During the cold winter months I have noticed an increase in the problem of whiffy smelling cloth nappies.
Across social media mums plea for help to rid their nappies of the troublesome odour. Advice came flooding in and includes strip washing or trying a bouquet of detergents.
This got me thinking, why is there this increase in this honky horror? So with no scientific evidence and no kitchen sink science experiment I’ve come to the conclusion that it is winter itself that is the cause of the whiff epidemic sweeping country.
Cold, damp, wet and short days are all typical of the British winter, making drying cloth nappies more challenging.
We use pulleys, airing cupboards, clothes horses, tumble dryers and even radiators (against all advice – of course). Any method to get those nappies dry during this damp season.
These methods might work, although they often leave slightly crispy nappies – but could they be the cause of the offending stink
Drying indoors means fresh air isn’t circulating around the individual fibres, the fibres lie dormant drying slowly and trapping in nasty odours. What about tumble driers? Yes a tumble drier circulates the air but it isn’t fresh air and the driers themselves can smell dank.
So how do we solve these winter wiffs? RAIN is the answer, natures best fabric softener and deodoriser, and it’s abundant in the winter, especially in my home – Scotland.
To banish those nasty niffs – just hang your cloth nappies, cloth wipes, inserts and liners in the rain and forget about them if possible for 24-48 hours. Then dry as normal.
To optimise you odour elimination you can also try adding and extra rise cycle, freshen your washing machine with a cup of white vinegar or try a washing machine cleaner such as Little Violets Washing Machine Cleaner.
For more advice on washing your nappies visit the http://www.uknappynetwork.org/washing-guide.html