Not Your Mother's Cloth Diaper

You want to be environmentally friendly and use cloth diapers to reduce the amount of landfill waste, but you are still anxious about the washing procedure. Many of today's young mothers were raised with disposable diapers and have this same concern. You may be surprised to know that washing cloth diapers is not as difficult or even as gross as you might imagine. Gone are the days of soaking, pre-washing, bleaching and air-drying cloth diapers. Cleaning cloth diapers in this manner was quite a bit of work and took a long time. You can still purchase plain, pre-folded diapers and use them with the soft, washable diaper covers which are now available. The newer models of cloth diapers are much improved over the old style. You can buy one of many all-in-one diaper systems. One such brand is Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers, which are diaper and cover in one piece, with an optional insert. All the pieces, plus the “wet bag” which is used to hold the soiled diapers until laundering, can be washed together, which really helps simplify the process. Follow these easy steps to keep your cloth diapers clean. If baby has solid waste, you can simply drop the stool into the toilet and flush it away. No swirling and wringing of the diaper is necessary. Store the wet and/or dirty diapers in a diaper pail or your wet bags until laundry time. There is no need for soaking anymore and you can leave them the way they are. When you are ready to launder, first run the diapers through a cool water rinse. Then launder the items in a hot water wash using detergent. Using soaps to clean cloth diapers is often perceived as better than detergent because the diapers are left softer, but soap is known to leave an oily residue which can reduce the absorbancy of the diaper. You can experiment with the amount of laundry detergent you use for all your washing needs, not just the cloth diapers. Many manufacturers recommend using more detergent than you actually need. The. One way to see if you can use less detergent is to use about half the recommended amount to see if it is effective for you, and adjust the amount from that point. After the hot wash, use a cold rinse cycle. Most machines these days automatically use a cold rinse, but check your settings to make sure. If you’re not sure how much detergent is too much, run the diapers through a second rinse. The water should be clear. If you see suds, or any soapy looking remains in the water, it means there was still some residue left on the diapers. While on the subject of residue or deposits, it is recommended to NOT use fabric softeners on your baby's cloth diapers. Fabric softeners leave a coating on fabrics which reduces the absorbancy of the cloth diaper. There is more chance of irriation and diaper rash and more need to change the baby if your diapers are less absorbant. Cloth diapers can be air dried or dried in the dryer. The dryer does provide softness, but the sun has natural bleaching and disinfecting qualities as well. Each manufacturer is different so make sure the check the laundering instructions which come with your diaper. Fuzzi Bunz diapers tells its customers to use a low dryer setting, and some manufacturers recommend the hot dryer setting. It is possible for you to help preserve the environment by washing those soft natural diapers and keeping the disposables out of the landfills. And don’t forget you can and put the baby in your favorite Ellaroo baby carrier and go enjoy your world naturally as well!

You want to be environmentally friendly and use cloth diapers to reduce the amount of landfill waste, but you are still anxious about the washing procedure. Many of today's young mothers were raised with disposable diapers and have this same concern. You may be surprised to know that washing cloth diapers is not as difficult or even as gross as you might imagine.

Gone are the days of soaking, pre-washing, bleaching and air-drying cloth diapers. Cleaning cloth diapers in this manner was quite a bit of work and took a long time. You can still purchase plain, pre-folded diapers and use them with the soft, washable diaper covers which are now available. The newer models of cloth diapers are much improved over the old style. You can buy one of many all-in-one diaper systems. One such brand is Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers, which are diaper and cover in one piece, with an optional insert. All the pieces, plus the “wet bag” which is used to hold the soiled diapers until laundering, can be washed together, which really helps simplify the process.

Follow these easy steps to keep your cloth diapers clean.

If baby has solid waste, you can simply drop the stool into the toilet and flush it away. No swirling and wringing of the diaper is necessary. Store the wet and/or dirty diapers in a diaper pail or your wet bags until laundry time. There is no need for soaking anymore and you can leave them the way they are. When you are ready to launder, first run the diapers through a cool water rinse. Then launder the items in a hot water wash using detergent. Using soaps to clean cloth diapers is often perceived as better than detergent because the diapers are left softer, but soap is known to leave an oily residue which can reduce the absorbancy of the diaper. You can experiment with the amount of laundry detergent you use for all your washing needs, not just the cloth diapers. Many manufacturers recommend using more detergent than you actually need. The. One way to see if you can use less detergent is to use about half the recommended amount to see if it is effective for you, and adjust the amount from that point. After the hot wash, use a cold rinse cycle. Most machines these days automatically use a cold rinse, but check your settings to make sure.

If you’re not sure how much detergent is too much, run the diapers through a second rinse. The water should be clear. If you see suds, or any soapy looking remains in the water, it means there was still some residue left on the diapers. While on the subject of residue or deposits, it is recommended to NOT use fabric softeners on your baby's cloth diapers. Fabric softeners leave a coating on fabrics which reduces the absorbancy of the cloth diaper. There is more chance of irriation and diaper rash and more need to change the baby if your diapers are less absorbant.

Cloth diapers can be air dried or dried in the dryer. The dryer does provide softness, but the sun has natural bleaching and disinfecting qualities as well. Each manufacturer is different so make sure the check the laundering instructions which come with your diaper. Fuzzi Bunz diapers tells its customers to use a low dryer setting, and some manufacturers recommend the hot dryer setting.

It is possible for you to help preserve the environment by washing those soft natural diapers and keeping the disposables out of the landfills. And don’t forget you can and put the baby in your favorite Ellaroo baby carrier and go enjoy your world naturally as well!