Choosing cloth diapers makes a big difference in the environment. Approximately three million tons of disposable diapers are added to landfills every year.
It takes five hundred years to decompose one diaper, meaning 500 years of harmful chemicals and toxic gases released into the atmosphere for every diaper.
However, you can minimize disposable diapers’ environmental impact with washable and reusable cloth diapers.
Washing cloth diapers may seem gross at first, but its benefits will be worth the “eww” moments. You can wash your favorite white T-shirt in the same machine as the kid’s soiled diapers.
It is a guarantee that your clothes, towels, or sheets will not carry the poo smell.
The article provides tips and guidelines to help you during the laundering of your cloth diapers.
Before Washing Cloth Diapers
The first and most vital thing is to check the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging or the brand’s website for any washing guidelines.
Most cloth diaper brands have recommended washing tips you need to follow to claim a warranty when things go wrong.
Moreover, you also need to figure out the storage method for the dirty diapers before washing them.
There are containers specifically designed for cloth diapering, and for the liners, you can put them with other laundry pails. A waterproof and zippered wet bag will do if you are moving.
If you are probably worried about the smell, deodorizers can minimize diaper odor.
How To Wash Cloth Diapers?
Step 1: Remove Any Solid Waste
The poop of a well-breastfed baby is soluble in water and does not need any special removal. Some parents may choose to throw the soiled diapers in a bag or pail to store them as they are, and that’s also fine.
For babies on formula or those on solid food diets, you will have to drop, scrape, dump, or spray the poop in the toilet before you can store it with other laundry pails.
You can also use a diaper sprayer that looks like a mini showerhead attached to the toilet or swish the diaper around in the toilet bowl.
Alternatively, you can use a spray bottle filled with water, spray and swish till the poop is no more.
Step 2: Place the Dirty Diaper in A Bag Or Pail Till You Are Ready To Launder
By now, you have probably figured out where to place your dirty clothes in between the washings.
You have also removed the poop from the dirty diaper using a toilet bowl, sprayer, and bottle spray, as stated in step one.
After rinsing, ensure the diaper is almost dripping wet when storing it with other dirty diapers not yet washed.
Having a damp diaper is the secret to removing the poop stain with little to no effort when washed. Diapers with pee only go directly into the pail without any preparations.
Step 3: Laundry Time
Always plan to wash your dirty diapers every day or every other day. It may seem like too much but remember you are working with soaking wet and stinky diapers.
You could probably get away with keeping the diapers waiting for three days.
However, waiting past a day or two puts your diapers at risk of mildew stains, which means an extra washing cycle to get your diapers extremely clean.
i) Wash Not More Than 12-18 Cloth Diapers at One Go
Normally, your child will use around 8–10 diapers a day, even more with a newborn. Your baby will go through 8 to 10 diapers per day.
Washing 12–18 diapers mean stocking almost twice the number of diapers used in a day, especially if you know the diapers will not make it for laundering daily.
You do not need to buy 36 cloth diapers, but it is safer to have a minimum of 16.
ii) Dump The Dirty Diapers in The Machine and Run on A Cold Cycle
Begin with a pre-rinse or a speed wash cycle using cold water and no detergent to loosen any remaining poop.
Nonetheless, some parents opt to use a small scoop of detergent in the cold pre-rinse cycle. The essence of this cycle is to minimize the potential for tough staining.
iii) Run The Diapers for A Second, Warm or Hot Cycle
Run the diapers in a regular warm to very hot cycle, using a suitable detergent for the cloth diapers to get them legitimately clean.
You can also add some baking powder to the detergent as a boost to eliminate protein-founded stains and neutralize acidic odors. To help whiten the fabric, add half a cup of lemon juice.
Add an extra rinse if your machine provides that option. The more water runs through the diaper, the better, as it leaves your diaper cleaner with minimal or no potential residue and staining.
Avoid the use of bleach, which could potentially cancel out the manufacturer’s warranty. Bleach, a harsh chemical often used, can destroy your fabric.
You can, however, use small amounts of vinegar, if necessary. Like bleach, vinegar is a strong natural acid that is sometimes used as a cleaning agent, added to laundry for softer and fresher fabrics.
Also, avoid the use of fabric softeners, including popular baby detergents. Fabric softeners foam a coating that eventually accumulates, preventing optimum fabric absorbency.
Step 4: Line Dry the Cloth Diapers
The preferred method of drying cloth diapers is to hang them outside on a line in the sun. The sun kills bacteria and makes the diaper fresh for your baby’s skin.
Furthermore, the sun as a natural bleaching agent minimizes stains. If you cannot take them outside, you can use a clothesline inside your home to dry the diapers.
It will not have the same sun-fresh scent and effect, but it will benefit from line drying. The primary advantage of line drying is an extended lifetime of cloth diapers.
Hang the diapers in a way that supports the elastic so that the weight of the wet diaper doesn’t damage the elastic stretch.
You can use the dryer on low settings for some cloth diapers, though this routine will eventually lead to wear and tear.
Also, with the dryer, it may damage the Velcro, snaps, buttons, and even waterproof linings.
It is also vital that you check the product’s drying instructions on its website before using them on the dryer. Remember, high heat settings may cause the fabric to lose a bit of its softness.
Additional Tips
Carry Waterproof Bags When on The Move
Having one or two smelly diapers or even a stained onesie is inevitable when on the go with your little one.
A waterproof and zippered wet bag is your best solution to carry the dirtiest items around.
Opt For Disposable Diaper Liners
Diaper liners are almost similar in appearance to dryer sheets, placed in the cloth diapers to offer stain protection.
Most diaper liners are flushable and biodegradable, making the cleanup process very easy.
Use Baking Soda
Adding baking soda to the diaper pail or bag keeps it smelling fresh the entire day.
Consider a Diaper Cleaning Service
After reading these tips, if you still do not want to wash your cloth diapers, you can always look for a diaper cleaning service in your area.
Most moms say that even using cloth diapering services to minimize weekly expenses is still cheaper than disposable diapers.
Furthermore, some diaper cleaning services provide stripping services.
Stripping Cloth Diapers
Stripping is a specific wash treatment meant to eliminate buildup from the diaper’s fabric. It is something you will probably have to do in the lifetime of a cloth diaper.
Stripping removes the build-up caused by hard water minerals and leftover detergents, creating excess foam during washing that prevents the proper rubbing of diapers together for ideal results.
Moreover, stripping aids in preventing possible rashes and preventing smelly baby clothes.
Reasons You May Need to Strip the Diaper
If you feel like your detergent is not giving you the desired result, a strip can help the diaper return to its original state.
If the diaper has a strong smell after a single pee or the diapers still do not smell right after washing, you may consider stripping.
If the diaper is of good fit and quality but still leaks, stripping might be your solution.
Pre-soaking or pre-washing is not necessary. The only things you need are;
- Clean diapers
- A good laundry treatment
- Patience
Procedure
- Place the washed, clean cloth diapers in the machine and use the hot water cycle. If you suspect the problem is detergent build-up, run the clothes on this cycle until no more suds are forming.
- Add a laundry treatment used for stripping diapers. Do not add any other detergent or extras.
- If the odor persists or the child gets rashes, repeat the process thrice, then dry the diapers.
- Repeat the process monthly.
Cloth Diapers or not
Cloth diapering is not for everyone, and that is okay. You can start with two or three cloth diapers and see how you feel about the laundering and usage experience.