How to Clean Your Cloth
It certainly isn't like it used to be in the old days. No more dragging soiled diapers to the creek and scrubbing them on rocks using whale soap. No, No No. Today cleaning cloth diapers is as simple as doing your everyday laundry. However, there are some important points to keep in mind, in order for your diapers to absorb well and look, feel, and smell their cleanest.
If you are new to cloth diapering and/or are wondering what type of diapers to use, check out Cloth Diapering Your Baby.
Pretreating Your Diapers
Wait, read this before you get too excited!
You get your brand new cloth diapers and you are raring to go and try them out on your little one's bum. Well, not so fast!A lot of people forget that an important step in the longterm performance of your cloth diapers is pretreating them to a few washings prior to using them. Brand new diapers made from cotton need to be stripped of the oil that is naturally produced by the cotton, in order for your diapers to absorb well and not leak.
How do I pretreat my babies cloth diapers?
The easiest way is to run them through a wash cycle of hot water about 5 or 6 times. Do not add any detergent to these cycles, but feel free to add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil
or even Lavender Oil, which both help strip the natural oils or additives in the fabrics and make the load smell like heaven! You can chose to dry the diapers between cycles if you'd like to nicely "fluff" up the cloth. This is especially useful if you are using prefolds.Or...
If you have the time and the large pots, you can boil your cloth diapers for about 10 minutes, also with a few drops of the tea tree and/or lavender oils.
Essential Oils For Your Wash
Nature's Alchemy Essential Oil, Lavender (Lavendula Officinalis), 2 fl oz (59 ml)
Amazon Price: $25.96 (as of 07/12/2009) 
Prior to Washing
Storing Your Dirty Diapers
What do I do with the poop?
Diapers with no poop are easy and self-explanatory - there is nothing to rinse off. But what about poopy diapers? Well, that's pretty easy too. Solid poop should just be shaken off into the toilet and flushed. Softer poops may require some dunking in the toilet to come off or you can invest in one of the coolest inventions in the cloth diapering market - the diaper sprayer, which attaches to your toilet and lets you power spray your poop off into the toilet!
Note that if you are breastfeeding, the breastfed poop does not need to be shaken off or dunked in the toilet. Diapers with breastfed poop can be thrown right into the wash, because it will easily rinse right off.
Storage Methods
There are several methods available for storing your dirty diapers prior to doing your wash.
Here are some of the most common methods:
Diapers with no poop are easy and self-explanatory - there is nothing to rinse off. But what about poopy diapers? Well, that's pretty easy too. Solid poop should just be shaken off into the toilet and flushed. Softer poops may require some dunking in the toilet to come off or you can invest in one of the coolest inventions in the cloth diapering market - the diaper sprayer
, which attaches to your toilet and lets you power spray your poop off into the toilet!Note that if you are breastfeeding, the breastfed poop does not need to be shaken off or dunked in the toilet. Diapers with breastfed poop can be thrown right into the wash, because it will easily rinse right off.
Storage Methods
There are several methods available for storing your dirty diapers prior to doing your wash.
Here are some of the most common methods:
The Dry Pail Method
This seems to be the most popular method being used with cloth diapering nowadays (although, you will still get some parents that swear by the Wet Pail Method, as outlined below).
With the Dry Pail Method, you basically are using a pail or laundry bag with no water in it. Pails can be standard laundry baskets with lids, or some people prefer to use stand-alone waterproof (yet washable) laundry bags. Some people combine the two and have a lidded laundry basket with a waterproof bag lining the pail. Having the laundry bag makes things easier in that you can throw the diapers with the laundry bag into the wash, which eliminates the need to clean the pail every time you do the wash.
To prevent odors, simply sprinkle some baking soda into the bag or pail, and try to do the wash within 3 days.
With the Dry Pail Method, you basically are using a pail or laundry bag with no water in it. Pails can be standard laundry baskets with lids, or some people prefer to use stand-alone waterproof (yet washable) laundry bags. Some people combine the two and have a lidded laundry basket with a waterproof bag lining the pail. Having the laundry bag makes things easier in that you can throw the diapers with the laundry bag into the wash, which eliminates the need to clean the pail every time you do the wash.
To prevent odors, simply sprinkle some baking soda into the bag or pail, and try to do the wash within 3 days.
The Wet Pail Method
Wet Pail is when you have a diaper pail filled with water for your diapers to soak in prior to doing the wash. The Wet Pail Method acts like a pre-soak for your diapers, and some people believe that it prevents any stains from setting in.
Fill the bucket about half full with water, and add a half cup of baking soda and a few drops of tea tree and/or lavender oil to the water. Make sure you get a reasonably sized pail, as you don't want to be lifting a bucket full of heavy water. An example of an appropriate type pail would be one of those square buckets for bulk laundry detergent or pet food (with the lid).
Fill the bucket about half full with water, and add a half cup of baking soda and a few drops of tea tree and/or lavender oil to the water. Make sure you get a reasonably sized pail, as you don't want to be lifting a bucket full of heavy water. An example of an appropriate type pail would be one of those square buckets for bulk laundry detergent or pet food (with the lid).
