I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year there are over 45o participants from all over the world!
Ok, not exactly disaster, but a big disappointment anyway. At least I had already done the majority of the washing & was into my rinse cycle. I thought that I put too many holes in my plunger, but it broke off at the base, not where the holes were. What you really don’t realize is that I am built like The HULK and don’t realize my own strength. (Come on, that was at least a little funny!)
So my supply cost went up a bit & I bought a pair of $3.50 gloves to finish rinsing and to wring with. I’m glad I saw some other posts about hands being raw from wringing out diapers. I have sensitive (HULK) hands & it doesn’t take but a quick change in temperature or forgetting to wear gloves to wash dishes before they start looking lizard-like only to quickly start cracking. And I’m gonna have to go get another plunger tomorrow. I only had time to run to the grocery store today & they didn’t have any plungers.
The good news is the plumbing bill I eluded to yesterday wasn’t outrageous & I managed to get the diapers finished in time to spend some time in the sun on my trusty German drying rack out on the deck. It was supposed to storm today but hasn’t yet & I’m taking advantage of every second of sun.
So what else am I using? Some old as dirt Gerber flats that I used with my almost 12 year old when she was born for burp cloths, complete with spit up stains, a couple of generic German flats, and about a dozen unbleached flats from a co-op. There is a solitary pin that is in constant use. Somewhere there are 7 others, but because I want to use them I can’t find them. I have some fleece topped hemp doublers in reserve in case I need them at night. And to top it all off there are various soakers made by yours truly and a fleece wrap or two I bought from a WAHM when my 9 year old was in diapers. I’m still using my trusty Rockin’ Green Hard Rock, just in much smaller quantities. And I found out today I could use even less!
It’s not all a complete disaster. I even figured out how to get the lid on all the way finally. I have issues, I know, but aren’t you having fun reading about it all?
Amanda Jayne says
Lol I laughed at your Hulk comment. Partially because I thought of the Hulk myself when I was plunging earlier-I got a little too into it and my first few plunges splashed water everywhere.