Anyone have success washing with just cold water?

[savingmomof2boys]

I am freaking out a bit. I had stopped using cloth a few months ago because of leaks. During the time if using sposies we also moved. I got the cloth back out yesterday and was discussing a wash routine with DH last night, when he informed me that our washer does not have a hot water hook up. So now I am super worried that I am going to end up with stink problems.

I am using a few pockets that I have and just ordered a few AIO. I was planning on rounding out my stash with more AIO or fitteds but now I am not so sure.

Should I maybe pre-rinse all diapers in the tub with hot water. Will I be okay just using cold water? We also have pretty hard water where I live.

[craigwick]

I've accidentally washed diapers in cold (we have semi hard water) and it did not work well at all...they still smelled like pee (only use CD's at night now) and I had to re wash them in hot.

[savingmomof2boys]

Originally Posted by craigwick I've accidentally washed diapers in cold (we have semi hard water) and it did not work well at all...they still smelled like pee (only use CD's at night now) and I had to re wash them in hot.

This is what worries me and I really don't want to buy more sposies.

[Nerissa]

I only wash in cold and do not have any issues and my diapers sit for 3 days. I have no idea how "hard" or "soft" our water is. We do not have a water softner. I am guessing pretty neutral. We have city water. I have/use --Pockets w/MF inserts or Flat/PF inserts, AIO, Fitteds, Prefitteds, PUL Covers, AI2.

My routine is:
Prewash--nothing added
Long wash/rinse-- cap full of detergent. right now it is Arm and Hammer w/Oxy
Short wash/rinse-- nothing added

All goes in the dryer.

[s@hmommy]

I also accidentally used cold a time or two and had residual stink. We have hard water though, so sometimes it is harder for us to get them clean with our regular was routine.

[LleytonandJaydensmommy]

When we take trips to my moms house i use cold water with tide cold water laundry detergent. Works just fine

[risata]

I noticed my diapers starting to smell not quite clean (pockets with flour sack towel inserts.) They didn't stink really, just weren't smelling clean. I tried bleach, more detergent, more rinsing -- nothing was working. Then I discovered that my washer wasn't filling with hot water and probably hadn't been for a few weeks, about the same time the diapers started smelling. I stopped using them until we got the washer fixed. I filled my tub with hot water and let the "clean" diapers soak a bit and swished them around and that helped some. I finally took them to my MIL's to use her washer. A good long wash on hot fixed the smell. Based on that I won't try washing diapers on cold again, but every situation is different. You might have success with a detergent specifically made for cold water.

[TrennaII]

The process of detergent making crud go away is a chemical reaction, and warmth is a catalyst in many chemical reactions (makes them happen "better").

But people do hand wash diapers all over the world without hot water...

Vinegar plus oxi clean gets hot but it requires a lot of both, that could get expensive.

[savingmomof2boys]

Hmmm, I may give it a try, washing in cold water with the tide cold water detergent and see how it goes. If nothing else I guess I can carry buckets of hot water to the basement for the wash cycle.


Does anyone know what is different between regular tide and the tide cold water?

[savingmomof2boys]

Anyone else?