My washer crapped out 3 weeks ago and my mom is letting us wash our regular clothes at her house but hasn't offered to let us wash diapers there yet. I hate to ask her either haha. So I am using the bucket and plunger or feet to agitate and wash. I have flats and covers but it's working out well!! And I am glad I know I can do it if needed in the future too.

@jess, sorry tis taken me so long to get back to you... I appreciate your response...

I am planning on using hybrids/Ai2's. In your opinion, would a compact washer be a good fit as long as I separate shells and inserts?

I also know I have hard water and need to test to see the degree. I'm in the process of that now. Im curious if you have hard water as well, and if so what do you use/recommend for a water softener.

I was planning on using Sun detergent, do you think that is a good/bad idea? Or possibly Focca.

When you wash, how many washes do you do?

Pre cold wash w/ detergent, spin dry, hot wash with detergent and softer, spin dry, and another cold wash with detergent?

I've seen so many variables. I'm

just a little overwhelmed.

I use the Wonder wash/Nina spin dryer combo and have for about a year. I wouldn't recommend using things like AIOs and other types that have long drying times. I used Prefolds and covers for the newborn stage, if I were to do it again I'd think about using flats/FSTs and covers.

I use pockets now and I have more inserts than I need. I wash all my pockets and inserts at once then stuff the pockets with inserts that were already dry and put away and allow the ones I just washed to dry longer. I hang dry with a couple Ikea Octopus hangers on my shower rod. If I were able to dry outside it probably wouldn't take as long to dry, but the spin dryer cuts down on that a lot.

Any questions about my wash routine?

Awesome! Thank you ladies for your response! I appreciate it! :)

I plan on using a wonder wash! And the Nina dryer to go with

I believe there's at least 1 youtube video of cloth diapers in the ww.

But like PP said a lot of people use a 5gallon bucket and plunger. And it looks fairly simple. There's even a video posted by a momma from fluffloveuniversity that made one.

I've actually recently youtubed videos on alternative methods of washing dipes and have seen lots of people using a bucket and a plunger. They say it works pretty well. Wish i could give info on portable washers but I'm wanting to know myself :)