Mom and Pop Place Blog

Don’t be afraid!  Washing your wool diaper covers is easy.  Best of all, you only have to do it every few weeks: when your covers start to hold a pee smell or when your covers start to allow leaks.

1.  Fill a sink with tepid water and woolwash (like Eucalan) or baby shampoo.

(1.5.  Every few months or so when covers become less waterproof, wool covers can be re-lanolized.  Dissolve a small amount of pure Lanolin in boiling hot water.  Add the dissolved mixture to tepid water and soak covers for 15 minutes.)

2.  Soak or gently swirl covers for 15 minutes or so.

3.  Gently squeeze excess water from covers.

4.  Roll covers in a dry towel to remove even more water.

5.  Lay covers flat to dry.

Why cloth diapers?

Reason Number 1: The Environment

            Disposable diapers are the third most common consumer product filling up our landfills today.  One baby will contribute at least a ton of waste the local landfill!  Not only do disposable diapers take over 500 years to decompose, they require toxic chemicals and vital resources to manufacture.

Reason Number 2:  Your Family’s Money

Disposable diapers cost about $1500-$2000 per child.  Yikes.  You can cloth diaper all your babies for under $500.  And you can use the same diapers for more than one child.  Even with the cost of water and detergent, you WILL save a ton of money.

Reason Number 3:  Your Baby’s Health

Disposable diapers contain polypropylene and other synthetics and chemicals, and dioxins from bleaching.   Their super-absorbency encourages caregivers to go longer between changings.  Many parents find that their babies suffer less diaper rash and irritation when diapered in cloth.  Soft cottons mean healthier bottoms!

Is it hard?

Cloth diapers have come a long way: no more soaking, no more diaper pins, no more leaky plastic pants.  The washing routine is pretty much the same as for your other laundry.  You do not have to give up the convenience and absorbency you have come to value in diapers.  Some families use a combination of both cloth and disposable diapers, knowing that they are doing what they can to save money and the environment.

How do I do it?

It’s simple.  You change your baby’s diaper, you throw the diaper in a pail instead of in the garbage, and you wash diapers every few days.  We’ll fill in the details for you.  J

You will need enough diapers to get through about 2 days of diaper changes. That means between 16 and 24 diapers, depending on the age of your baby.  (Infants need more frequent changes than older babies.)  Some diapers have built-in waterproof covers.  Other diapers need separate covers.  In that case, you will also need about 6 waterproof covers.  Sometimes, people will use a “doubler” in their cloth diapers.  This is just an extra pad of fabric that makes the diaper extra absorbent.  Doublers are especially useful for nighttime, long car rides, or heavy wetters.  You may need about 12 doublers.

Before you use them, wash and dry your new cloth diapers 3-5 times in very hot water with a little detergent to remove chemicals. This will also increase the absorbency of your cloth diapers. Do not worry if you notice that your cloth diapers “quilt up” during this process. This is normal. 

When you change a cloth diaper, simply toss the dirty diaper into a diaper pail with a tight-fitting lid.  You can spray the diaper with bumGenius Odor Remover before tossing it into the pail.  This keeps the pail from getting too ripe.  You do not need to soak the diapers.  Simply shake or scrape any solid poop into the toilet.  Runny, breastfed poop does not need to be scraped.  As baby (and their poop!) gets older, some parents use a flushable liner to “catch” the poop inside the diaper.  This Bio-Soft liner comes on a roll and is like a cross between toilet paper and a dryer sheet.  You lay it inside the diaper and, when baby poops, you simply lift out the poop and flush it before throwing the diaper in the wash.  Most people find it easier to use cloth wipes with their cloth diapers.  You can just toss the cloth wipe in the pail with the cloth diaper.  You can use spray an Bottom Cleaning spray right on baby’s butt and then wipe clean with a soft cloth!

Most people wash diapers every 2 days or so.  It is recommended that you use a low-residue detergent on your diapers.  Other detergents (including Dreft, Tide, most Seventh Generation, etc) will eventually leave a residue on the diapers, causing them to become smelly and less absorbent.

