Before Cloth Diapers

I don't have a fancy washing machine or dryer. It's your standard, run-of-the-mill top loading washer and front-loading dryer. I don't have a boil cycle on my washing machine, and my dryer has two heat settings... Dedicates and Permanent Press (Cool or Hot, basically).

Historically, I've always loved perfumes in my washing products. My favorites were Cheer (because it reminds me of the smell of clothes after my grandmother washed them), and vanilla scented Fleecy.

I used to believe you needed those perfumes to make clothes smell nice. Never in a million years would I have thought that the perfumes (and a lot of other junk) that they put in those enzyme-loaded detergents could actually make your clothes smell bad! In fact, I think the perfumes are there because they're meant to mask the nasty smell from all the buildup those detergents put on your clothes over time.

After Cloth Diapers

I found out when I bought my diapers that I could void the 1 year warranty on my Fuzzi Bunz if I used enzyme-loaded detergents or fabric softeners (which coat the diaper and destroy their absorbency). I also found out that even if I used these detergents in my non-diaper loads that there could be a residue buildup in my machines that would transfer on to my diapers even if I used diaper-safe only detergent in those loads.

So, to be on the safe side, I decided to switch my washing detergents completely, and stop using fabric softeners (liquid and sheets) altogether. I don't even use bleach anymore! For my regular loads I'm using Nellie's detergent.

The biggest reason is cost... Nellie's is cheaper than what I am using for my diaper loads, and is one of the least expensive "safe" brands on the market. It's also the brand that is carried at my diaper shop. Once you purchase the tin, refills are cheaper too ($14.00 per refill, 100 loads per tin). It leaves clothes clean in either hot or cold temperature, scent-free... just clean.

For my diapers, I am using Rock'n'Green detergent. While it does come in a variety of "natural" scents, I find they don't actually perfume the laundry at all (there is no staying power to them). There is literally just "no" smell... good or bad, after I wash the diapers when washed right.

How do you store dirty diapers between washes?

Gone are the days of soaking your diapers in chemicals. It is actually a drowning hazard to have a wet pail in your baby's room! All you need is a pail with a tight lid close to your change table and a couple of PUL lined bags.

I picked up a cute little pail that looks like a mini garbage pail with a lid from Wal Mart for $8.00, and 2 PUL lined bags (the kind without handles and an elastic at the top). I literally put a clean bag inside the pail and take the full one out, and rotate between the two bags.

When it comes time to do the laundry, simply remove the PUL bag filled with the dirty diapers (twisting the top to keep any smell inside while you transport it to the laundry room). Empty the PUL bag completely into the washing machine turning the bag inside out, then toss the bag into the machine with the diapers, close the lid, and wash!

Note: If you are using any pocket type diapers or systems with several parts that snap together, make sure you separate all parts before washing. If you don't, the parts may not wash or dry completely or properly or even worse, you can develop mold problems!

How do you wash diapers properly?

The most important thing I learned was that in order to get diapers clean

1. Use as much water as possible in relation to the diapers being washed
2. The water must be as hot as possible for the wash cycle.
3. Use a small amount of detergent, but enough to "wash" the diapers.

This third point may seem cryptic, but it's actually explained on the package. Most diaper (natural) detergents are heavily concentrated powders without a lot of "junk" added, so a tablespoon or two is generally all you need. If you have an HE machine, you will need even less detergent.

I always use the highest water setting possible, and I never "stuff" the washing machine until it's packed. I will generally fill the compartment 1/3 full of diapers (dried), and 2/3 water. Some will say that to get diapers properly clean, you should first do a cold rinse, then a hot wash (with the detergent) with a cold rinse at the end. I have found that with a newborn who is exclusively breastfed that you can skip the first cold rinse, but eventually when you introduce solid foods (or forumula) that this extra rinse will become necessary.

Also, with breastfed babies, you do not need to dump, rinse or swirl any poo off the diapers because it is completely water-soluable. If you are at a stage with your baby where you should be rinsing your diapers off, or somehow disposing of poo, you can buy a sprayer device that attaches to your toilet, and/or you can use disposable fleece liners that "peel" the poo out of your diaper to be flushed away.

I dry all of my diaper parts together on a low setting, however, if you find that your dryer isn't getting everything "dry" the first run, you can hang your covers (the waterproof parts) and run the absorbent parts only on a high setting to dry them faster. Keep in mind, doing this might mean your covers dry slower though.

So To Recap

1. Change your laundry detergents over to diaper-safe detergents. If you are unsure if your detergent is safe or not, check out this link: Diaper Safe Detergent Chart
2. Run the "safe" detergent through your washing machine a couple of times, ideally with loads of towels, and then through your dryer to strip away any residue from unsafe detergents and dryer sheets
3. Store your diapers in a dry pail with a PUL lined bag (that gets washed with your diapers)
4. For exclusively breastfed babies, no poo rinsing is needed
5. For solid/formula fed babies, you will need to remove the poo off your diaper by rinsing or using disposable liners to "peel" it off your diaper before laundering
6. Wash the diapers and PUL bag together
7. Dry your covers with your diapers (or inserts) on a LOW tumble dry setting or on a line. (You can dry cotton/hemp/bamboo diapers and inserts by themselves on high heat, as long as no waterproof parts are in the dryer.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them and I'll answer as soon as possible!