be useful for smaller spaces.
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Place wet nappies into your bucket or bag after changing. Pull out inserts so everything is loose. On wash day, you just empty the mesh/wet bag into the washing machine and don’t need to handle everything again. Place bags in the machine, too. Give your bucket a rinse with hot water and soap.
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If a nappy is soiled, always flush poo down the toilet. It should just peel away from a fleece-lined nappy. If you choose to use a disposable liner, always bin it. You may want to then quickly rinse the nappy under the tap before placing in the bucket (on wash day, you’ll run a rinse cycle before the main wash). Poo from breastfed babies is liquid & biodegradable, so can go into the machine until they’re eating solid food
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Aim to wash nappies every 2-3 days, or when your bucket/bag is full. Just empty them into the machine, along with the mesh/wet bag, and set to a cool rinse cycle with no spin and no detergent. A ‘quick’ rinse cycle can be as little as 15 mins. A standard rinse cycle is usually around 30 mins
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Unless you have a setting on your machine that’s between 40° and 60°, we recommend washing nappies at 60°c. This ensures a hygienic clean
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We prefer non-bio washing powder for nappies, but use whatever you have and don’t overthink it, unless you’re experiencing leak or build-up issues. Our advice is meant as a guide!
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Use a standard 60°c setting and add your detergent. The dose will depend on water hardness, soiling and drum size, but you probably don’t need as much as you think. This is where we add in other household laundry that can be washed at 60°c — towels, pyjamas, underwear... The machine drum should be about 3/4 full
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We prefer to finish with an additional rinse cycle, with the spin set to 1000-1200. If you do this, turn the spin off on the previous main wash, they don’t need two spins! We also recommend an additional rinse cycle if there’s lots of suds or the nappies smell heavily of detergent. If this happens, use less detergent next time
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It’s best to air or line dry nappies. Clothes horses, clip/sock hangers and racks that pop over radiators are useful for a reusable nappy household. You can put nappies on the radiator, just don’t let the inside of the cover (the waterproof part, also known as PUL) directly touch a heat source
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You can tumble dry inserts and wipes, but don’t tumble dry covers, as it could damage the waterproof membrane.
