Remember when I said I was crunchy?
Well here I am proving it!
I scoured the interwebz FOR HOURS looking for a homemade detergent that would be safe for Teemo's sensitive newborn baby skin, and also safe for the environment.
I'm not 100% sure where I even got this idea from (if I remember I will let you all know), but I made a no soap detergent that even removes those icky yellow poop stains from my prefolds.
Step one:
(Cleaning the diaper)
Clean off all solids from the cloth diaper.
I use my detachable shower head to spray all of his poop down the drain (he's exclusively breastfed, so his poop is water soluble therefore it's safe for me to just spray his poop down the bathtub drain), then I rinse the diaper off again using very hot water.
It's very important to rinse the diapers off with hot water so your diapers don't end up with ammonia.
Step two:
(Wet pail)
Place your thoroughly rinsed diaper into a wet pail.
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| My wet pail at the moment. |
In my wet pail I have my detergent, water (fill wet pail approximately 1/4 of the way with water), and the rinsed off diapers.
When you place your diaper into the wet pail, I suggest you take a clean plunger, and plunge the crap out of your diapers.
The plunger will suction off the remaining poop from your diaper.
Allow your diapers to soak overnight in the wet pail so the detergent can do its business.
Step three:
(optional)
In the morning when you're ready to finish cleaning the diapers, place your wet pail in the bathtub, and stomp on them for about 15 minuets.
You don't need to do this, but it helps just a little bit more with the cleaning process, and you get a small workout in.
Sometimes for added fun, I have Draven help me stomp on them before his morning bath.
Step four:
(rinsing out the diapers)
Dump your wet pail into the bathtub, and allow all the water to go down the drain.
Do not forget to rinse out your wet pail with hot water.
Take every individual diaper, and rinse it off one last time with very hot water.
Place all clean diapers into your clean wet pail.
Step five:
(Hang drying)
Wring out all of the diapers as thoroughly as possible.
Hang all the diaper as you normally would, and leave until dry.
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| My modest clothes line hung up in my bedroom made from a broken extension cord. |
My prefolds take about five hours to dry.
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| The prefold on the left has never been used, the prefold on the right is one I cleaned using this method. |
How to make this amazing soap free detergent
1/4th cup of Borax
1/4th cup of Baking soda
5-10 drops of Lavender tea tree essential oil
2 cups of Water
Dissolve borax and baking soda in water on stove top.
Pour borax-baking soda mix into your wet pail.
Drop 5-10 drops of lavender tea tree essential oil directly into wet pail.
100% natural ingredients, and completely safe for the environment.
In case you were wondering why I used lavender tea tree oil for the detergent:
Antiviral
Antiseptic
Anti-fungal
Disinfectant
It smells good
Calms babies
