Cheapest way to wash cloth nappies

We use ecobots nappies which are prefolds (i think im not very good with all the terms) as in there is a cloth bit we fold up and put in a cover and then on baby.

How i am washing them now - hang cover up to air if it has not been soiled so i can use it for the next nappy change. Rinse inner and put in nappy bucket. If cover is soiled rinse and place on top of bucket in laundry. When time to wash i tip all nappies in machine, do up covers and put them in too. Then use one cap full of nappisan dissolved in hot water, tip this into machine, fill machine with warm/hot water and let it soak for a bit and then i come back and change it to cold cycle to go through. Then hang in sunshine.

Questions :

Do i have to wash them in hot water? We are going through our gas so quick atm and i know its because i do a load of nappies in hot water at least every other day if not every day.

Is there an alternative to nappisan? I am using home make laundry liquid now for all our other washing so im sure there must be an alternative.

also any other tips on what i could be doing differently to save myself time and money. THANKS!!!!

I just chuck mine in the laundry tub as we use them, then at the end of the day throw them in the washing machine.

(Although I use pocket nappies)

I would say since you rinse them anyway you don't need to be soaking. And since you dry them in the sunshine you don't need to be using napisan or doing a hot wash. Just use half the quantity of your normal laundry liquid. You might like to do a hot wash every now and then but a cold wash should be fine. Any lingering germs will disappear under the sun esp with summer on its way!

Do the covers have laundry tabs? If so you may as well do them up when you rinse them and don't need to go back and do them up before washing.

Great bump btw!

prefolds can just be washed like you would any washing... dont see why you cant use your normal washing stuff on them.

the ecobots website has some good info on how to wash them too.

ok so was right about not using that then. its not too bad using nappisan, at least i can stop using hot wash now and just do cold. That will save heaps. Might also just use half nappisan

I just separate my nappies (I use homemade pockets & I love them) & put them in a dry bucket with a lid on. Dirty ones I rinse / scrub first. Wash every couple of days with cold only, as that is all that is connected up to my washing machine (in the middle of renovations!), & just use normal powder, but only half the amount. & I put a couple of drops of tea tree oil in the rinse (in the fabric dispenser of the machine). Dry in sunshine. I haven't had any problems with buildup etc, and its very easy!