For those of you wondering, we truly L-O-V-E our cloth diapers that we got. And, are very excited about getting that grant. They are so soft, so cushiony, so great for the babies. We do produce MUCH less trash, for all you green people. And we save tons of money in the long run...TONS. They are very simple to take care of once you actually learn all the special instructions. They are just great.
Of course, for us there is only one problem. Our washer. :) Yes, another washer paragraph. Since we don't have hot/warm water cycle options, we have to wash diapers daily. Although we figured on doing a diaper load only twice a week according to the research we did (of people who have hot/warm water options...that was our downfall), even that wouldn't be so bad except for one thing...the time it takes to do a load with our washer. I seriously have a load of laundry going AT ALL TIMES. I even start a load in the middle of the night when I get up to feed Cass. I guess I'll have to set an alarm to do laundry when Cass starts sleeping through the night. :)
It was also recommended to us in our situation that we do a double wash of the diapers once every week or two. That is, wash them and then turn right around and add detergent and wash again. Truly, it is necessary and beneficial. But, are you kidding me? It already takes hours to do just one load. :) Not to mention the fact that I try to schedule it so that I can have some sun to hang them in once they are finally done in the washer...that's tricky. We will be following that recommendation because we don't want stinky diapers, but it's just a little insane the laundry situation here. I say all of this not complaining, but just in amazement. It seriously makes me laugh and makes me ask the question...yes, the title of this post...WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST SHARE?!?
Seriously, why don't they have washers here that have 30 minute cycles? Why not the capacity to have hot water in your washers and at your sinks? Why not dryers? Why don't they have baby swings and bouncy seats and jumpers? Why not wagons and double strollers for heaven's sake? Why can't we get some chili powder and pickles and pancake syrup and muffin tins/cups and Mexican food down here for these folks...and the list goes on and on? These are all things (and much more) that I've had to adapt to and it's been fine. It's not like it's life or death stuff...it's just stuff. But seriously, why can't we all just share our stuff. They have some great stuff here that they could share with us. I guess I just can't grasp the way the world works. I know the way it is, but we are all on this one planet...let's be nice and share. I'm not saying we have to share our military tactics, but chili powder? Come on.
Hmmm...this turned into another little slight rant didn't it? Really what I started out to do here was tell you all about how we are loving our cloth diapers. :) Ha ha ha. We are. We love them in case any of you are thinking about that possibility...bumGenius one-size diapers are the ones we got. Don't know if I'd like any others, but I love those.
And, if any of you want to donate an American washer/dryer to us, feel free. :)
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11 comments:
You mean you don't get Mexican food at all down there? I'd be sad too. I've been learning to make some pretty good things in that category. Do you get cumin? That is essential in making most things taste Mexican in my book. There's other spices too, but I love the cumin.
AND, I do laundry almost that constantly too, and it's even gotten better since I weeded out a lot of our clothes we don't really need or use. I can't imagine the laundry situation. What if you just boiled them in a stock pot on the stove for that extra hot water washing you need? It's for sanitation purposes, right? Boiling on the stove would do that too. Just a thought.
Oh my friend, I do understand. Girl, I'm going to send some chili powder with Gillian. hee hee
OK, here are my suggestions to you from me, who has used cloth diapers through 6 kiddos, sometimes without a washer and dryer in house and for a season, with no running water and therefore, no washing machine. Yeah, these are my qualifications, nothing else.
First, I'll say, you won't like anything I'm going to say so if you want, just delete all of this. There is your warning. :o)
Here are some ideas I have used. I use a large bucket type container. In it I put borax some hot water (heated on the stove to dissolve the borax) and some laundry detergent. Fill the container half full of water. This should be enough to cover a days worth of diapers. After the baby/child is changed and diaper is dumped and rinsed in the potty, place the soiled/wet diaper in the "wet" pail. Depending on your situation you can wait a day or two with this arrangement. You can also add some vinegar.
Then, because I have been blessed with the opportunity to carry water and heat it on a fire/camp stove I would use a handy dandy humdinger hand washer. http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=2758&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=673&iSubCat=674&iProductID=2758
Here is a site for you to see what I used. Lehmans.com (their product is called a Rapid Washer)Let me know if you find it. Then I would use the humdinger (as mine is called). Empty your bucket/container from the soaking water, put in new heated water (from the stove) soap and hand wash in a few minutes, by hand with the hand washer. It's amazing how that thing works. Rinse, wring and hang them up. There you have it.
It would be much quicker than waiting two hours. UGH You could wash by hand then put in your washer for rinse and spin cycle.
Just some ideas from an oldie goldie.
