# will CDing ruin our washing machine?



## vagabonder (Jun 8, 2007)

DH and I just moved into a new home (well, "new" to us). The previous owners had left their washing machine in there, so we gave it a try. We ran one load of towels and they came out smelling absolutely disgusting. Since we already owned a washing machine, we decided just to swap out theirs with ours. Due to the logistics, we had to get some movers to make the switch. When they took out the old washing machine, the smell was horrific and apparently the inner parts were in really bad shape. The one mover said that the only time he ever saw washing machines that bad was when they were used with cloth diapers!







:

DH and I are expecting our first in December and have planned on CDing, but his comment now has me worried. (FWIW, we had not mentioned at all to him about our own CDing plans.) Should we worry? Is there some precaution we can take to protect our washing machine from becoming "one of those"?


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

I don't understand how using a washing machine can make it stink.


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## LianneM (May 26, 2004)

wow, I've never heard anything like that. We've been CDing for 2.5 years and have no issues at all. I can't imagine why anything would mess up a washer - it all gets rinsed out. I guess maybe if you had solid poops and didn't shake them off first? BF poop rinses away fine but once babe is eating solids and has more solid poop you shouldn't put that in a washer. That's all I can think of


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## reducereuserecycle (Jan 16, 2007)

Sounds like the "know-it-all" mover doesn't know it all









I can't imagine this to be true. If you think about the consistency of poop...it isn't nearly as harsh as sandy soil or some of the disgusting stuff that sticks on my socks and other clothes sometimes. Please, don't let that man's comments stop you from cloth diapering!!!


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## jwpsgurl (Apr 28, 2007)

That sounds pretty ridiculous...DH's clothes when he gets home from work sometimes are atleast as bad as a diaper. I wouldn't worry about it.


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## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

We recently replaced our washer but... I bought it when I was a sophmore in college. I lived with 4 other room mates.. I then moved in a 2 year period at least 6 diffrent times locally with "friends" helping. It was our washer when DH and I married. DD was born 15 months latter and we moved my last trimester. We were full time CD by 3 months and running loads daily. at 7 months we moved again and again at 11 months.. and yet again at 22 months. We ran that washer a stupidly high amount when her rash issues started, and at least daily during the bulk of her CD days. DD also being special needs was Cloth diapered for over 4.5 years (so really like two kids). SO well after lets see 10 years latter using the cheepest machine I could find at the time being moved multiple times and years of washing diapers yea it finially died







The spin just stopped no reaction it died.. It was replaced and old removed and other gross came out it just got its use.


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LianneM* 
wow, I've never heard anything like that. We've been CDing for 2.5 years and have no issues at all. I can't imagine why anything would mess up a washer - it all gets rinsed out. I guess maybe if you had solid poops and didn't shake them off first? BF poop rinses away fine but once babe is eating solids and has more solid poop you shouldn't put that in a washer. That's all I can think of









Why shouldn't you put poopy diapers in the washer? I have never had a problem with it cleaning off.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

I have no clue what that guy was thinking to have said that.

Sure - if there is a chunk of poop stuck in the machine, it'll stink. Hence why you dump solid poop into the toilet before washing the diaper.

I've been cloth diapering my kids for over 5 years now, without any harm to any machine.

Buddy was talking out his arse.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lyttlewon* 
Why shouldn't you put poopy diapers in the washer? I have never had a problem with it cleaning off.

SOLID poop - should be dumped into the toilet. Do you really want little poop logs in your washer ?


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## delphiniumpansy (Mar 1, 2007)

I have a theory. Our old washing machine was a top loader and there was always a smell between the drum and the insides. We did not have a baby then so no CDing but I think gunk from washing just got inbetween the drum and insides and got moldy and smelly after years of use. Maybe that is what happened to the OPs old washer? I don't think CDing would do it but just usage in general. Just a flaw with some washers.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *yellowpansy* 
I think gunk from washing just got inbetween the drum and insides and got moldy and smelly after years of use.

This makes significantly more sense than blaming diapers does.


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizaBear* 
SOLID poop - should be dumped into the toilet. Do you really want little poop logs in your washer ?

Solid chunks of poop is dumped in the toilet but I don't spray all the poop off of a diaper before I wash and I use the quick rinse setting so my diapers aren't being washed in poop.


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## LizaBear (Feb 1, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lyttlewon* 
Solid chunks of poop is dumped in the toilet but I don't spray all the poop off of a diaper before I wash and I use the quick rinse setting so my diapers aren't being washed in poop.

Pretty much exactly what I do too.

Sometimes I rinse, if I know it'll be a day or two before I get to washing though (as in - kid poops while I'm running the diaper laundry).


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LizaBear* 
Pretty much exactly what I do too.

Sometimes I rinse, if I know it'll be a day or two before I get to washing though (as in - kid poops while I'm running the diaper laundry).

Ok I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

i've never heard of such a thing. we've CD'd two kids and washed my contractor/farmer husband's filthy clothing in the same washing machine for the past 5 years, and it doesn't smell and it gets everything nice and clean.

and i don't use bleach but if the inside of the washer seems dirty, you can always do an empty wash with bleach, that should take care of it.


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## vagabonder (Jun 8, 2007)

Thanks for the reassurances. I have no idea what this guy had against CDers, but I'm glad others' washing machines have had no problems as a result. I'll be sure to dump as much in the toilet first at least as a precaution.

Quote:

and i don't use bleach but if the inside of the washer seems dirty, you can always do an empty wash with bleach, that should take care of it.
Unfortunately we have a septic tank, so we're not allowed to use bleach. Maybe Oxy would work just as well?


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## tallanvor (Aug 3, 2007)

Why can't you use bleach with a septic tank? I've never heard of that before.

Crystal


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## vagabonder (Jun 8, 2007)

Well, this is based on what my husband told me (I am new to having a septic tank so have yet to learn all the ins and outs). Apparently bleach kills the bacteria that are necessary to decompose all the gunk in the septic tank. So, basically it would cause it to become very stinky. He says Oxy is considered okay, though, so it must be the chlorine that causes problems.


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## pfeiff19 (Jul 17, 2004)

Interesting...never heard the cd/stinky washer thing OR the bleach/septic tank no-no!


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## FillingMyQuiver (Jul 20, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *vagabonder* 
Well, this is based on what my husband told me (I am new to having a septic tank so have yet to learn all the ins and outs). Apparently bleach kills the bacteria that are necessary to decompose all the gunk in the septic tank. So, basically it would cause it to become very stinky. He says Oxy is considered okay, though, so it must be the chlorine that causes problems.









I use to inspect well/ septic fields before being married w/ children and the pp is right. There is a level of "beneficial" bacteria that must be maintained in your septic tank for it to work properly. Bleach kills the beneficial bacteria. Doing an every once in a while run of bleach in the washer isn't going to do *that* much damage, but running bleach REGULARLY in the wash will.

There is a way to help counteract the problem though, and that's by buying a septic treatment. Rid-X is one you can find in most grocery/ supermarket/ hardware stores/ big box stores. You flush it down one of your toilets and it helps balance the bacteria in your septic tank. There are better commercial products available, but I'm drawing blanks on their names right now.







:


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