Flats and Handwashing Challenge - Day 5

Today was a pretty low-key flats day, no problems or revelations, and I didn't do any washing.  So I guess I'll just discuss some thoughts I've had about using flats this week.

I definitely think that flats are the best option for families who will be washing by hand and hanging to dry.  The thinness of flats means that they wash and dry quickly and easily.  I don't think I would trust the cleanliness of my normal, thicker soaker pads if I had to hand wash them, and I'm not too sure about the prefolds that I have washed by hand either (though they do smell clean).  I think flats, handwashing, and handing to dry is also a GREAT option for families who will be away from home for a while, don't have access to laundry facilities and don't want to switch over to disposables or disposable inserts.

I routinely hang our regular diapers to dry, and then follow that up with a 5-10 minute spin through the dryer to soften them up again as they get really stiff when hung to dry.  I don't feel like I have to do anything with the flats to soften them up after they have been hung to try, possibly their thinness is what helps to prevent stiffness, or maybe because they're lighter and blow around more in the wind.  The prefolds that I have been using overnight dry stiff too, but after a little research I've found that they can be softened up, without the use of a dryer, by rubbing the diapers together.  I'm sure I could do this with our soaker pads too.