Reusable nappies guide

Please follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to washing your nappies.

Washing and drying tips

• Don’t forget to wash your nappies before use – they won’t be fully absorbent until washed two to three times.
• You’ll need a nappy bucket or any bucket with a lid to store dirty nappies in before washing, but you don’t need to soak nappies before washing as this tends to make them smell more.
• You can hang a mesh bag inside your bucket so that you can lift out all the nappies together when putting them in the machine.
• Nappies can be washed at 60°C and wraps usually at 40°C. There’s no need to boil wash your nappies.
• Use your usual washing powder but don’t use fabric conditioner as this might affect the absorbency of your nappies.
• Nappies can be dried on a drying rack, a pulley, over radiator dryers or on the washing line outside, which helps keep your nappies white and fresh.
• After changing your baby’s nappy, flush as much of the poo as you can down the toilet. Used nappies should be stored in a lidded bucket without water or soaking solution. This is called dry-pailing.
• When you have enough nappies for a load, put them into the washing machine with a small amount of non-bio detergent (half the manufacturers recommended amount) and no fabric softener. Softeners and too much detergent coat the material fibres and make them less absorbent. Be aware that some detergents may cause skin issues. Do your research and find out what works best for you and your baby. Some people like to do a rinse cycle in their washing machine before they wash their nappies, but this is not always necessary.
• After doing a rinse cycle you can add extra clothing to make a full load. Manufacturers usually recommend a 60°C wash but nappies can often be washed at 40°C.
• Line drying will help the softness of your nappies and reduce your environmental impact. If you’re able to, try to avoid using a tumble dryer as it is more costly – for your pocket and the environment – and shortens the life span of nappies.