Bio or non-Bio?
I use non bio. And I wash at 40. This is sufficient in my experience if you are using liners and rinsing out poo before dry pailing and washing every 2 days. There are those that argue you should wash at 60 every wash to thoroughly clean poo but I have not needed to in my experience with a baby from 4 months onwards. If you leave poo in nappies to fester without rinsing then you are going to be more likely to get problems.
Wash at 60 only when necessary
I believe in keeping the 60 plus bio as an option for if you had to trouble shoot, or your baby is ill. And the only time I needed to do this was the “calendula incident” (see blog on nappy rash) to remove the hideous stink from my nappies so eventually they did start smelling freshly washed again.
Alternatively, if you think your 2 parts or boosters need an extra freshen you can always put them in a laundry bag with your normal whites wash without conditioner. Then take the bag out and do a rinse + spin cycle with conditioner to condition the rest of your normal laundry. The other exception is that if you are washing nappies for baby under 3 months then you should wash at 60 . This is why hard-wearing terry squares can be a better option for a newborn because they can handle all types of abuse.
You should also only wash PUL (plastic) items (wraps, pocket covers, wet bags) at 40 which can be damaged/cause delamination by washing them too hot. Non plastic (boosters, liners, 2-parts) are usually fine with the odd wash at 60 however check their labels first.
Protect your investment
Bio detergent degrades bamboo over time (according to the UK Nappy Network) and I use it only occasionally. I have never had poo or ammonia stains or smells using predominantly non-bio and washing at 40. For the sake of economy and keeping my nappies in good condition it has worked for me.
Washing powder is also believed to be better than liquid or tablets. I have used both and found no difference. However I switched to powder because it is cheaper and it comes in a cardboard box which reduces plastic. But if you are short on space and recycle the bottle then that’s fine.
You are not supposed to use “sanitizers” (i.e. Napisan, Vanish) in your wash because it is believed some of the ingredients in them can damage PUL/elastics. However if you look at the list of ingredients in them they are the same as normal washing detergents so I personally would have no issue with using them occasionally to troubleshoot boosters etc. on a 60. Never use bleach.
Economy + gentleness
I also do follow the belief that non-bio is better against a baby’s bum, especially a young baby. It’s a sensitive area. I know my own skins gets itchy from several brands (Ariel, Surf, Daz) which I wouldn’t use on clothing that goes directly against my baby’s skin. Don’t use eco eggs or other eco laundry products (even Ecover) as they don’t clean well enough apparently.
I use Tesco non-bio and it’s the cheapest at £3.50 per 2.6kg box. Tesco have also reduced their packaging very recently which I totally support. I use a Persil liquid dosing jug’s worth of powder full to the brim and this is about half a dose on my 7kg machine and is sufficient for my nappy washes. The dosing jug full measure weighs about 60g meaning the box of Tesco will last me just over 40 washes. In perspective this is a similar amount to about 2 washing tablets worth (I weighed and compared them), which I keep a box of in case I had to wash whilst away at my parents etc. I have also heard great things about Waitrose non-bio but I have yet to try it.
Help guides
For more straight forward practical tips on how to switch to reusable nappies, have a read of my further blogs: