I previously posted about washing cloth diapers, but have since created a brochure to hand out at diaper parties, etc and wanted to share all the information that is included in the brochure on my blog. Some of this is a repeat from last time- but much of it is updated and more detailed. Make sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page for additional information or to see some of my sources.
Steps to Washing Cloth Diapers:
1. When diaper is soiled place it in a wet bag.
2. When the wet bag is full, the bag is
getting stinky, or you are in need of some clean diapers it’s time to wash. (Every other day seems to be a good time frame)
3. Empty the wet bag into the washing machine by turning it inside out. Place the wet bag in the wash with the diapers.
4. Begin with a cold rinse if you’d like to try to avoid stains and or you have a front-loader.
5. Wash with hot water and an extra cold rinse.
6. Air dry on a rack or tumble dry on low. Consider drying on a line outside in the sun to get rid of stains.
Getting Started
First Step is to Choose a Detergent:
Note that every person has different water
and different washing machines. Choosing
a detergent that works best for you may be
a process of trial and error.
It is best to avoid the following ingredients:
Dyes
Perfumes
Enzymes
Fabric Enhancers
Optical Brighteners
Do not use fabric softeners- no sheets, no liquid, none in your detergent!
Here are some diaper safe detergent options:
Allen's Naturally Powder /Liquid
Country Save Powder/Liquid*
Planet Ultra Powder/Liquid
Planet 2X Ultra
Mountain Green Free & Clear
Mountain Green Free & Clear Baby
Envirorite
Maggie’s Soap Nuts
Penguin Sport Wash
Oxy Prime
Rockin’ Green
Tide Free**
Charlie’s Soap Powder/Liquid***
Some diaper manufacturers have their own brand of detergent- BumGenius and Fuzzibunz, maybe others?
Try Making Your Own!
*My favorite choice. Available in bulk from Amazon.com
**Contains enzymes, may cause rash or redness on baby.
***May cause rash on some babies.
Top vs. Front Loading Washing Machine, what’s the difference?
The amount of water is the biggest difference. Front loaders are designed to be super efficient when it comes to water use. Unfortunately this often means you have to do extra rinses on either end of the wash cycle because there is not enough water to correctly clean the diaper. I have heard of people buying a second washer (top loader) just to wash cloth diapers. This may not be an option for many people. In order to increase the amount of water used in a front loader, try adding a towel to your diaper load.
Advantages to a top-loading machine:
-The ability to soak diapers
-Uses plenty of water, so will not require multiple rinses.
Advantages of front-loading machines:
-Uses less water (a great feature for those who are seeking to be environmentally friendly), however you will probably need to add a rinse cycle or two on either end of the wash cycle.
-Uses less detergent (¼ to ½ that of a top-loader)
-Often has a sanitize cycle (Note: water this hot is really not necessary to clean diapers and can lead to destruction of materials in diapers with elastic and PUL if used frequently, however having water this hot is a great option for times when you need to get germs/bacteria off of diapers/clothes).
-Set the machine once and it does the entire load with all the rinses in one setting.
Stinky Diapers
I think that much of the stink problem that occurs over time on cloth diapers can be attributed to detergent residue. It is SO important to find a good detergent that works with your water type. I can’t offer much advice about this except to experiment until you find what works best for you.
The method that I found successful for removing the stink on my diapers was to strip them using Dawn dish detergent. The method for this is to simply add the dawn to your wash cycle (½ T for top loaders, ½ t. for front loaders). I did this about once every other week.
Microfiber is another stinky culprit. It is a super absorbent material, but has no antibacterial properties. It can hold stink miraculously well. While most pocket diapers can not hold up to bleach, inserts can. Try washing just your microfiber inserts with a capful of bleach. Yes, we can all agree that bleach can be yucky stuff- but in the winter when the sun is not an option bleach may be necessary.
Some other things to try:
A good bleach alternative (and general good thing to have in the home) is Grapefruit Seed Extract. This has natural antibacterial qualities. I add 8-10 drops of this to every diaper load.
Bac-Out - Used every few washes, it's the only way (other than bleach) to remove all bacteria from your wash.
And a few things to try if your diapers
are NOT microterry:
White Vinegar - Any laundry additive should be added for a reason. The Ph of vinegar is about 4 and the Ph of Ammonia (a main component or urine) is about 10. So adding vinegar should balance the Ph in the wash. It will make it harder for your detergent to work if you lower the Ph too much however. Just try 1/4 cup at first, you can always add more, but the smell of too much vinegar can be as hard to get out as too much ammonia. If you have got a detergent build up on your diapers you can use vinegar to help get rid of all of that detergent. Put some in a Downy balls so that it releases the vinegar in the rinse cycle. Not recommended with microterry products.
Baking Soda - Baking soda has a Ph of about 8, so adding it to your laundry will tend to keep the Ph level above neutral. That can be a great thing for killing germs. Baking soda also softens your water to allow your detergent to work better. You can soak your diapers and most knit covers in water and 1/4 cup baking soda in the washing machine overnight to help with cleaning. Not recommended with microterry products.
Some other tips:
Always check the diaper manufacturer’s website for washing instructions. Every diaper is different and some have very specific needs.
For any diaper that is made with PUL (the most popular way to waterproof a diaper) it is best to air dry this material. The intense heat of the dryer can quickly break down the material and leave you with a diaper that is no longer waterproof.
Diaper Rash Cream
Traditional diaper rash creams are not safe for cloth diapers. They will create a water repellent area where ever the crème has touched the cloth diaper (essentially ruining your diapers!).
If you need to use a traditional crème try using it with a cloth diaper liner. This is a thin piece of material that allows fluids to pass through to the diaper, but keeps out things like solids and crème.
Here are some cloth diaper safe creams:
Angel Baby Bottom Balm
California Baby
Grandma El’s
Magic Stick
Northern Essence Diaper Salve*
Northern Essence Better Butter Cream
*This is what we used- we loved it.
Some useful websites:
www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/basics.htm
www.diaperjungle.com/washing-cloth-diapers.html
www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm
www.jardinediapers.com/help.php?section=care
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