WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
Wash and dry new cloth diapers 5 to 10 times to remove chemicals. This will also increase the absorbancy of your cloth diapers. Do not worry if you notice that your cloth diapers "quilt up" during this process. This is normal.
To extend the life of our cloth diapers and covers, we hang them dry. It is especially important to do this with AIO's and diaper covers to preserve their waterproofing ability.
The washing instructions are for a full load of cloth diapers. You may include nylon and polyester diapers covers in this load. Handwash all wool covers.
Overnight Soak Method
* Pre-Wash. (This step can be skipped if you use the wet pail method.) Place all cloth diapers in the washer, and run a prewash in cold water. This will remove most of the loose particles from the cloth diapers.
* Overnight Soak. Refill the washer with cold water and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Let it agitate for a minute or two, then turn off the machine and let the cloth diapers soak several hours or overnight. Drain the water (I run a pre-wash to do this.) Baking soda is a base and neutralizes the urine in the cloth diapers. This is very effective in whitening and removing the smell from the cloth diapers.
* Hot Wash. Empty the bin and run the wash with hot water, detergent and 1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. Since my baby has sensitive skin, I use All HypoAllergen detergent.
* Double Rinse. Add about 1/2 cup of vinegar during the first rinse. If you have a washer with a fabric softener compartment pour the vinegar there when starting the hot wash. Otherwise you can throw in a Downy ball filled with vinegar.
No Soak Method
If you prefer not to soak your diapers or if you only have access to a coin operated machine follow this method:
* Cold Wash. Place all your soiled cloth diapers in the machine with baking soda for a cold water wash.
* Hot Wash. Add your wet cloth diapers to load, add detergent and baking soda and wash in hot water.
* Rinse. Rinse cloth diapers with cold water and vinegar.
* 2nd Rinse. Rinse cloth diapers with cold water.
CAN YOU RECOMMEND A RECIPE FOR CLOTH WIPES?
There are several recipes you can use for cloth wipes. Here is Diaper Pin's favorite:
* 2 or 3 drops of tea tree oil.
* 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's soap.
* water.
To hold your wipes you can use an empty disposable wipes container or a wipe warmer.
WHAT DETERGENTS OR CLEANING AGENTS SHOULD I USE TO CLEAN MY CLOTH DIAPERS?
Stick with fragrance free detergents. For babies with sensitive skin Diaper Pin recommends All Free Clear. Be sure to avoid detergents with whitening enzymes such as Fabricare: Arm and Hammer Advanced Detergent Action.
Do not use Borox or bleach. Both of these products are harsh on cloth diapers. They will break down their fibers and reduce their life. Also, they are rough against your baby's skin.
Avoid washing cloth diapers with soap products since repeated washing with soap creates a waxy build-up that reduces the aborbancy of cloth diapers. Contrary to what some cloth diapering parents believe, Dreft and Ivory do not fall under the soap category. They are both detergents. Ivory Snow used to be sold in the form of soap but was changed to a detergent in 1993. For more information check out the Ivory Snow FAQ page.
To see Dreft's response to our request to dispell the myth click here.
Please see our washing instructions or our article on Soap vs. Detergent for more detailed information.
REMOVING URINE SMELL
Include baking soda when washing or soaking your cloth diapers.
If you use baking soda in the wash or soak, make sure to use vinegar in the rinse, This will help restore the pH of the cloth diapers. Otherwise your baby may end up with diaper rash.
According to Vicki Lansky author of Baking Soda : Over 500 Fabulous, Fun and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought of, baking soda works with liquid detergents to whiten and brighten laundry. It does not boost powder detergents.
Related Article: Baking Soda or Washing Soda?
VINEGAR IN THE WASH
Many parents have complained that using vinegar in the wash leaves their diapers remaining smelly. Actually it is more effective to use baking soda in the wash and add vinegar to the rinse. See our washing recommendations for more information.
Hint: Consider using vinegar in the rinse cycle of all your laundry, not just the diapers load. Also consider buying distilled white vinegar by the gallon for general household cleaning. Melodie Moore's book, Vim & Vinegar, is a wonderful resource for learning how to use vinegar to replace expensive cleaners for floors, refrigerators, furniture, laundry, copper and stubborn stains.
Related Article: Vinegar in your cloth diaper wash. Two sides of the Coin
WET PAIL AND DRY PAIL METHODS
There are 3 basic methods for storing wet and soiled cloth diapers, wet pail, dry pail and wet/dry pail.
* Dry pail. All cloth diapers are placed in a covered pail. Sprinkle baking soda to control the odors.
* Wet pail. All cloth diapers are placed in a pail half filled with water. Make sure this pail is covered to prevent infant drowing.
The Diaper Pin preferred method is the dry pail method. We used to use the wet pail system (for dirty diapers only), but it was messy and unwieldy. Now we simply dunk dirty diapers (and swish if necessary) in the toilet bowl before tossing in the dry pail. We keep our diaper pail in the bathroom. Much easier!
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