I have decided to change up how I include laundering instructions in order to streamline the use of my tags and use less paper/ waste. So, here is where you can find laundering instructions for all of my products!! (those no longer being made, and those currently being sold.) Plus, this way if you have purchased your Monkeez second hand... you can see my recommended laundering/ care instructions!
(
Elastic and snap care: do NOT stretch the elastic immediately after removing from a dryer, allow to cool for optimal wear, do not play with snaps until they are room temperature.)
All types of Monkeez Diapers and doublers:
You will want to pre-wash diaper before use at least once, and remember that these are natural fibers and need to be prepped to reach their full absorbency. My personal use with them is that by their 7-9th wash they have reached full absorbing power... but this does not mean you can't use them until they've been washed this many times... just remember in their first 3 weeks of rotation as a brand new diaper that they are not fully prepped and you may need to change more frequently.
Laundering:
Cold wash NO detg. (This wash is important, I do not think anyone should skip it.) This cold wash not only helps to eliminate stains, it thoroughly rinses out a lot of what the diaper has absorbed... this allows the second wash to do an incredible job at cleansing.
Hot wash With detg. You can use either a warm or cold rinse cycle at the end of this wash if your washer allows you the option, but the wash itself should be with hot water. Please note, that with small children in the house water heaters should really not be set above 120* for safety, so when I say "hot" I mean no hotter then 120*... too much heat could potentially melt the snaps, fade your cotton prints prematurely, or be too harsh on the natural fibers within the diaper. Be especially cautious in front loading washers with built in heaters to not have the temperature too high. Could you just do a regular temp wash? Yes... however, I have found that the hot wash does a better job at cleansing over all.
How much detg?? With your hot wash cycle you will be using some type of detg (usually about half of what is recommended by the manufacturer). It is recommended that cloth diapers not be washed with pure soaps, or real soaps, simply because they do tend to build up and fade the diapers more so then a detg. Any "free and clear" type of detg is considered safe, but keep an eye on the cap of that detg, if you notice a gummy build up where the detg is poured from, there is a good chance it could be leaving build up on your diapers. I "highly" recommend Allen's Naturally powder detg. For small loads (less then 8 diapers) 2 tsp should be sufficient, and for larger loads (less then 16 diapers) I would use 1 TBLS in a top loading washer, for front loading washers, stick with the 2 tsp.
AVOID: Bleach, Added Borax, Too much vinegar (a 1/4 cup added to a rinse cycle is fine), any type of enzyme, oxi clean, fabric softeners: Any of these items are either too alkaline, too acidic, leave a build up, or eat away at natural fibers... this is too stressful for the fibers and will cause them to start deteriorating prematurely.
Dry: You can dry in a dryer on a medium/ low heat setting. Depending on how long your dryer runs, you may see that 2 dry cycles is necessary to ensure the diapers are dry. For reducing fading on cotton prints, I recommend letting the diapers air dry until mostly dried and then fluffing in the dryer to keep the velour nice and soft. REMEMBER: too much heat causes fading and break down of the fiber... diapers get washed a lot over the course of one child's diapering stage, so be kind to the diaper and don't stress it out. ;-)
** AI2 diapers with a PUL exterior need to be dried after the very first wash before using, and at least once a week there after, this helps to keep the PUL sealed, so don't be afraid to put it in the dryer!
Stain Removal: There are many things you can try... rinsing in cold water immediately after a diaper change is one route, sunning the stain works well, and using a little lemon juice directly on the stain after rinsing in cold water before laying out in the sun is another. Hydrogen peroxide should be okay occasionally, but remember that it is tough on the fiber. When sunning, lay the diaper belly up so that the cotton print is hidden (this goes for outdoor line drying) the sun will fade the cotton prints faster then desired. For really stubborn stains, you can also try using a little bit of Fels Naptha soap on the stain and gently scrubbing the fibers against themselves, do this with cold water, and thoroughly rinse the soap out. Run it in a full wash cycle before reusing. (more often than not, the stain is only on the snap in soaker, so if this is the case, leave the diaper body out of stain removal processes.)
