If you read the last post, you'll know that our battle against diaper rash has caused an escalation of unguent. Since the heavy-duty creams are harder to wash out of the diapers (though they have succeeded in staving off the rash), I have had to "break down" the diapers - meaning wash the s*** (literally and metaphorically) out of them. I do this by using a hot wash or two. That works pretty well.
I have been washing the diapers on cold only - heated water being the second-most energy intensive part of cloth diapering next to heated drying. So I tried an experiment - not to break down the grease film, but to expand the time between break-downs.
Normally after a cold wash in a small amount of water (adequate for the entire first 9 months at least) a film, or ring of diaper-grease would form around the inside of the wash at the top of the water line. The cold water couldn't keep the residue dissolved until it drained - so it stuck to the washer instead (as far as I know, the inside of the drain pipes look like Dick Cheney's femoral artery...). This film was also indicative of what was left on the fibers of the diapers.
There are two ways to increase the carrying capacity of the water to dissolve the solution: increase the temperature of the solution, or increase the amount of water. So I'm experimenting with washing the diapers in the next-higher water setting. Seems to work so far - no ring around the washtub.
Of course, which of these methods you use might depend on where you live. If you live in an arid area, but you have access to passive solar - use hot water from the roof! If you live in a cold area (like me) with more water than you know what to do with - and you have to heat it with $3.50/gallon #2 heating oil - it makes sense to try using a little more cold water.
Hope that was refreshing!
I have been washing the diapers on cold only - heated water being the second-most energy intensive part of cloth diapering next to heated drying. So I tried an experiment - not to break down the grease film, but to expand the time between break-downs.
Normally after a cold wash in a small amount of water (adequate for the entire first 9 months at least) a film, or ring of diaper-grease would form around the inside of the wash at the top of the water line. The cold water couldn't keep the residue dissolved until it drained - so it stuck to the washer instead (as far as I know, the inside of the drain pipes look like Dick Cheney's femoral artery...). This film was also indicative of what was left on the fibers of the diapers.
There are two ways to increase the carrying capacity of the water to dissolve the solution: increase the temperature of the solution, or increase the amount of water. So I'm experimenting with washing the diapers in the next-higher water setting. Seems to work so far - no ring around the washtub.
Of course, which of these methods you use might depend on where you live. If you live in an arid area, but you have access to passive solar - use hot water from the roof! If you live in a cold area (like me) with more water than you know what to do with - and you have to heat it with $3.50/gallon #2 heating oil - it makes sense to try using a little more cold water.
Hope that was refreshing!
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