Strip wash... vinegar rinse?

[MilkOnTap]

I've just put a very VERY stinky load of nappies through a hot wash - and I remember reading somewhere that white vinegar can neutralise the odour if you put a small amount in the rinse cycle.

Can someone please refresh my memory about this?? Cheers in advance :thumbsup:

[Chunkydunks]

if they have PUL then you can't use vinegar because it will ruin it. If not then I think its ok. All the other sort of fabrics shouldn't be bother buy it just the PUL.

[MilkOnTap]

Oh bugger... there were 2 covers in there... they're not done yet. what kind of damage can I expect??? :(

[Mamalicious]

I thought vinegar was bad because it works the same as fabric softener??

[Chunkydunks]

Because vinegar is acidic it eats away at the PUL. I'm not sure what one wash will do but it can mean that it may not be waterprrof anymore.

[MilkOnTap]

Because vinegar is acidic it eats away at the PUL. I'm not sure what one wash will do but it can mean that it may not be waterprrof anymore.

Ohhhhhh... :(

Guess I'll find out tomorrow.

The washing machine was still full of water when I added it - maybe half a cup of vinegar. Hopefully it hasn't damaged it :crying:

[Chunkydunks]

:fingerscrossed: It hasn't

[OJandMe]

Don't stress hun.

One vinegar rinse will not ruin the PUL.... but vinegar or nappisan every time will.

(just if you have a dryer, maybe chuck the covers and PUL lined nappies in there to dry as it will 'tighten' the PUL again)

I swear by this process.

On COLD
Put all nappies through a prewash, with the detergent in the pre-wash cycle...

Let them run through a normal cycle... but instead of detergent, use a WATER SOLUBLE essential oil- you can buy them in the supermarket, with all the meds and vicks and stuff ( I like Lavender.. comes up smelling luffly :cloud9:)...

Then hang in sun for a full day.

As it's a water soluble essential oil, and it's going through the detergent cycle, not the rinse cycle... it won't leave a coating on your nappies... as it gets all rinsed out. :thumbsup:

Only use for really really smelly loads... and if a 'normal' wash hasn't removed all the stink.

[shanz]

one wash wont hurt them, when i do my strip wash i always use vinegar, and sometimes inbetween too, and in 18months have not had any problems with pul wicking or leaking or anything else. So it should be fine. Hubby also used vinegar for about 6 months before i realised and told him.

[MilkOnTap]

Oh wonderful - phew!!! Thank you for the reassurances :D

This is the first time I've ever had to do a strip wash - and it wasn't to do with absorbency or anything like that either - they were just stinky lol.

Right now everything has to go in the dryer. Actually - winter we have to dry and summer we can use the sun. Our clothes line gets about 2 hours of sunshine - and without the warm summer ocean breezes then nothing would dry out there at all.

[pookiesossige]

A once off... It should be fine :yes:

I've done it more then once (when desperate for relief from excessive stinkiness!) and no issues here. It's true that it will eat away at the PUL if done repeatedly though. *Sigh* At my place, it's all the drying inside on clothes airers with very little UV for days that's caused the need for a little vinegar on occasions, IMO. Bring on summer- I miss seeing the nappies bake out on the line instead of cluttering up my little house!!!

[MilkOnTap]

Great news - the covers were fine :)

Thanks for your help ladies :yes: