With cloth diapers becoming popular, many parents find they are asking the question, "How should I launder the diapers?" If you ask a group of mom's how they wash their cloth diapers every answer is sure to be different but I'm going to share with you some of the best tips out their including supplies, pre wash, washing, drying, stripping diapers and washing wool.
Laundering supplies:
- Diaper pail(s)
- Pail liner(s)
- Essential oil(s)
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Diaper sprayer
- Enzyme free detergent
- Dryer ball(s)
- Clothes' line
Pre-wash:
You should always dispose of any poop before putting the diaper in the diaper pail. When the babies are older, this may be as easy as simply shaking into the toilet. If not there is a marvelous invention called the "diaper sprayer" that can help in this matter.
Whether you sort them into different diaper pails or when you wash it is always best to keep the covers and diapers separate for the wash. Covers will last longer when not dried at the high heat that the diapers do. Moreover, you will avoid having to clean out aplix and Velcro daily.
Washing:
A cold pre-wash or pre-rinse helps to keep stains from setting in.
A few drops of Tea Tree Oil put in at the pre-wash or during the wash cycle will help kill the germs. Likewise, a few drops of lavender oil will help keep them smelling fresh. Essential oils can be very irritating to some babies skin though so be sure to use with caution and disregard use if your baby develops a rash or redness.
At some point in your wash routine there should be a hot wash or sanitize cycle to eliminate the germs on the diapers.
You should only use enzyme free laundry detergents. The enzymes will break down the diapers faster and cause soap build up. Build up not only effects how well the diaper functions but can also trigger a rash on your baby. The best detergents to use are plant based natural detergents.
Less is more when using detergent to wash cloth diapers. For most households you should only need to use about 2tbsp. of detergent at a time. Those with hard water will have to use more detergent. You will find that you adjust how much detergent you need with trial and error.
Baking soda added to the wash can help aid in getting the diapers the cleaner.
Never use fabric softener on the diapers while washing them. It will only cause them to repel when on the baby impeding their function. Instead, vinegar can be used on diapers as a softener in the wash, but should not be used by those with hard water as it can cause the diapers to develop a fowl stench.
The diapers should go through as many warm or cold rinse cycles as it takes to wash the detergent out. You should not see any soap bubbles in the rinse water.
Drying:
Never use fabric softener when drying your diapers. The same as washing this will cause the diapers to repel making the diapers work improperly. You may consider using a dryer ball instead to help keep the diapers soft and fluffy.
Covers should be dried on a lower heat to help preserve the life of them.
While line drying is not always available, it is the best method for drying your diapers. The sun will also help to remove stains.
Stripping cloth diapers:
If your cloth diapers are not working properly, chances are they have developed build-up from the detergent. In this case they will need to be "stripped." There are many methods for stripping diapers that you may choose from.
Repeatedly wash the diapers on hot water until there are no soap bubbles. Do not add any detergent, baking soda, vinegar or essential oils while doing this.
Boil the diapers in a large pot and then rinse repeatedly until there are no longer any soap bubbles.
Run the diapers through a few cycles in your dishwasher with no detergent. Yes, I said dishwasher, it has the ability to cycle the water through the diapers more thoroughly than your washer does, rinsing them cleaner.
Use a cleanser like borax or sports wash when washing the diapers and then rinse repeatedly. Take caution though as many babies can have an adverse reaction to the chemicals in these products and develop a burn or rash.
Laundering you wool:
Many parents find that using wool covers when cloth diapering can be very economical and reliable but that laundering can be difficult. It does not have to be though.
For washing your wool products you only need two products, wool wash in the form of a liquid or bar and lanolin.
Fill up a sink or tub with lukewarm water and your wool wash. Allow the wool to soak for about five minutes and then gently had wash it.
Squeeze the water out gently and then rinse in cool water.
To lanolize your wool, fill the sink again with cool to lukewarm water with the lanolin and soak the wool for about fifteen to twenty minutes.
You can also lanolize your wool by spraying on a lanolin spray while the wool is still damp and then allowing it to dry.
To dry your wool, simply roll it up in a towel and squeeze to remove the excess water and then hang dry.
Never use detergent or other harsh chemicals on your wool.
Never put your wool in the dryer and this will cause it to felt and shrink.
Essential oils may be used sparingly on wool to help with any germs and the smell of the wool.