How To Wash Baby Cloth Diapers

Motherhood is a gift of God and when you have a baby, you aim to give the best. A lot of parents are attracted towards natural things and cloth diaper is one of them. A reusable cloth diaper is manufactured from natural fibers and man-made materials without using any chemicals. There are different styles like flats, fitted, contours, pockets, hybrid, prefolds and a few more. Baby cloth diapers are very easy to use; best for the baby’s skin and extremely economical. But cleaning is a very important part of it and you must know how to do it right. Washing a cloth diaper properly ensures your baby can use it over and over again safely.

Also read: Well Beginnings Diapers Are Great For Active Toddlers

Washing a soiled cloth diaper right

Soak the soiled or used diapers for an hour or two prior washing as it helps to remove stains. There are diapers and covers that come with waterproof layers; you do not require soaking those. If you see that your diapers are having detergent buildup, wash till it’s entirely clean. The detergent and the water must be compatible and you also must not use detergent in excess. Too much of detergent is harsh for the baby’s skin and if not cleaned nicely, it could affect the skin

Does the diaper smell even after a wash? It’s never good for a baby to wear a smelly diaper because there can be infections anytime. Do you know that vinegar and baking soda can do all the magic? First, rinse in cold water using a normal detergent and then add cup baking soda and one tbsp of white vinegar. Wash using the hot cycle. Leave the diaper to soak overnight and wash it next morning.

The daily wash routine

When it comes to washing these, you will come across too many opinions so it’s all based on individual needs. There are moms who prefer washing these diapers everyday. Now, this is a very simple routine for all moms but you can always adjust according to the situation.

If it’s soiled, it’s best to use mini-shower so that the poop gets removed very easily from the diaper. The water will automatically drip so leave it wet.
Toss the diaper in a dry pail, washing every day or every alternate day is pretty good.
It’s recommended to wash 12-15 diapers at once.
It water inside the washing machine must reach the highest water level.
Use cold water and no detergent to pre-rinse.
It is recommended to use a regular water cycle
You can hang dry or use a dryer or even use both in combination

Things you should avoid

Do not use chlorine beach every day because the fibers might break and the diapers will lose its longevity. This might also cause irritation in the baby’s skin so it’s recommended once a month.
There is no need to use any sort of fabric softeners and baby detergents that might bring down the absorbency.

How often do you need to wash diapers?

Most parents wish to escape the daily washing schedule and opt for washing it every other day. So, every other day is just fine if you are not doing it daily because diapers turn to be smellier after a couple of days pass. There are moms who prefer doing the cloth diaper laundry daily. After all, it depends on the load and that directly depends on the age of the baby.

Things to remember while washing cloth diapers

Wash the used diapers and the covers separately from your laundry and do not overload the machine. Do not wash the diapers in very hot temperature; the diapers would lose its quality. You must ensure the diapers are rinsed really well and the last wash should be absolutely soap free. Upon taking out from the machine, the diapers should smell clean and fresh. Any remaining slightest odor contains bacteria that can irritate your baby’s skin. Close the Velcro fasteners if any to prevent the diapers from getting linked to one another. It’s important to dry cloth diapers well. You can use a dryer but some diapers cannot withstand such high temperature. Line drying is the best, the most economical option and the sun helps a lot. A few more tips:

Hang it to dry overnight or you can dry using the dryer and then hang it.
It’s very important to maintain the softness so never dry using the hottest setting in the dryer.
Instead of bleach, use cup lemon juice
Expose to sunlight to remove stains and germs

Conclusion

If you wish to go ahead with buying cloth diapers, there are so many good brands on babys selling good quality ones. Before buying cloth diapers, read expert reviews from the website for more information. Cloth diaper is good for the baby, good for you and also very good for the environment.

Courtney P.

I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!