We get lots of questions about whether or not diapers can be washed on warm. The quick answer is yes.
If you read about removing bacteria from fabric, you’ll find that the only way to remove bacteria from fabric is to boil it, use bleach, keep the bacteria from growing in the first place, or to lay it out in the sun. You can stop bacteria growth at certain temperatures, but you can’t actually kill it without using boiling water, bleach or the sun.
The most interesting articles that I found on this subject were written by websites offering advice to flood victims about how to deal with articles of clothing that were contaminated by flood waters. Their advice was to wash in warm (some said with some bleach as was appropriate for the fabric) and then lay the items to dry in the sun to kill bacteria or germs left in the clothing. The sun kills bacteria because the uv radiation destroys the outer layer of the bacteria.
I found this interesting as bacteria from flood waters could potentially be far worse (IMO) than anything you’re going to find in your diaper pail.
Bacteria is also what causes ammonia odors in diapers. The bacteria grow and, as they grow, ammonia is generated. This is why stinky diapers will stop stinking after being washed in bleach. The bleach killed the bacteria causing the odor. Since most people with stinky diapers are washing them in hot water and STILL having stinky diapers, hot water isn’t what did the trick… the bleach is.
Anyway, I’m just sharing this because I think you’ll find (as I did) that your diapers get just as clean in the same number of washes in warm water as they did with hot water. I haven’t spent alot of time testing this, but the same may very well be true using cold water.
Let us know if you have any questions!!
Jenn
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