What is the optimal temperature for washing cloth diapers?

Q: What is the optimum temperature for washing Mother-ease nappies? Can they get clean at a low temperature of 40C?

A:

Washing in colder temperatures is all the rage in this day and age. It's energy efficient and promises to keep your clothes from shrinking and fading as easily. But, while washing your lightly soiled blouses and jeans in cold water is a great way to save energy, cloth diapers are in a category of their own.

It's no secret that a urine saturated cloth diaper is laden with bacteria, and because of this, they require higher water temperatures to come clean. Bacteria is killed at a minimum water temperature of 60C / 140F. Therefore, Mother-ease recommends washing your diapers on the hottest water setting your machine allows. Your detergent will work and rinse out much better in hot water also.

Mother-ease cloth diapers are manufactured for commercial use and are able to withstand the hottest water temperatures. We use only the best quality materials and we have a lifetime warranty on our elastics. You can rest assured that you will not ruin your Mother-ease diapers by washing in hot water. 

Safety Tip: Your hot water heater should be set to 60C / 140F in order to inhibit bacterial growth in your hot water tank. 

If you are using a lower water temperature for washing, you should run your diapers through your washing machine with a temperature of 60C / 140F for 10 minutes to kill any bacteria left from your wash.

Another good tip to note while washing: try not to leave your wet cloth diapers (or any laundry, really) sitting in your washing machine for more than an hour before removing. If you do let it sit, give it another wash before drying. Wet laundry sitting in the washing machine for lengthy periods of time creates a breeding ground for bacteria.

Washing your Mother-ease diapers in HOT water, with a quality detergent on a regular basis is really all it takes for proper cleansing. If you aren't sure about your current wash routine, are new to cloth, or just need a refresher, check out our Cloth Diaper Washing 101 post. We are constantly getting testimonials from moms who have used their Mother-ease diapers for multiple children! With a good wash routine, there's no reason you can't too!