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How to Wash Cloth Diapers
Washing cloth diapers is easier than ever thanks to more efficient washing machines and better cloth diaper designs. Here are some basic guidelines for washing cloth diapers. These instructions will work for most types of diapers. Always verify the manufacturer's directions to preserve any warranty. You can find more specific washing directions for BumGenius, Happy Heiny's, Fuzzi Bunz, Imse Vimse, Kissaluvs, Drybees, Thirsties, Bummis and other diaper brands on my web site.
There is no need to remove breastfed baby poop from the diapers as this will easily wash out. You can shake the diaper over the toilet to remove any solids before putting them into the diaper pail. You can also use a flannel or fleece diaper liner to protect your diapers and make them easier to clean. There are also flushable diaper liners available. If you have trouble removing messes (especially on natural fibers) you can use a diaper sprayer that attaches to the toilet to easily clean diapers.
Always store your diapers in a dry pail betwen washings. A pail full of water is a drowning hazard for small children, can set the smell into diapers and makes a huge mess if it tips over! I recommend using a diaper pail liner so you don’t have to scrub the diaper pail. If you do not have room for a diaper pail, you might consider a zippered hanging wet bag to hold diapers.
Washing Cloth Diapers
On wash day simply use the pail liner to carry the diapers to the washer and then push the pail liner inside out to empty the diapers into the washer. You can wash the diaper pail liner right along with the diapers. Fill the washer with a cold water rinse. It is a good idea to let them soak for 15 minutes or so to make them easier to clean, do not soak longer or you may set the smell into the fibers. Let the washer spin out all of the rinse water, then reset it to a wash cycle with warm or hot water. Add just a little less than ¼ cup of cloth friendly detergent such as Tide. Use the detergent with the least amount of additives (such as fabric softener, enzymes, optical brighteners, etc.) to prevent problems. Most natural detergents will leave residue on cloth diapers. Most manufacturers do not recommend adding anything (including vinegar) to the wash or rinse water.
NEVER use natural soaps or any kind of fabric softeners as they leave a residue that will coat the diapers and make them repel water. Do not use Ivory Snow or Dreft as these will also cause buildup.
You may wish to do a second rinse to make sure that there is no detergent residue to irritate baby’s skin. Some baby's are very sensitive to the ingredients in detergents, others are just fine with a detergent such as Tide.
Drying Cloth Diapers
You can dry cloth diapers on a clothes rack or clothes line or use a dryer. If you choose to line dry, you may want to soften the diapers by running them through a few minutes in the dryer after they are dry. Most diapers and covers do fine in the dryer despite the myths that surround PUL (polyurethane laminate). PUL is actually very resilient and running it through the dryer helps to seal any small holes that have developed in the waterproofing layer. Most pocket diaper and cover manufacturers recommend using the dryer to tighten up PUL from time to time. Some elastics do not do well in the dryer, so it is a good idea to follow the manufacturers recommendation here as well.
Wool Diaper Covers
Wool diaper covers only need to be washed about once very week or two, depending on use. The lanolin helps keep odors down and helps keep them clean. You will want to air out wool covers between uses, so you will need at least 2-3 wool diaper covers in rotation. If you use wool diaper covers, be sure to hand wash and air dry unless the label says they are are machine washable and dryable or you will end up with doll sized diapers.
For hand-washing wool covers I recommend Sheepish Grins Wool Wash Bars or Sheepish Grins Foaming Wool Wash with Lanolin. I make the wool wash bars by hand the old-fashioned way so there are no nasty chemicals and I still use the highest percentage of lanolin in each bar. Sheepish Grins also has lanolin spray and other necessities for washing and lanolizing wool covers. You can also find instructions for lanolizing covers on the Sheepish Grins site and on Little for Now. Relanolize the covers when they become less effective. A lanolin rich wool wash will extend the length of time between fully lanolizing your covers.
Fleece Diaper Covers
Fleece is the one exception to the "no-fabric-softener" rule. Fleece diaper covers can be washed with your regular clothing and fabric softener can actually improve their function. Because fabric softener makes fabrics less absorbent, it can help make fleece covers even more effective. Do not use fabric softener on fleece pocket diapers as it will cause them to leak.
Preparing Prefolds, Hemp and Bamboo Diapers
Most natural fiber diapers require several prewashes to reach maximum absorbency. Prefold diapers usually need 3-5 washings to fluff up and become absorbent. Unbleached fabrics will need a bit more washing to prep them than morfe processed fibers. If you are using hemp diapers, you will need to wash them alone several times to remove the natural plant oils. You will want to avoid washing fleece or suedecloth lined diapers or covers with hemp during prewashes as the hemp oils may leave a residue. Bamboo diapers will need to be primed by washing a few times but they do not require as many prewashes as hemp.
Odors, Leaking and Repelling Fleece
Clean diapers should have no odor to them. If the diapers develop an odor when your baby pees or if they just don't smell fresh, there may be a detergent build-up. If your diapers start to smell funny, repel water (causing leaks) or are not as soft as they used to be, it may be necessary to strip them. You can strip the diapers by washing them in a sink or bucket with a very small amount of dish soap and then rinsing them in the washer until the water no longer foams when the washer agitates.
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