Prepping, washing, stripping... oh my!

One of the most frequent questions I get asked about cloth diapers is "how will I wash them?" Once you get your routine down, the washing is as simple as doing your every day laundry.

The first thing you need to do when you get purchase your new diapers is prep them. Prepping simply means washing them before you use them. Prepping the diapers will remove any residue from manufacturing,  allow them to "fluff up" and they will become much softer. Diapers made from different types of fabrics will need to be prepped differently. I do recommend following any of the manufacturer's directions for prepping as they may vary slightly.

Prepping:
In order to prep all-in-one (AIO) and pocket diapers that have microfiber inserts (examples of these are bumGenius and Kawaii) you can wash them once with warm/hot water. You can use detergent (cloth safe, please!) when prepping but it is not required.

Prepping natural fibers (unbleached cotton, bamboo, etc.) are a little different. These diapers must be washed in hot water and dried between 3 to 5 times before they reach their maximum absorbency. Multiple pre-wash and dry cycles will remove any natural waxy oils on the fabric and allow them to absorb much better. Again, detergent is not required.

Synthetic fibers and natural fibers can NOT be prepped together due to the oils that natural fabrics contain. However, after the diapers are prepped they can be washed together. Whew!

Now that your diapers are prepped you can start using them and then you will settle on a wash routine. Again, each manufacturer may propose a wash routine for their diapers. I always recommend following that.

Washing:
We briefly discussed detergent in my previous entry. My "go-to" cloth diaper detergent is Rockin' Green however there are many other brands that are cloth safe as well. A common misconception is that detergents labeled "all and clear" are cloth safe. This is not always the case because they can lead to detergent build up that will cause leaking.  I wash my diapers every other day. This is the routine I follow:

Step 1: I run a cold cycle with OUT detergent. This helps to remove any stains and gets the "ickies" out of the diapers.

Step 2: I run a hot cycle with 2 tablespoons of Rockin' Green (this amount may vary if you have a HE machine.) I also add an extra cold rinse to this cycle.

Step 3: I toss my inserts, wet bag, pail liner and cloth wipes into the dryer. I hang all of my covers and AIO's on a drying rack. I do not dry my covers in the dryer.

It is that easy! 

When babies are exclusively breast fed their diapers can be thrown straight into the washing machine with out any extra work. This is because breast milk is water soluble. Once babies start solids and their waste become a little more.. well... solid, it does require an extra step. Any waste must be removed from the diaper before it is put in the washing machine. This is when flushable liners or a diaper sprayer come in handy.

I also want to reiterate the amazing work that the sun can do for diapers. I sun my diapers every chance I get. It removes all of the stains and my diaper will look brand new. It also helps to cut down on drying time.

Stripping:
If your diapers are leaking or starting to smell a little funky the second they get wet or soiled then you may need to strip. Stripping diapers removes detergent buildup and corrects improper wash methods. Just like there are many different wash routines, there are many different ways to strip. As always- I always recommend following the manufacturer's suggestions. 

bumGenius recommends adding 1/4c of bleach to your hot wash cycle once a month to avoid any of the issues mentioned above. 

You can also use a product called RLR Treatment to strip your diapers. 
You add the entire packet into your hot wash cycle without detergent or any other laundry additives.
Continue repeating hot wash cycles until you can look in your top loader or view through the window of your front loader and not see any foam or suds; the water should be clear.

Please remember to never use dryer sheets with your cloth diapers, in fact, I don't recommend using them for your regular laundry in a dryer where your diapers will be dried. You also should never use the "sanitize" cycle on your HE machine. That water gets way too hot and can ruin the waterproof lining in your diapers. Also, most diaper rash creams are not cloth diaper safe. I carry two great diaper rash creams that are: Earth Mama Angel Baby and Lost River Naturals. If you have to use a diaper rash cream that is not safe than always put down a barrier between the cream and the diaper. Fleece liners or flushable liners are great for this. 

Well there you have it, the basics of washing your diapers. Once you get into a routine it will be like second nature. I really believe that a good wash routine is key to taking good care of your diapers. If you are having to strip your diapers more than once every couple months than your wash routine may need some tweaking!

Cloth Diapering Accessories

Since we have covered the different types of cloth diapers we are going to discuss the "extras" you may need. I am going to list them in order of importance (my personal opinion- yours may vary!)

