# How many times do I wash new prefolds before use?



## moonfirefaery (Jul 21, 2006)

Hey! The final step for our baby preparation is to get the prefolds ready for use. Right now I've got them running in a cold wash with a tiny little bit of Planet detergent. I'm just wondering how many times you'd recommend that I wash and dry them before declaring them baby-ready!







And any other starting advice you can give me would be great, as I am new to prefolds with this baby.


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## OpenHanded (Aug 16, 2007)

We did 3-5 hot washes with new prefolds, as I recall. We didn't dry each time , though -- just one dry after. That should be fine. If you've got snappis and some decent covers, you'll do great! We learned exclusively on pfs in the beginning. GL mama!


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## moonfirefaery (Jul 21, 2006)

Hot washes? Ok, I had it set to cold for the last two. I will do at least three more with it on hot. There's so many different things. Some sites say 5-10. Some say 8-10. I couldn't believe how much fuzz came out into the lint filter when I dried them the first time!


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## Melissaak (Sep 10, 2004)

I'd say 5. Newborns also wet so little the first week or so that they will be washed a few more times before the great absorbency is needed.


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## Naomismom (Feb 20, 2007)

3 on hot should be fine. As the pp said, they wet so little that you will have time to get them washed plenty more before extra absorbancy is needed.

I have a hard time justifying 5 hot washes, so I usually just do 3. And hot is definitely the wya to go. You'll be washing for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time on cold.









Oh, and make sure to machine dry too. that helps fluff them up.


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## moonfirefaery (Jul 21, 2006)

OK thanks. I did two cold and am on my second hot. I think I'll do one more hot. I am still getting a lot of fuzz out of them when they go in the dryer!


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## tiffanymm (Aug 19, 2006)

Thanks for posting this, I was wondering the same thing.


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## AlexisT (May 6, 2007)

I'd dry more than once to fluff them properly. I did a few hot washes, dried them, then repeated.


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## mkmoro311 (Oct 23, 2006)

Should you dry after every pre-wash or after your done with all the pre-washing?


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## Melissaak (Sep 10, 2004)

I dry after the first one but just wash for the rest.


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## studentmama (Jan 30, 2004)

It also depends on if they are unbleached, which you have to wash a few more times, than if they are bleached. I have unbleached ones and they got real fluffy and nice after 6 or so washes.


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## mama ay (Feb 9, 2007)

just boil once, and wash twice on medium-hot.
as people said babies actually wet less intially, so will be more absorbent with time


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## mkmoro311 (Oct 23, 2006)

How Many Times Would You Pre-wash Your AIO?


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