Odor Issues: If you ever notice an odor on what should be your clean diapers, here are some tips and suggestions! These diapers are natural fibered and will not have the same types of odor issues as many popular diapers on the market with synthetic absorbing materials do. Generally speaking, when your natural fibered diaper develops an odor, it is because you need to use more detg in your hot wash, waited too long between the time they were used and laundered, or stored them in an un- breathable location/ manner when they were not completely dry. So, unless you are using way more detg then you should be to begin with... it would be a good idea to rewash your diapers with more detg then what you have been using. Cloth diapers can develop an "ammonia" build up if not enough detg is used and the ammonia residue from the urine is not being thoroughly washed out. The detg is necessary in the washing process to attach these particles to itself to allow the water to remove it. Then, try using more heat on your dry cycle just once or twice to see if that doesn't help as well if the problem is perhaps a mildew. If there is an odor, more often then not simply re-washing will solve the issue. It's generally not a great idea to go longer then 2 days before laundering, so if you have a large stash you may want to wash diapers daily or every other day and then just place them in the back of your rotation vs letting them sit until they are all ready to be washed.
If you have a front loader, it may be necessary to add an additional rinse cycle after your diapers have been washed to not only make sure all detg has been washed out, but to ensure that enough water is present to pull out what shouldn't be on the fiber.
Suddenly Not as absorbent: Sometimes, it seems like the diaper is not as absorbent as it once was when baby is going through a growth spurt and simply wetting more then usual, or entering that toddler age where the bladder releases more at one time. Adjusting the changing routine may be necessary. If it is due to a build up, this is usually caused by a build up on the fabric. Some other "symptoms" may be that when baby wets it immediately smells very strongly. Washing the diapers as above, and then washing in a few cycles without detg in warm or hot water is usually sufficient to remove build up if you've been using an additive free detg. If you have been using a non-recommended detg or pure soap... switching to a recommended detg may do the trick. "stripping" isn't usually necessary, but you could look up some ways to strip. Just remember, if your diaper has a cotton print outer, don't be too harsh.
Diaper Rash: There are many types of diaper rashes that can develop under any type of diapering circumstances. Some of the main ones are due to an ammonia build up in the fiber (see above for odor issues), chaffing or skin irritation, bacterial, yeast, and or eczema. Here are some tips to avoiding these and helping them to heal. (If at any time the rash is so bad that it is bleeding, very wide spread, or impossible to eliminate please consult a physician!) Be sure to always change poopy diapers right away!! I know it's tempting to wait if you've just put the diaper on, but don't... Newborns poop a lot, but this slows down as they get older, so just keep up the good work and have fun making giggly faces at your baby while you change. ;-)
1. Make sure that your diapers smell like *nothing* when they are completely dry, no scents should be present good or bad... if it is, then there is something in your detg leaving a sticky residue on your fiber to hold that scent on there, or your diapers need to be re-washed and you may need to change detgs or alter your laundering routine.
2. Make sure that your diaper is bone dry before putting it on your baby. Bacteria does not grow easily or for long on soft surfaces such as fabric, but with the presence of moisture it could... along with yeast and mildew. Your baby's skin has bacteria on it... so if you are putting a damp diaper on, that will not be friendly to the skin. At the same time Please, please change your baby often!! Most babies regardless of age should be changed every 2-2.5 hours. Change immediately after a long nap or upon waking in the morning, and gently cleanse the diaper area with warm water and a little soap. Dry the area well before putting a clean diaper on.
3. Most abrasion types of rashes can be avoided with frequent changes, the wet fabric is not as soft or comfortable on delicate skin. Change often, and make sure to wipe away all stool from the area before putting a clean diaper on.
4. Pure lanolin works wonders over abrasion/ irritation rashes, it keeps them protected from the moisture, and washes off of natural fibers pretty well. You may need to hand wash and scrub the area if you can still feel some on after the wash, but lanolin melts off at lower temps and your hot wash cycle and detg should remove the majority of it. All other types of "rash creams" made with natural ingredients or not, I would use a disposable liner between baby and diaper to protect the fabric.
