bleach really a thing from the devil? (help me!)

[Lis]

ok please don't shoot me

I know that there are natural alternatives, and that bleach is generally considered a 'no-no'.
(eek, I just looked on the bottle and it said for nappies, to add 1 cup of bleach)

But I have tried sun, I have tried soaking in water, I have tried re-washing, extra rinsing, washing with napisan, washing with extra powder, washing with bicarb, washing with less powder....washing with eco friendly powder. These stains, and stink, would not budge (nb. slap me for not remembering liners AGAIN).... and I just now gave in and chucked them in a bucket with some water and bleach, and 15mins later they smell and look sooo much better!

I have been having so much trouble with nappies falling apart. Still.
So it's not like adding bleach can make them fall apart more when they are already disintegrating before my eyes.... and I am rinsing these ones very well.
Does anyone use that *bleach for colours* type of washing powder on their nappies?

I am going to have to start making patches for bamboo nappies because they have gaping holes in them... nappies that are less than 6 months old.

So please, owners of bamboo nappies that don't fall apart.... share your secrets. Or at least your methods of washing so I can try and find something that works.

I am almost to the point of handwashing my nappies because it's breaking my heart to see all these holes If my new itti d'lish nappies get like this I am going to scream and then cry.
I am thinking maybe the handwash cycle on the machine, and then an extra rinse will be my next option.

*sigh* I guess I have to just keep trying different things....................

[jayne]

Jut my personal thought Lis, in no way my professional recommendation , except to say that I do know that the very occasional bleach is fine with bumgenius nappies.

Having said that, I've never bleached any of our nappies, but I'd consider it under a few circumstances...
I'd be more cautious with my bamboo nappies personally. But when you think about it, most bamboo fabrics in nappies are likely to have already gone through a pretty heavy bleaching process in the production of the fibre, so depending on the nappy and the origin of the fabric, you may be able to bleach them quite safely?
I wouldn't bleach Tots or our bamboo flats, because of the silky texture, but I might consider the possibility of bleaching a woven or fleece bamboo.

Generally, hemp is unbleached at manufacture, so I wouldn't personally bleach my hemp.

I've wondered about those oxygen whiteners too, but have no experience with using them.

I know this doean't really answer your questions Lis, except if you're talking pockets, bumgenius! accept the occasional bleach as just fine XX

[Lis]

Thanks Jayne.
the 2 nappies with the worst stains were a cute tooshies bamboo delight and a hemp booster which is now white rather than natural coloured, but that doesn't bother me lol.
I would rather have things without stains and a little bit lighter coloured than all icky looking. But the bleach isn't really an issue....I am much more perplexed and worried by the nappies falling apart

[mokster26]

That would worry me too. We have had no probs - our only bamboo ones are bubblebubs, ittis and maybe wild child (are they bamboo?). One of my ittis has all the inside booster stuffing loosened and in the corner on one fold but that was how I got it in a swap. I just do normal wash with 1/2 powder, they go on the line or in the dryer. Generallly they are washed every day or 2nd day. I have no idea what the holes could be from - it couldn't be critters could it?? All our towels are getting holes which sh*ts me no end and I wonder if it's moths or something.....

[HG01]

Never used bleach so can't comment on that but a LOT of my bamboo nappies are disintegrating. I am tempted to go back to hemp for that very reason.

[mum2miya]

I don't have an answer on the bleach Lis...though it sounds like it's worth a try.
I have a theory that some washing machines are harder on nappies than others. I have a top loader that has never killed a nappy. I have a friend with a front loader that appears to be very hard on nappies.

[~*Bron*~]

i wouldn't think the stains are causing the holes, and i've always believed bleach eats fibres. our holes are caused by toxic wee

[hippi_chick25]

I agree with Donna Lis I would say it would be your machine, I have heaps of bamboo, and never a prob but I have a twin tub and they are supposedly better on clothes, perhaps a wash in a pillowcase or lingerie bag? sorry I cant be any more help, could your washing powder be the prob? I use earths choice mainly because its cheap

[jayne]

I've seen a few (2 customers) bamboo nappies completely destroyed by top loaders whose rotation is seriously hard core.
You can start to see where the fabric is being pulled away from the seams etc, really obvious stress points. It's a different kind of wear to holes.

I agree with you Bron as to wee being another possible cause for holes, and highly recommend a really good saturation before throwing in the nappy bucket, it's worked well for us so far.

Interestingly, I've also had manufacturers recommend tumble drying over line drying becasue of the wear on elastic from hot sun etc etc

So wear can be exacerbated by our use and care, (machines, choice of detergents, and arguably even drying method) , by the nature of our children's wee and by the quality and construction of the fabric in our nappies.

[Rodent]

I use the pink napisan occasionally without issue. I once in desperation added about a tablespoon of bleach to a stinky load and it came out smelling so much fresher! (All the ladies on diaperpin said it worked so I bit the bullet). With so little it didn't fade colours either. I wouldn't use it regularly or any more than that though. Our bamboo nappies are holding up fine. The only one with issues was a snap-in Wild Child insert that has tiny holes in several places up the channel stitching. It was only used 3 times by a newborn! I think it was a fabric fault but didn't hear any more other than she was looking into the supplier. Everything else is great, no sign of any wear at all. We have a front loader, wash with Aware Sensitive, occasional pink napisan or dettol in-wash, mixture of line drying in shade and drier.

--Rodent