- This is an Australian website - Contact Margaret RainbowWebCLEAN NAPPIES WITHOUT POISONING OUR WATERWAYS!
WASHING CLOTH NAPPIES
Using disposable nappies is unpardonable! Old growth forests are being wood-chipped, shipped overseas to be pulped & made into nappies, then shipped back, and sold in supermarkets for an exorbitant price. There is no legal way of disposing of them - technically you're not supposed to put them in landfill!
See also Really radical recycling!
Cut down on the number of nappies you use: INFANT POTTY TRAINING
WET NAPPIES:
Rinse out thoroughly
as soon as changed.
in half a bucket of
plain water.
Rinse in another bucket of plain
water. Hang out to
dry immediately.
The water can be used on flower-beds.
If you cannot wash the nappy immediately,
use a little plain bar soap on it during
the first wash, & rinse TWICE.
SOILED NAPPIES:
Put solids into the toilet, if necessary
scraping with a blunt knife.(This way you
need use toilet paper only to wipe the
knife - much easier than trying to clean
the napkin with paper.)
Thoroughly wash
nappy in a bucket of plain water. Tip this
water into the toilet.
Then wash the nappy
thoroughly with PLAIN SOAP & fresh water.
Rinse
thoroughly in several lots of fresh water.
A litt vinegar or lemon juice in the last rinse will
neutralise any alkaline traces from the
soap. Hang out to dry.
If at all possible, deal with nappies
soon as they become wet or dirty.
Frequent nappy changes are not only better
for baby, but make the washing
easier in the long run.
Don’t expect to
get all stains out. Stains do NOT mean
the nappy is not perfectly clean. The stains
are the result of chemical reactions
between the urine, faeces, & the cloth.
If you are not at home, or it is night-time, it may not be, possible to deal with nappies immediately. However, do deal with soiled nappies the best way you can, using a friend‘s bathroom or a public toilet, before putting them in a plastic bag to deal with them later. At night, it still pays to scrape & wash them straight away. I KNOW! I've had five children, including twins! However tired you are, it's worth it, come the morning.
Soaking nappies just encourages bacteria to breed, no matter what the advertisers say. What IS important is to keep them covered until they can be washed, to keep flies away from them.
The fewer chemicals you use on anything that comes into contact with babies' skin, the better.
N,
If baby has an infection of any kind, dispose of the water, even from wet nappies, down the toilet
instead of on the garden.
Nappies need to be dried in the sun
for several hours to sterilise them. If the weather makes
this impossible, wash nappies as usual,
but at the end of the day, or next day,
put them all into a large saucepan or
metal container, cover with cold water,
and bring them to the boil. Boil for
two or three minutes, then leave to
cool down a bit before wringing them
out & hanging them out to dry.
Boiling is also a good idea if you have
a long spell of wet weather & have to
dry nappies inside or under a carport
or verandah.
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Note:In researching & answering questions about earthwise living, Margaret offers information, opinion, & personal experience, but no quick fixes! Readers should evaluate these offerings in the context of their own situations; they are suggestions, *not* recommendations. Any responsibility for their implementation rests *solely* with the reader.
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