Basic Washing Routine:

• Wash the entire load on cold with a little detergent. Washing once in cold water is important to remove leftover “yuck” from your diapers.
• Wash the entire load again in warm or hot – also with a little detergent.  Some people add baking soda.
• Do a second rinse.
• You can dry almost everything in the dryer although hanging them to dry will extend the life of your diapers and covers.  Stained diapers should be hung up in the sun to help remove stains.

What are my diaper options?

Easy: Prefold Diapers

Prefold diapers are the diapers that traditionally come to mind when you think of cloth diapers.  These diapers consist of multi-layered rectangles of cotton, usually thicker in the middle.  Most discount stores sell a low-quality version of prefolds to use as burp rags.  True diaper-quality prefolds are much softer, thicker, and more absorbent.  Prefolds are folded and put on your baby like any disposable diaper.  Some people use Snappi’s  (an optional pin-less fastener) to close their prefolds.   Prefolds are used along with a water-proof cover with Velcro closures.  The prefold gets washed every time you change baby’s diaper, but the cover does not need to be laundered until it gets pooped on. 

Prefolds are the most economical diapering option.  Like most cloth diapers, they work very well!  Disadvantages include the need to buy different sized diapers and covers as your baby gets bigger.  Also, you will need to fold the diapers and fasten two layers on baby (diaper and cover).

Easier:  Fitted and Contour Diapers

Fitted and Contour diaper systems are very similar to prefolds, but instead of a folded rectangular diaper, you use a diaper with a more fitted shape and sometimes elastic around the legs.  A fitted diaper goes on much like a disposable diaper.  They are used along with a water-proof cover with Velcro closures.  The fitted diaper gets washed every time you change baby’s diaper, but the cover does not need to be laundered until it gets pooped on. 

Fitted diapers are economical, though not as inexpensive as prefolds.  Like most cloth diapers, they work very well!  They have the advantage of not having to be folded like prefolds.  Disadvantages include the need to buy different sized diapers and covers as your baby gets bigger.  Also, you will need to fasten two layers on baby (diaper and cover).

Easiest:  Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers are considered a more convenient alternative to prefolds and fitteds.  Pocket diapers are all in one diapers with a waterproof cover and an absorbent liner combined.  They have a pocket that you stuff with an absorbent microfiber insert.  You can choose to increase the absorbency by adding an extra insert (a doubler).  When you change baby’s diaper, you separate the inserts and the entire diaper (cover and all) gets washed every time.   

Pocket diapers are the most convenient cloth diapering option.  They are often easier for babysitters and caregivers to deal with.  They are more expensive than other cloth diapering option at the outset, but you do NOT need to keep buying bigger sizes as baby gets bigger.   Our Pocket Diapers have adjustable snaps that allow the same diaper to be used from birth through toddlerhood.

Best of Both Worlds:  gDiapers

gDiapers are new diapering system, kind of a “hybrid” between cloth and disposable.  They consist of a reusable, cloth cover with a biodegradable, flushable liner.  When you change baby’s diaper, you throw away or flush the liner.  You do not need to launder the cover until it gets pooped on.  You purchase a Starter Kit that includes 2 covers and 10 liners.  You then purchase refill packs of liners as needed.

gDiapers are a very convenient alternative for people concerned about the environment but not quite ready to commit to full-time cloth diapering.  They work surprisingly well, although many people choose not to try to flush the liners. J  They are more expensive that both true cloth diapering or disposables.

Other Tips

1.  Avoid using petroleum-based or fish oil-based diaper creams on your baby.  These products will leave a residue that will decrease the absorbency of your cloth diapers.  Use a natural, more soluble cream like Booty Balm.

2.  If you notice that your diapers seem to be losing their absorbency over time (if liquid starts to leak or roll off), you will need to “strip” your diapers: wash them in a regular cycle followed by 2-4 HOT washes with no detergent.  This will remove any soap build-up.

3.  Most people who use cloth diapers also use cloth wipes.  It tends to be easier to just throw the whole diaper/wipe mess into the laundry pail than to separate cloth diapers from disposable wipes.  You can use a simple wet washcloth or try a bottom cleaning spray with a dry cloth. 

6.  Some people swear by baking soda and/or vinegar in the wash.  Others swear it is not needed.  You can experiment and come to your own conclusions.  No matter what, the most important ingredient is lots of hot water and not a lot of detergent!