washing guide

Washing Instructions

Make sure that you separate the inserts from the nappy before washing. Empty the nappies into the washing machine. If using a Honey Child Nappy Tote, throw the bag right in with the nappies to wash. Run a cold soak, rinse cycle or pre-wash cycle, depending on your washing machine’s cycle settings, or any cycle that get the initial mess out of the nappy and spins it out of the washing machine.

Wash the nappies on a warm or hot wash (30°C, never hotter than 40°C) with a DOUBLE rinse and use regular laundry detergent. Always use the amount we recommend for the size load you are washing as too much detergent can cause a residue to collect on the fleece. To view our list of common laundry powders please click here. Don't use less than half the recommended amount on your nappies as too little laundry powder can create smelly nappies. If you are having smell issues but no rash or leaking then try using another tablespoon of laundry powder.

Line dry or put in the drier on medium for 15-20 minutes. A cheap way to dry the nappies on a rainy day is to put the inserts on a heated towel rail and air dry the outer nappies on a rack. If you have had a virus or infection then you can add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil to the fabric softener dispenser to sanitise nappies. Plenty of exposure to UV rays is also a very effective sanitizer, so drying in the sun is recommended when possible. For extra cleaning and whitening we recommend using a non-chlorine, oxygen based bleach. NapiSan is effective as the active ingredient bubbles very slightly, lifting stains and detergent build up. Use this product in the wash as a pre-soaker once a week to add an extra level of cleanliness. DO NOT USE CHLORINE BLEACH OR FABRIC SOFTENERS.

The Bucket Method - Some people prefer to soak their nappies in NapiSan as a cleaning method.  This is the perfect method if you need to save water or your washing machine can cause premature wear and tear.  Check out www.consumer.org.nz to see how your machine rates for wear and tear on clothing.  As a golden rule front loaders are more gentle than top loaders.  Top loaders vary greatly with their roughness on clothing.  To wash your nappies using the bucket method, store soiled nappies in a plastic bucket with or without any water.  Rinse off any poo before storing.  When ready to do the laundry, fill the bucket with hot water and the recommended amount of NapiSan (the babycare range).  Soak for two hours.  Pour off excess water and then put nappies in the washing machine.  Set to a double rinse and high spin cycle.  No need to add washing powder as the NapiSan has done the cleaning already.