Cloth Nappies and the Dryer
Scared to use the dryer on your cloth nappies? Dont be! We can teach you how to use your dryer safely on your cloth nappies.
Hanging nappies to dry is great, the only energy it uses is your own, and there is something satisfying about a neat row of white nappies and colourful shells flapping in the breeze, but for some people, being able to use the dryer to dry cloth nappies can be the difference between using cloth nappies or throwing in the towel!
At NappyMojo we promote anything that means less disposables in the landfill!
Being able to use the dryer means:
- You can use less or no disposables with a small stash of cloth nappies
- You spend less time on cloth nappy related tasks
- You can continue using cloth in the winter with a small stash
- You can easily use cloth nappies when living in an apartment or on holiday
- Your nappies come out super soft and delicious
Some manufacturers have specific instructions regarding safely using the dryer on your nappies, and we do recommend having a read of these and also and getting to know your own machine. The key to safe drying in the dryer is to make sure you're not overdrying the nappies and don't stretch the elastics until the nappies are cool.
To make it easy, hang all plain shells/cover and just dry the inserts in the dryer, then there is no need to worry about damaging anything. If you have AIOs, these can also be dried in the dryer, but you just need to make sure you're not overdrying them.
Sensor Dryers
Set a sensor dryer on ‘Dry’, if nappies are still damp you may need to use ‘Extra Dry’, but you need to learn about your specific machine.
Timed Dryer
If you have a timer dryer, you will need to be more careful that you set the correct time while you're learning about how long it takes things to get dry.
2 in 1 Washer/Dryer
I have found these get very hot, so I would recommend setting it on a lower temperature.
Will my nappies wear out faster?
There is not a lot of evidence to support a theory that using the dryer makes nappies wear out faster, its not my personal experience but that is purely anecdotal so you’ll need to make your own call on that. Some manufacturers suggest using a low temperature, some suggest a high temperature to reseal PUL! So it's all very conflicting. Our advice is to take care not to overdry, and do whatever means you’ll use more cloth nappies and less disposables.
Don't the nappies need the sun to sanitise them and take the stains out?
No, the sun will not penetrate through the layers of the cloth nappy. The stains may disappear but the poop will still be in the middle layers. The nappies need to be 100% clean before they are hung out or put in the dryer, if they aren't, smells will start to occur no matter how you dry them. We can help if you are having wash routine issues!
How do you dry your nappies?
All NappyMojo hire nappies are dried in the dryer on Regular heat, extra dry. Our personal routine is to try to hang all clothes and nappies during the summer, but if its a busy week the nappies get dried in the dryer and the clothes get hung out. In the winter, we do whatever works, which is generally the dryer. We have a lovely condenser LG dryer, game changer!
Please note: Our advice is our own opinion based on personal experience and that of hundreds of our valued customers, we encourage our hire customers to test out using the dryer on your hire nappies, we have not had any damage reports to date! But please be aware that our personal opinions cannot override manafacturers recommendations which all vary greatly, so ensure you know your dryer well and use it safely to dry any nappies which you own yourself as we an be held responsible for them.