5. If the rash is just red, slightly raised, and blotchy and nothing seems to be helping, it very well could be yeast. Talking with a physician may be helpful, you could also try some over the counter creams and apply those to the irritated skin. (if it isn't too bad, try applying some active yogurt!) With yeast, ensuring the diapers are dry is very important, as well as frequent changes and wiping very well, increasing yogurt in your diet if you are nursing, and feeding yogurt to baby if they are onto solids and other foods. It affects boys just as much as girls in the younger baby stage, so also keep an eye out for thrush.
6. Irritation: sometimes the type of detg might be irritating to skin. Many times, the irritation is due to something in your wipes. If you are using disposable wipes, they may have soaps, oils, or scents added to them that could be irritating when left behind on the skin. If you are using cloth wipes and a handmade mix, try diluting the mix more with water, and eliminating potentially irritating ingredients. My children all have sensitive skin, so we just use warm water for our cloth wipes... and a tiny bit of soap in the morning or after long naps, but follow up with a wipe with only water to remove it from the skin.
REMEMBER: Diaper rash is quite normal... you have a baby with delicate sensitive skin, mix urine and stool along and bacteria present in the intestines and on the skin along with a diaper rubbing back and forth and it's just a recipe for irritation no matter how you diaper your baby.... it isn't abnormal. Some never get it, some it's a constant battle.
Wool Covers/ wool nursing pads:
I am not presently selling wool covers, but I did for about 2 years, so if you have a Monkeez wool cover here are the laundering instructions!
Hand wash, it takes less time!! Any type of mild soap works... I actually like using baby wash. Just rinse the fabric in tepid water, add a little soap, scrunch until it is completely sudsed up, and then rinse out.
roll it up in a towel and squish out excess water, flat dry.
lanolizing should be minimal: but add just a small amount of lanolin to a cup of hot water and shake it up until mostly dissolved, pour over a clean cover that is soaking in about an inch or two of warm water, let set for about 10 mins, then without rinsing off, roll up and dry as mentioned above.
*** It is possible to wash the covers in a machine, please be sure to not mix colored wools with natural wools... and use a wool wash setting. Drying in a machine is possible for some, but not all of the wools I sold, so to be safe, I strongly encourage air drying to prevent shrinking. If you think your cover has shrunk a little, try stretching it out a bit after washing and "blocking" it by shaping it out on a towel to dry.
Wool nursing pads: You are able to air these out between uses and wash about once a week. This is what makes these so ideal for pads, as you do not need many in the rotation. Be cautious about adding lanolin... especially if you are using lanolin for sore nipples. too much of it will prevent it from absorbing well. hand wash and air dry as above. If they get a little wavy, feel free to press them with a hot iron to flatten them out.
Wipes and bamboo Nursing pads:
If Wipes are being used with cloth diapers, just wash right along with your diapers, same way.
If you are simply using wipes to wash hands and faces, or as wash clothes in the tub, feel free to launder the same as your regular laundry. Any detg is fine, these are not used to absorb like our diapers are.
Nursing pads: We want these to stay absorbent, so I would use a "free and clear" detg like mentioned under cloth diaper laundering instructions. Feel free to hand wash or machine wash and air dry, but you may wish to fluff up the velour by tossing in the dryer. If the pads get a little "wavy" simply press them with a hot iron on the fleece side. ;-) Bamboo nursing pads are not like the wool ones and need to be changed when wet, and washed before reusing.
Swim Diapers:
These are not diapers designed to be absorbent, just to contain solids in a swimming environment. These may be washed along with any other swimming items (other suits and towels). They can be air dried or machine dried as well.
Mama Pads:
If you were one of the lucky ones to get some of these bamboo topped, wool backed pads, here are the laundering instructions!
rinse immediately after use with cold water. This will greatly reduce staining. I also recommend soaking the pads in cold water until you are ready to launder them.
Wash in a warm/hot wash... you can wash with other clothes or diapers. I recommend using the same type of detg as recommended with cloth diapers.... this will keep the bamboo free from build up to absorb, and also be gentle enough on the wool.
Dry: Either dry in a med/ low heat setting, or air dry and fluff up afterwards. Ensure that these are allowed to breath when storing between cycles, this way if the pad was still slightly damp, it will not develop any type of mildewy odor.
With Any of my products that are dryer safe, the added use of wool dryer balls is perfectly fine!