cloth diapering 101

For anyone who is interested in trying cloth diapers, or for anyone who is just plain curious, here is my routine for how I care for the diapers.

These two guys are best friends when it comes to laundry in our house. I still haven't found anything that says not to use an in-wash booster, so for now I am not omitting it. Paired with dropps detergent pacs, miracles can happen! Everything we use in the laundry is "free and clear". No dyes, perfumes, or fragrances. We started doing this when Noah developed eczema around six months of age, so this wasn't something I had to change just for the diapers. Who needs all that extra stuff anyways?

I add miofresh to the diaper load, because it's the only product I've found that is an antibacterial cleanser for cloth diapers. You use it in conjunction with your detergent, and it will actually sanitize and disinfect the diapers, in water as low as 86 degrees Fahrenheit (warm). Pretty impressive!

These are products NEVER to be used on cloth diapers. No bleach, fabric softener (liquid or dryer sheets), or stain remover. Using these will leave a film over the materials in the diapers, which decreases absorbency. Your diapers will leak! Bad news.

No need to use diaper creams or ointments of any kind. These, too, cause buildup in the diapers. Also, since cloth diapers are made from the same fabrics used to make sports clothing, they are designed to wick moisture away from your baby's skin ... and to breathe! This means a far less likely chance of developing a rash, which ultimately results in a happy baby  :)

I am going to put the biggest myth of cloth diapering to rest. People have always talked about what an inconvenience it is to wash them. As a mom of three children, who does laundry just about every day, I cannot begin to tell you how easy it was to fit this into my schedule.

You want to wash the diapers separate from all other laundry, and you don't want dirty diapers sitting for more than two days. I have two wetbags that can hang on the nursery door handle, and zip shut (no smell, I promise!). When one is in the wash with the diapers, I'll get out the other one to replace it. I also have two smaller wetbags for when we go out. And YES! ... I cloth diaper him away from home also! Anyway, when it's time to wash the diapers, I hold my breath and unzip the wetbag inside the washer. Then I push the wetbag inside-out, into the washer, which gets all the diapers out. My two reasons for doing it this way are 1) to make sure the inside of the wetbag gets really clean, and 2) so that I don't get anything on my hands. Quickly close the door, and the worst part is over! First I'll put the diapers through a cold double rinse cycle, with no detergent or anything. There's no need for a spin cycle, because they're just going to get wet again during the washing. This takes just 18 minutes, and gets the majority of the poop out. Then I add one pac of dropps detergent, one pac of Tide stain release, and one scoop of miofresh. Wash on hot, with a cold rinse, and high spin speed. Voila! The diapers come out bright white, looking like new! No stains or smells at all. Then they go in the dryer for a little while on the lowest heat setting. Diapers dry very fast. I then stuff the inserts into the pockets, snap the diapers shut (optional, saves space when storing), and carry them to the changing table to be put away. Stuffing the diapers takes about five minutes. No big deal.

On top are two wetbags (folded), then the diapers, then the inserts. I washed a dozen diapers in this load, and you can see how small of a load it actually was. The entire process, start to finish, only takes about two hours. It's just like doing any regular load of laundry, where you throw them in the wash and then do something else until they're clean. Then you put them into the dryer and find something else to do until they're finished. 

This is where I keep the extra inserts. Carter sleeps 12-13 hours every night, so we need to use two inserts for his night time diaper. No leaks!

from left to right: hanging wetbag, our old diaper pail (for the disposable wipes), and the changing table. I debated whether or not to use cloth wipes, and ultimately decided that it would've been a huge hassle to figure out a way to keep the wipes wet, especially when we're not at home. I don't find it realistic to have to walk to the bathroom and wet some wipes every time I change a diaper. Sorry.

This is the finished product. AIO diapers on the left, and gDiapers with their extra inserts on the right. Makes mama smile!