NOTE: If washing diapers at home it is ESSENTIAL that your wet pail has a locking lid on it for the safety of your child! And, in general, keep this pail out of reach of your children.
The Washer Pail Method
If you have a top-loading machine, and don't do laundry everyday, you have the option of using your washing machine as a "wet pail". Basically, you fill your machine with cold water on the "low" setting and add a half cup of baking soda with tea tree or lavender oils. Each time you remove your baby's diaper, you make sure any large poops are deposited into the toilet, then take it to the washer, drop it in, and close the lid. After about 2 days, you either want to wash your diapers, or you can drain the water and fill it with fresh cold water for another day or so.
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Liners, Bags and Sprayers
Detergent
One of the most important things about washing your cloth diapers, is choosing a suitable detergent. You want a detergent without dyes, fragrances, or fabric softener. Any of these additives can and will decrease the absorbency of your cloth diapers causing them to leak, because they will leave a film or oil on the fabric.
Also, you want to use about half the amount you would normally use for a regular load. For example, if you are washing a large sized load, only measure out half of the detergent the manufacturer recommends to use for a large load.
A great comprehensive reference for what types of detergents are best to use with cloth can be found at Detergent Chart for Cloth Diapering Laundry Success
Also, you want to use about half the amount you would normally use for a regular load. For example, if you are washing a large sized load, only measure out half of the detergent the manufacturer recommends to use for a large load.
A great comprehensive reference for what types of detergents are best to use with cloth can be found at Detergent Chart for Cloth Diapering Laundry Success
Recommended Detergents
Ready to Wash!
If you Dry Pail:
Empty the contents of your dry pail into the washer, and also throw in your laundry bag/liner.
If you Wet Pail:
Empty the wet pail into the washer and spin the contents down during a Cold rinse cycle.
If you Washer Pail:
Spin the contents down during a Cold rinse cycle.
Continuation for all Methods:
After emptying your pails, start out with a fresh Cold pre-wash or Cold rinse cycle. Feel free to add a half cup of baking soda during the pre-wash if you like. The Cold rinse will prevent stains from setting. After your pre-wash cycle, add your detergent and run your laundry through a Hot wash and Cold rinse cycle. I like to rinse twice, so I run my diapers one more time through a rinse cycle and add a cup of vinegar to balance the pH and soften the diapers.
After the final rinse cycle, throw your diapers into the dryer for a Hot cycle (with NO fabric softener), and you are all done!
Empty the contents of your dry pail into the washer, and also throw in your laundry bag/liner.
If you Wet Pail:
Empty the wet pail into the washer and spin the contents down during a Cold rinse cycle.
If you Washer Pail:
Spin the contents down during a Cold rinse cycle.
Continuation for all Methods:
After emptying your pails, start out with a fresh Cold pre-wash or Cold rinse cycle. Feel free to add a half cup of baking soda during the pre-wash if you like. The Cold rinse will prevent stains from setting. After your pre-wash cycle, add your detergent and run your laundry through a Hot wash and Cold rinse cycle. I like to rinse twice, so I run my diapers one more time through a rinse cycle and add a cup of vinegar to balance the pH and soften the diapers.
After the final rinse cycle, throw your diapers into the dryer for a Hot cycle (with NO fabric softener), and you are all done!
What Can I Do About Stains?
If you happen to find a stain that has set in on your cloth, the best method of getting rid of that stain is to leave your diaper out in the sun to dry! You can also put a squirt of lemon juice on the stain prior to leaving the diaper out in the sun.
To remove stains without sunning, you can apply a little bit of hydrogen peroxide to the stain. However, first test a small inconspicuous area to make sure the fabric won't yellow.
To remove stains without sunning, you can apply a little bit of hydrogen peroxide to the stain. However, first test a small inconspicuous area to make sure the fabric won't yellow.
Let Me Know What You Think!
NanLT wrote...
I used cloth nappies with both my younger boys. Once I got the hang of it, it was much easier easier than using disposable. And a lot cheaper.
Posted May 27, 2009
Lensmaster
jbrescia wrote
We used a diaper service for the 1st 3 months to get used to using the diapers, and not having the stress of worrying about laundry while also learning all about our new baby.
This was great advice to transition from the diaper service to doing it ourselves!
Posted April 04, 2009
Lensmaster
onatangent-rantingredhead wrote...
This is a great lens! I just wish I'd known about it sooner! My poor baby girl! As a new mommy I've been using the packaged, aweful things. However,new mom's beware, once you find a brand that works with your little one's skin DO NOT SWITCH!
I've switched to pocketed cloth, using the old prefolds as inserts, my babydoll's butt is soft, and happy again! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Posted December 12, 2008
by MamaWise
Author of the baby product review site The Wise Mommy.
I am a 31 year old SAHM to two boys. I work some weekends as a physical therapist, and also ho... (more)
I am a 31 year old SAHM to two boys. I work some weekends as a physical therapist, and also ho... (more)
