Do cloth nappies need a first wash and a main wash?

What is a first wash and what is a main wash?

Clean Cloth Nappies (updated 17 November 2025) describes a two-step routine: a first wash (sometimes called a prewash) with detergent every 24 to 48 hours, then a longer main wash with a heavily soiled dose when there are enough items to load the machine properly. Both cycles are described in warm (40°C) or hot (60°C) water.

Which? (11 February 2026) also uses two machine runs, but the first run is a cold rinse or quick cycle without detergent, then detergent is added for a wash at the temperature on the nappy care label. The two guides agree that one short eco cycle is not the whole job. They do not agree on whether that first run uses detergent.

This page sets the two published methods side by side. It does not pick a winner and it does not copy any detergent brand index.

How do I run a two-step cloth nappy wash?

Start from the nappy maker's care label. Then compare the two public methods.

1. 1
   Knock off solids; do not soak the pile Which? says take out the liner and flush solids, then put nappies in a bucket with a mesh liner. Clean Cloth Nappies says the same for solids once a baby is on food, and says not to soak because soaking wears elastic and is a drowning hazard if a toddler can reach the bucket.
2. 2
   Run the first cycle within a day or two Clean Cloth Nappies: a 45–70 minute cycle at 40–60°C with detergent, every 24–48 hours, then park damp nappies in an airy basket. Which?: wash every two to three days, and run a cold rinse or quick wash without detergent first.
3. 3
   Run the main wash when the drum has enough items Clean Cloth Nappies: for a front loader, a full-capacity cycle of about 2.5 to 3 hours at 40–60°C with the heavily soiled dose; load loosely about two-thirds to three-quarters full when wet. Which?: add detergent and wash at the care-label temperature after the rinse.
4. 4
   Dry thoroughly Which? says hang to line-dry; some nappies tolerate a tumble but that raises cost. Clean Cloth Nappies says line, airer or dryer, and to keep polyurethane laminate (PUL) shells out of harsh direct sun and off high heat.

What temperatures do the wash guides quote?

The retained Detergents Regulation already assumes some households run one cycle or two. That is why UK packs print two-process dosing. How to split the millilitres sits on the detergent-label article.

Do I need to soak nappies, and what if the care label disagrees?

Both Which? and Clean Cloth Nappies say there is no need to soak. Clean Cloth Nappies adds that a lidded soak bucket is a drowning hazard and that long soaks wear elastic. Which? says a dry bucket plus a rinse cycle does the pre-clean.

If the nappy maker names a maximum temperature, a detergent type, or 'no bleach', that care label is the warranty document. Community pages that discuss bleach or laundry booster are optional methods on those sites — this article does not assess them.

Which? also notes that a 2023 Defra life-cycle study found reusable nappies can use more electricity and water than people expect when prewashing, washing and tumble-drying. Line-drying is the lever that study flags, not a reason to skip a thorough wash. Dry laundry stays out of the sleep space: The Lullaby Trust's safer-sleep advice is a clear cot, not a pile of damp nappies on the mattress.

In shortTwo cycles are the common published pattern: a short first run, then a longer wash with enough detergent. Clean Cloth Nappies puts detergent in both runs at 40–60°C. Which? puts a cold rinse first and then follows the nappy care label. If those clash with the label in the nappy, the label wins.