You could have them soaking and let Joel help dump the "soak" water and squeeze some of the soak water out of the diapers. Then add your clean water and new soap and borax and wash them up. Hey, even Grady and Hadley would get a kick out of helping do that. :o)
Sorry for the old fashioned remedy girl. It works though, take it from me. :o)
Love ya girl,
Miss Gail
Hey, I reneg on my comment about boiling diapers inside the house on the stovetop. Stinky!
thanks so much for your suggestions. i wanted to tell you some more about our diapers and then keep the suggestions coming. although we love our diapers and would have no other, they are very finicky. maybe y'all have used some like them and we are just being over-protective. but, here are just some examples...
can't use borax because it eats the fiber in the fleece in the diapers.
can't use vinegar because it eats the elastic in the diapers.
can't use any kind of regular detergent (as we know detergent)...have to use specific detergent that has no dyes, no perfumes, no whiteners, no brighteners, no enzymes, no soap, etc. we have charlie's soap. you all might be familiar with it. but, we just bought some charlie's to be done with that issue (my mom shipped it to us). i looked into making our own, but i'm not sure what i could use that isn't harmful, whatever ingredients there are we would probably have to have it shipped here anyway, and it's just easier to get something that is known to be safe and works.
they don't recommend using a wet pail. i've looked on several websites and forums and basically nobody uses wet pails anymore. not sure why other than the company i got mine from said something about bacteria growth with a wet pail. might be one of those things that they are recommending a dry pail now and in 5 more years they will recommend a wet pail again. you know how that goes. :)
washing by hand...totally do-able physically, but timewise...not so much. although i need the washer freed up for other loads of laundry, one advantage of using the washer over handwashing is that I am free at least to do the other things i need to do.
heating water in a pot on the stove and then dumping it into our washer to make a hot cycle is something that we've thought of but have just never tried. i think i will try that tonight.
what other tips do you have for me? also, for all you bumGenius users out there...tell me your cycle routine. what i've been doing is putting in the detergent, doing a soak cycle, a wash cycle, rinse. then i do that all over again without detergent. that is correct per the care instructions, right?
again, none of these 'problems' would be problems in the states, so i don't want to scare anyone off from using these. we truly LOVE them. really...even with the setbacks we love them. so there you have it...my full endorsement. :)
Sounds like you are going to have to get extra creative to get all those wonderful cloth diapers clean! If anyone is up to the huge challenge....YOU ARE! :) You'll have to do a follow up post to let us know!
My Mom did cloth diapers back in the wet pail days! She tells some really funny stories! :)
~ Ali
Hey Michawn, how much would it cost to get a new washer in Brasil...a nice one that would take care of all of these issues :) ?? Let us know! Maybe between all of us (friends and family) we can get you guys one!??
Lidia, you are awesome and super sweet!! We got a brand new washer when we got here last summer. It's a nice one...nice as compared to all the other ones here anyway. They just don't have the same quality here as the do in the states as far as washers are concerned. Why? I'm not really sure. That's why I think we should share. :) But, we have a friend who is shipping down a container (it's a huge sized shipment...like the size of an 18-wheeler trailer I believe) soon and as crazy as this might sound, we have talked about trying to get a washer/dryer down here in his container. Not sure if it will work out...we sold ours before we came. But, we'll see. Again, sounds crazy and extreme, but if we're going to be here for the rest of our lives, it would definitely be worth it, that's for sure.
We wash diapers at night. Each evening before we go to bed, we start a load. When Sofia wakes to nurse, Ronnie takes all the kids to the bathroom, puts the diapers in the dryer, and in the morning I take them out and bring them downstairs!
Quick tip on pancake syrup. You can have someone send you a bottle of immitation maple flavoring and make your own. Unfortunately, we just discovered this recently. All you do is pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 cups of sugar and add 1/2 tsp. of the flavoring. Stir until the sugar dissolves, and there you have your syrup!! It's super easy and very tasty. It's much easier to bring down a small bottle of flavoring, which will make tons of syrup (and it's cheaper too). I just might keep making my own in the states, it really is that good!
Blessings,
Chris Miller
As I was reading your comments about all the time involved in washing the diapers, I too thought maybe you would be better off washing by hand.
Here was my favorite tip found on the internet on hand washing:
"You can get clothes quite clean by putting them into a five gallon bucket with water and a little detergent, putting the top on the bucket, and putting them in your car/truck when you go to town. The agitation is free. You still have to rinse them, of course."
I may have to try this especially since we live on a gravel road - plenty of agitation for washing!
Grace and peace,
Amy
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