Caring for Your Diapers

Caring for your cloth diapers is very simple. Cloth diapers do not require special care unless you are using wool. Below is a list of basic guidelines I follow. If there are specific manufacturer care instructions provided, I always recommend following them as failing to do so may void warranties.

Preparing New Diapers

New diapers must be "prepped" before using. I like to think of it as using a new towel; a new towel doesn't absorb very well until after the first several uses. Wash new natural fibre diapers/inserts 3-5 times and microfibre diapers/inserts 1-2 times including the drying cycle before using on your babe. Most cloth diapers don’t work to their full potential until washed several times. This applies especially to natural fibers as they tend to have more natural oil present that must be removed to increase absorbency. Also, be sure to keep natural fibres separate from microfibre during the prep stage

Soiled Diapers (Solids)

  • After removing the diaper, knock off the solids into the toilet. Whatever solids don’t fall off or wipe away easily with a little toilet paper will come off in the wash. Another option is to use a mini shower system to rinse off the diaper over the toilet or a reusable or disposable liner to make it easier to remove the solids.
  • If you are using a pocket diaper, remove the insert and store both pieces in your dry pail (after removing solids).
  • If your cover becomes soiled store it in a separate pail or dry bag but only if they require different care instructions (wool).

Soiled Diapers (Wet)

  • Remove wet diaper
  • Remove insert, liner, or snap in soaker (whichever applies)
  • Place wet diapers in dry pail

I recommend washing your diapers every 2-3 days. Come laundry day, I dump all of my dry pail contents into the front loading (HE) washer followed by the pail liner. I set my washer to a pre-rinse with a normal cycle of hot wash, cold rinse with about 1 heaping tablespoon of recommended detergent. I also add an extra rinse and use my Water Plus feature to increase the volume of water used as sometimes HE washers don't use enough water. Now I let the washer do the work! For a top loading washer, you can set similar cycles but instead of a pre-rinse I do a pre-soak and then a quick spin before doing the hot wash/cold rinse. No extra-rinse is needed with a top loading washer as it uses much more water than an HE washer. You will have to use more detergent, so check the detergent manufacturer's recommendations.

Do not use too much detergent! If you start to get smelly diapers, the first thing is to check for residual soap! Ensure no bubbles are left during your final rinse.

After the wash, weather permitting, I like to sun dry my diapers on a line outside. The sun helps to remove any remaining stains that may be left on the diapers. If sun drying isn’t an option, I dry my diapers on a low heat setting for approximately 30 minutes with Wool Dryer Balls . The dryer balls help to fluff up the diapers and liners increasing their absorbency. Do not use a dryer sheet as they can affect the absorbency of the diapers and inserts. If you are using AIO or bamboo diapers, they tend to take an extra 15-20 minutes for drying.

For my wool covers, I hand wash them in my sink every other week (depending on usage) or whenever soiled. I use a small amount of Wool Wash and warm water. After the diapers soak for about 10 minutes, they’re rolled in a towel to remove excess water. Do not rinse the wool wash out! Wool covers do need to be lanolized every so often, depending on their usage.

Once excess water has been absorbed I hang the covers to finish drying. Wool covers can take up to 2 days to dry due to their absorptive properties. I recommend having several covers to rotate. Never hang your wool covers in direct sunlight as this will cause them to become discolored.

The DO List

  • Use only ½ - ¼ of recommended detergent you would for regular washes
  • Pre-soak with 1 tsp of Funk Rock or several tablespoons of recommended detergent and hot water (optional)
  • Presoak in Funk Rock or detergent or dry in sun to remove stains
  • Add a few drops of tea tree oil on a cloth/paper towel in the bottom of your diaper pail or sprinkle with Rockin' Green Shakers or The Laundry Tarts Shakers to help with odors (optional)
  • Follow the diaper manufactures' instruction to ensure you do not void your warranty!

The DON’T List

  • Don’t use fabric softener, dryer sheets, or detergents containing citrus oils. These will coat the diapers making them water repellent.
  • Don’t use bleach
  • Do NOT wash wool covers in the washer
  • Never hang your wool in direct sunlight
  • Do not use zinc based creams on baby's bottom without protecting the diaper with a liner. Zinc based creams tend to affect the diaper's absorbency

Diaper Issues

If you are finding that your diapers are smelling like ammonia or repeling liquid , it is time to strip your diapers. These issues occur generally due to detergent residual/build up or the use of creams that are not cloth diaper safe. There are a few options to try:

  1. Wash and spin diapers in hot water for several cycles WITHOUT detergent. Dry as normal.
  2. Soak and wash diapers in a sink or tub with original liquid Dawn dish soap and warm to hot water. Rinse and spin in washing machine until no bubbles are present.
  3. Rock a soak with Fun Rock by Rockin' Green. Follow manufacturers directions.
  4. Use an oxygenated bleach following manufacturer directions.

If yeast is the problem, this link is a very helpful guide by Bummis.

If your child is sick, taking medications, or has just been immunized, special care should be taken when changing soiled diapers. It is recommended that diapers be thoroughly rinsed before placing them in the dry pail. If you do not wear gloves, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands afterwards.

If you have any questions/suggestions, please feel free to drop me an email at laurie@adventuresoflittle.ca.

Manufacturer Specific Care Information