2016 Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 4: Washing Routine

            Hey folks! Today's topic for the Flats & Handwashing Challenge is washing routine. Not that anyone is holding a gun to my head and making me post for each topic every day, but I'm really not looking forward to this one. Why? Because, as suspected, this has been the most difficult and pita aspect of this challenge so far.

             I've only washed diapers once so far this week. I had intended on trying something different and washing them each day for the rest of the challenge if it seemed easier, but I just didn't get around to it yesterday. Busy, busy, busy!

             The load I did do, I used my pre-wash solution for “soap”, which contains water, borax, washing soda, and a little bit of the blue Dawn dishing liquid. I mixed those up, well, actually Myka mixed them up for me. Ha ha Then, I let them soak for quite a bit...Longer than I meant to, actually, because, as usual, I got busy with something else and kind of forgot about them. (Story of my life!)

             I mixed them up so more then dumped the water out. I then squeezed all of the diapers out, filled the bucket with some vinegar water, and let them soak again for awhile. After that, I dumped the water out again, squeezed all of the diapers out, rinsed them with the diaper sprayer, and wrung them out again. I can't remember if diaper sprayers are “allowed” in the challenge and quite frankly I don't care. If I hadn't used that I would have just used our hand held showerhead in our bathroom.

             So yah...as expected, a giant pain in the ass. But hey, it's not called a challenge for nothing, right? Plus, I'm pretty sure I washed them too well. I only had one or two poopy diapers in the bunch and I use the pre-wash on them after spraying them off and before I lay them on the side of the dirty diaper hamper to dry. I also rinse the potty ones out in the sink right after I change baby girl's diaper so really, they weren't all that dirty to begin with. Needless to say, I'm definitely going to try something different the next time I wash them.

             Also, the whole air drying thing was a bit of a mess. I didn't get done washing the damn things until like 10:30 Tuesday night, so I had to find places to hang them to dry around the house, even though I knew they wouldn't be dry by morning since I had to stack some on top of each other. Usually I hang the ones I rinse right after diaper changes over the shower rod in our bathroom and they dry out in no time, especially if I turn the ceiling fan on. But, you quickly run out of space when there are like 9 flats and all of the “doublers” I use inside! 

 

             Luckily, it was a very nice day today here (finally), so I was able to line dry them outside. I normally try to line dry my diapers as much as possible, but haven't been able to do so for probably close to two weeks. Needless to say, the sunning did them good and most of them are nice and bright white again!

             I would really like to get one of those collapsible drying racks for the sole purpose of being able to air dry my diapers inside quicker on the days I'm not able to put them outside. If I didn't have access to a dryer, this would be a must!