Adventures in Cloth Diapering Part 8
As for the current problem I’m facing (a buildup of Dawn in my washing machine that won’t go away), I have a plan. It can’t stay in there forever, and until it goes away completely, I’m rinsing my diapers out in the bathtub after they’re finished in the washer. It takes about 3 warm rinses to get all the soap out. It’s really not that big of a deal and at least I’ve found a temporary fix that works. I just hope that the Dawn goes away and that I haven’t ruined my washing machine.
As for the wipes solution: I may have found something that makes me happy. Last night the three of us enjoyed some Chamomile tea before bed. There was about a cup leftover in the teapot, so I put it in my wipes solution bottle and added a drop of Lavender Essential Oil. It smells great, the Lavender EO is antibacterial so I think it’s better than just plain water. There is no soap and oil in it so it rinsed clean this morning in the wash. I know that essential oil can be a bit harsh, even when extremely diluted, so I’m keeping an eye out for any rashes or irritation. I’ll definitely talk about it more if it becomes a problem.
I have 12 more diapers to make, 4 PUL diaper covers, and some recycled wool sweaters that have plans of becoming longies for the new baby. I only have 2.5 months to finish all my projects for baby so I’m feeling a sense of urgency. I hope I can get it all done.
I have really enjoyed writing about my recent adventures. I got a little long winded in some posts, and maybe some of them didn’t make much sense. I’m just happy to have a place to write down things I feel are important to me.
All this started with sewing two diaper covers for a friend. It’s funny how a seemingly small act can change the trajectory or our lives, even just a little bit. If I had never made them for her, who knows, I would probably just be ordering another two dozen prefolds and calling it good. That would have been fine, but I wouldn’t have gained all these skills and experiences that may very well become a livelihood if ever needed.
I also may have never figured out my washing machine, or might still have slightly stinky diapers. I’m sure I was getting close to stripping them anyway, but I feel like because of this series of events, I learned a lot about washing diapers and just about laundry itself.
I’m truly happy for this series of events even though it was almost unbearably frustrating at times. That’s not to say that it’s over (I still have a crisis to deal with) but for now, this series of blog posts is coming to an end. Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures.
