Often when people think of cloth diapering for the first time, they imagine lots of changing, folding, pins and of course the washing. Actually, cloth diapers are easy to use and easy to wash!
- The first step of course is to remove the diaper from your baby.
- If the diaper is soiled, dispose of the flushable liner if using - otherwise shake off excess poop into toilet.
- Then put the wet or soiled diaper into your diaper pail, to be stored until laundry day.
- If you have used a dry pail method, do a cold water pre-wash to rinse out the diapers. You can add an oxygenated bleach at this point if you like. If you are using the wet pail method, you can skip right to step 5 after spinning out diapers.
- Wash diapers as per manufacturer’s recommendations, either in hot or warm water. Use a residue free detergent which is gentle on your baby’s skin and on the diaper. Then allow to run through a cold rinse with no softener.
- Dry diapers according to manufacturer’s recommendation, either in the dryer or on the line. Breathe in the great smell of fresh, clean fabric!
Diapers
There are many different diapers on the market and as such, not all have identical washing instructions. All can be washed in cold or warm water and most can be washed in hot.
Some diapers are two part systems with are made up of a cover and a diaper. If you have this system, you need not wash the cover every time you wash the diaper unless it is heavily soiled. Usually a cover can be reused 3-4 times before needing to be washed.
If you have all in ones, you will wash the whole diaper and if you have a stuffable (or pocket) diaper you will wash both the liner and the diaper.
Some new diapers need to be washed at least 3 times before use, especially natural fabrics like unbleached cotton or bamboo, etc. This removes any waxes on the fibers so that they can be absorbent.It can take as many as 10 washes to reach maximum absorbency.
TopFlushable Liners
These lovely little items are optional but they do make cloth diapering even easier than it already is. They are a liner that lies in the diaper so that if the baby has a poop, you can just flush the liner and contents down the toilet. Makes clean up a breeze.
TopDry Pail Method
DRY PAIL METHOD (NO SOAKING)
The ADVANTAGES of this method is a lighter pail and no diaper soup! This method is recommended for items that should not be soaked. These includes all in ones, pocket diapers and fabrics which require more care.
HOW TO DO IT:
Sprinkle baking soda at bottom of pail and line your pail with a washable bag for easy transport to washing machine.
Dispose of flushable liner or shake off excess poop into toilet. No rinsing necessary (especially if your baby is breastfed exclusively).
Put wet or soiled diapers in the pail
Do a quick cold-water rinse cycle before your regular wash cycle so as not to set any stains in the regular wash.
Proceed with washing instructions.
- If you use this method you will need to wash about every 2 days or your diapers will stink!
Wet Pail Method
WET PAIL METHOD (SOAKING)
This method allows you to soak your diapers until ready to wash. The ADVANTAGE to this method is easier stain removal, and less frequent laundering. However this method is not recommended with all in ones or pocket diapers as they have a laminate on the other layer and soaking will damage the waterproofing.
HOW TO DO IT:
Fill your pail 1/2 full with cold water and 1/4 cup of vinegar, baking soda or an oxygenated bleach like Hydrox (hydrogen peroxide liquid).
Dispose of flushable liner or shake off excess poop into toilet. No rinsing is necessary (especially if your baby is breastfed exclusively).
After 3-4 days or at about 2 - 3 dozen dirty diapers - empty the contents of your diaper pail into the washer and spin out the excess liquid.
Proceed with washing instructions.
- Please make sure if you are using this method that your pail is securely fastened and inaccessible to curious children.
Oxygenated Bleach
Oxygenated bleaches are like a laundry version of the hydrogen peroxide our moms used to pour on our cuts to disinfect them. They come in both liquid and powder form. The powder form is usually a percarbonate that is converted into hydrogen peroxide once it is mixed with water. The liquid form contains already active hydrogen peroxide. This ingredient is an oxidizing agent which means it reacts with soil and organic material to decolorize or break them up. It is far gentler than sodium hypochlorite (bleach) both for fabric, skin and the environment.
At this point in development of oxygenated bleaches, the temperature of the water being used significantly aids the bleaching action. Hot water accelerates the bleaching action. As water temperature decreases below 130 degrees F, exposure time must be increased substantially. As this bleaching product is very popular in Europe due to its environmental superiority, there is much work under way to develop oxygenated bleaches that will work just as effectively at lower temperatures of water. Cold is the temperature of choice in water in Europe.
Depending on the company and product, additional ingredients may be added to the oxygenated bleach. It is important to choose one which does not containing brighteners or bluing agents as these could interfere with the performance of your diapering system. Oxy-boost is a great choice as is Hydrox and Biovert. The additives are normally found in the powdered versions.
As with detergents, we recommend using as little as possible in order to prolong the life of your diapers. With a wet pail method, you can add it to water in the pail for soaking.
TopWashing your diapers:
- Dump the entire contents of the diaper pail into your washing machine. If you have used the Wet Pail Method, spin out the excess liquid (you can add your diaper covers, if they need washing, to the load after doing this).
- If you have a front loading washing machine, run a cold water pre-rinse (or a short cycle wash with no detergent). Also do this step with a top loader if you have used the Dry Pail Method- it will prevent stains from setting. This would be a good point to add oxygenated bleach if you wish.
- Wash diapers in hot water with a maximum of ½ the amount of laundry detergent recommended on the package. If you have a front loading washing machine, make sure you set your water levels to the highest settings settings and use ¼ the amount of laundry detergent recommended on the package*
- Rinse well! Use the highest water levels in your washing machine to ensure complete rinsing of diapers and covers. If you have a front loading washing machine, do an additional rinse after the wash cycle.
- Dry in the dryer or outside on a clothesline, as sunlight is a natural brightener and disinfectant. An extra spin cycle after washing will reduce drying time up to 25%! If using your dryer, throw a dry towel in with your diapers – this will also significantly reduce drying time!
- Smell your diapers after they are washed. They should smell like clean cotton. If your diapers or covers are stinky at all, wash them again with less detergent and more water. More detergent does not mean cleaner, whether you are washing diapers, covers or clothes! If your diaper covers have a strong smell, you are either not washing with enough water, or you have a detergent residue problem!
Please note that you may need to adapt your washing routine to your particular washing machine, water supply etc. Always follow manufacturers’ washing and care guidelines if they vary from these. Always check the care instructions on the label of your diaper cover, all in one or pocket diaper.
* If you are unsure how to set the water levels on your washer, please contact the manufacturer of the machine for instructions. You may need to trick your front-loader into increasing the water level by saturating your diapers with water before washing so that they are heavier – this will cause the washing machine to automatically increase the water level.
TopResidue Free Detergents:
Please choose a washing product that does not contain any of the following additives.
These can create detergent residue problems, which will lead to leaking, diapers that do not absorb properly, and stinky covers.
- Bleach or whitening agents (Oxygen or hydrogen based bleach alternatives are okay as long as they do not have any other additives from this list)
- Fabric softeners
- Natural oils in high proportion
- Perfumes
- Dyes
- UV brighteners
- Stain guard ingredients
- Most Enzymes
Some detergents marketed as “free” or “clear” are not recommended as they often contain additives to remove dust and allergens from fabrics.
Our recommendations for safe, zero residue washing products are |
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Products that have been damaged by natural cleaning products or by detergent residue can often be saved! Washing a few times in warm or hot water (as allowed) without anything but water will often resolve the problem.