Washing Cloth Diapers

If you have had a new baby you would be struggling to decide between disposable diapers and cloth diapers. Earlier, cloth diapers were the norm. It was in the 1980s when disposable were first introduced. They were convenient to use while travelling and spared the parents a lot of trouble. It is worth mentioning that disposable diapers make up a huge part of the garbage dumped in landfills. They also cause skin rashes to the baby, as it sits for a longer time in its own urine. On the other hand, cloth diapers are gentle on your baby’s tender skin and are environment-friendly as well. They are also cost-efficient in the long run. However, cloth diapers are often associated with painstaking folding and cumbersome washing. This makes parents shy of using them for their babies. Washing cloth diapers is not such a daunting task if you are familiar with the cleaning method. The information below will offer you useful tips on washing cloth nappies.

Tips On How To Wash Cloth Diapers

Washing New Cloth Diapers

If you have bought a new cloth diapers, you must remember to wash them at least five times to remove natural oils from the diapers. This is because cloth diapers are usually made from natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, etc. These natural fibers have natural oils that need to be rinsed out in order to make them fully absorbent. After washing them for a minimum of five times, you will find that they fluff up and feel very soft. This is when the cloth diaper is ready to be used and will be soft on your baby’s skin.

Washing Cloth Diapers

Babies will wet themselves very frequently. You may get distressed looking at the building pile of cloth diapers. What you can do is use a diaper pail. A plastic trash can or a large bucket, with or without a lid, big enough to hold twenty four diapers will work fine. Sprinkling a little baking soda in the bottom can help contain the smell.
Once you collect around twenty four dirty diapers, take them out and place them in a small amount of cloth diaper laundry detergent. Take care to choose one that is free from fabric softeners, bleach, fragrances and dyes. This is because artificial additives in the laundry detergent may lead to build up of residue that can negatively impact the absorbency of the diapers.
You can use any detergent that does not contain scents, dyes and bleach.
Let the diapers wash in the washing machine. You can do an extra rinse when the wash gets over. This will remove excess soap and detergent residue and ensure that there is no build up on the diapers.

Drying Cloth Diapers

To dry the cloth diapers, you can either use the spinner or hang them on the line outside. Hanging cloth diapers outside keeps them white and stain free. This is because the sun naturally bleaches the stains on the diapers and makes them look fresh and new.

Following the tips mentioned in the above article will make washing cloth diapers easy for you, just like you do your regular laundry.

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