Detergent: Ask any cloth diapering mama what laundry detergent she uses for her diapers and you will get 10 different responses. This goes for wash routines as well but that is a whole separate blog entry! I have used Rockin' Green Detergent from the start and have had WONDERFUL luck with it. Jackson has very sensitive skin and it has never given him a rash or even made him red. I think they key to cloth diapering is a good detergent along with a good wash routine. Because of that I recommend Rockin' Green. Yes, your sister's husband's wife's cousin makes her own laundry detergent and has never had any issues but I will stick to my Rockin' Green. We use Bare Naked Babies (the unscented version.)  I use 2 tablespoons, wash every other day and 1 bag lasts me about 2- 2 1/2 months. For $17 bucks and no stink issues- I'll take it!

Wet Bag/ Pail Liner: Both of these have been a must for me. I carry a medium size Planet Wise wet bag in my diaper bag at all times. It holds between 5-7 diapers and has a zipper closure so it keeps the "stink" in.
                                    

I wash this every time I wash my diapers (every other day.) I dump all of the diapers into the wash, no need to touch them. Then throw the bag in the wash with the diapers. Simple as that! 

When we are at home, I use a Planet Wise Pail Liner because this holds more diapers. It fits right into a standard size kitchen trash can (lid and foot pedal are a definite plus!) I empty this the same way as my wet bag. Dump it and straight into the wash. 

Planet Wise also has a large size wet bag. It zippers closed and has a handle that can hook to the door knob/changing table. 

Some people use these instead of a pail liner. I did at first but once Jackson started to roll and I was more cautious about leaving him on the changing table unattended (I know.. I know.. bad mom) I switched to the liner with a trash can so I could do everything with one hand. 

Drying Rack: I try to sun my diapers as much as possible. The sun is amazing for getting out stains, removing stink, saving money, etc. I use a foldable drying rack that way I can hang them in the house if it is raining or easily move it to the back deck on a sunny day. Something like this works great!

Cloth Wipes/Solution: These are not a necessity but they really make things so much easier. I used to use disposable wipes while I was out but found it a real hassle having to separate the wipe from the wet  bag or finding a trash can if I wasn't changing him near a trash can. I used cloth wipes at home so I'm not sure why I waited to so long to use them out and about. I now use a Planet Wise Wipe Pouch and flannel wipes that I wash right along with my diapers. 

I store my wipes dry and use a diaper solution spray that I spray onto the cloth wipe right before I change him. Some people like to store their wipes wet, either way is fine and this bag is perfect for either option.

Flushable Liners: Flushable liners are a great solution for when baby starts solid foods and you must remove waste from the diaper before putting them in the wash. They lay on top of the diaper and you can flush them right down toilet. They are also great to use if you are fighting a stubborn diaper rash and have to use a cream that isn't cloth diaper safe. I also used them for the early days of the meconium poos that are notorious for staining your beautiful new diapers you have been waiting to try out. 

Diaper pins? Gone are the days that diaper pins are needed to secure a flat/prefold. We used Snappis, they worked great for us but I really became a fan of the trifold rather than using a Snappi. This is how a Snappi works:

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I recently found Boingos which are similar to Snappi but require less work and are a lot cuter! Also great for reflux or colicky babies because the tab does not stretch across their sensitive tummy. These will be at the store very soon and I will let you know what I think about them.  Here is how Boingos work:

Diaper Sprayer: This is another option for getting the solid waste our of a diaper before washing (instead of flushable liners.) It hooks to the back of your toilet so you can spray the diaper contents into the toilet. This is not on my must have list but some people can't live without them. You will find what works best for your family!  

                                               

Extra Inserts/Doublers: Extra inserts or doublers are great for naps/overnight/long car rides. They increase the absorbency in the diaper and help to prevent leaks. There are several different types: microfiber, bamboo, hemp, charcoal bamboo, etc. I have never had to purchase extra inserts as most pocket diapers come with two and that has always worked fine for us. I use two microfiber inserts in a pocket diaper at night or occasionally one bamboo and one microfiber and we don't have any leaks. Once again, you will find out what works best for your family. 

Now that we have discussed all of the "extras" we will move onto prepping/wash routines/stripping... stay tuned.