Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 4

Today's topic is our washing routine. This year I'm doing the same thing I ended with last year. Last year I had a problem with over thinking my washing routine. I simply didn't think that I could possibly get the diapers clean enough with handwashing. I found out the exact opposite. My diaper got cleaner than they did in my machine. I was spending a lot more time though, so I started out gradually decreasing my system until I got the right amount of clean with the least effort.

Brenna helping wash diapers last year since I forgot to take pictures this year.

What I do now is put the diapers into a wet pail as soon as they are used. Poopy diapers get sprayed down with my diaper sprayer. I use a plunger to make sure the diapers are soaked all the way through.
When I'm ready to wash, I drain the pail into the toilet and then refill the pail with hot water and a little bit of liquid detergent. Then I spray the diapers down with the diaper sprayer and put them into the hot water pail. I use the plunger to agitate the diapers until I get bored then I let them soak and come back every now and then and agitate them some more.
Then when I get a chance to get back to the diapers, I drain the pail into the tub and fill it with cold water for a rinse. If I rinse in the pail, I need two rinses, but if I use the tub I only need one. I use the plunger to make sure all the soap is out and then drain the tub and wring out the diapers.
Then I hang them to dry. This year has been sunny so far, so I've been able to dry outside, but I have a drying rack in case I need to dry in the house. Once the diapers are dry, I take them off the line and crunch them up a bit before folding to soften them.
That's it. It's not as hard as I thought it would be at first. Flats are so easy to get clean. I handwashed my prefolds a few weeks ago when my washer was broken and it was a little more intensive of a process, but not too bad either.