https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:24:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-509228 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:46:40 +0000 pastemoo 509228@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heard the hot water makes the detergent work better so you don't necessarily need a final rinse. When I did cold water only I had to rinse a lot more--also I had a dryer then and blasted them on super high (flats only, not covers).<br /> Now I only do hot wash (no dryer).<br /> @mrsmate: Thanks for the link! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-509053 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:55:53 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 509053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only used hot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-509046 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:52:14 +0000 allison 509046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrsmate: great link, thanks! </p> <p>Yeah, I agree with the thought that the heat helps dissolve "dirt", but I really don't agree that it does anything to sanitize. We're using prefolds, fitteds, and wool covers, so I'm not worried about using the dryer. I think I'm good with washing on cold until I can get the washer fixed.</p> <p>Thanks for all the advice! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508951 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:53:14 +0000 mrsmate 508951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p><a href="http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/wash/laundry-science.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/wash/laundry-science.php</a></p> <p>I looked this up because not heating laundry water can save in energy costs, which I'd be interested in.</p> <p>It looks like you CAN wash your cloth diapers in cold water, but because heat helps the other components of laundry do their parts, it's not optimal. So, I still wouldn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508925 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:40:39 +0000 T.H.O.U. 508925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I agree. Hot is nice but not necessary. </p> <p>It sounds like you don't have much of a choice. You will be fine to wash them on cold until you can get the issue resolved. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508923 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:39:02 +0000 Arden 508923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm fairly certain that unless the water is literally boiling, it isn't sanitizing the diapers anyway. The soap is doing that. </p> <p>However, I'm not sure if it will work as well at removing stains, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508913 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:33:32 +0000 glimmersnaps 508913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah I'd think you'd really want to use hot for the wash. I have heated water on the stove before and dumped it into the machine for the purpose of dyeing fabric before. Just set your machine to a low level and fill the rest up yourself. Make sure to switch it to high/full load before the rinse. This is all assuming you have a top loader! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508879 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:09:18 +0000 MamaMoose 508879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't do cloth but if we did I would only feel comfortable using the extra hot/sanitize function on our machine. What about soaking them or running them under hot water in your tub? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508874 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:06:01 +0000 mrsmate 508874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally would not use anything but a hot wash with cloth diapers. We used mostly pockets, and you're not supposed to machine dry the covers very often (line dry instead) so the part touching DD's skin wouldn't have been properly sanitized. I'm getting the heebies just thinking about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-wash-their-cloth-diapers-on-cold#post-508812 Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:25:48 +0000 allison 508812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>And by cold, I mean ONLY cold. I know you're supposed to do a cold soak then a hot wash, but our washing machine, for some reason, recently decided that it didn't want to do hot water. We're not sure if it's the heater or the machine, but we don't have the cash to get someone to look at it. I Googled and found at least one person who says she washes on cold only, and it's fine. Apparently the water doesn't get hot enough in the washer to disinfect, anyway? But the dryer does?</p> <p>Just trying to figure out how important that hot water is to the cloth diaper cleaning regimen. </p>