Cloth Diapering Wash Instructions

How To Wash Your Diapers...

Washing diapers seems to be the biggest concern for those unfamiliar with the whole cloth-diapering process, but it is really not as difficult as one may think. Read on to learn more. There is really not much to it now that most households have a washing machine.

Step 1...

- Wet diapers are tossed in the diaper pail.
- For exclusively breastfed babies, dirty diapers do not need rinsed. Simply toss them in the diaper pail and let your washing machine do the work. Feel free to rinse your diapers, if you prefer.
- For babies on solid foods, empty the contents of the diaper into the toilet and rinse the diaper. Simply swirl the diaper in the toilet. Flushing the toilet as you rinse works prevents splashing (but do hang on to the diaper and make sure no liners or wipes get flushed down by accident). The Mini-Sprayer (a sprayer that attaches to any commodes) is a tool that facilitates the rinsing task, but it is not necessary.

About Your Diaper Pail

Between washings, used diapers are stored in a pail. The big decision is whether or not to soak your diapers. Some prefer the “wet pail” method (to help fight stains and odours), but it is not necessary, especially if one will be washing their diapers every couple of days.

DRY PAIL METHOD	WET PAIL  Method:
- Rinse soiled diapers before putting in the diaper pail. - When time to wash, simply dump all of the diapers into the washing machine. - Clean your diaper pail at the laundry sink, or clean it with a wipe and some lavender or grapefruit essential oil (both anti-bacterial).	- Use a diaper pail with a locking lid, for safety. - Fill your pail half-way with cold water. - Add 1/4 cup borax or baking soda to help fight odours and staining. - When it is time to wash, drain liquid into toilet and then run the diapers through a spin cycle before washing.

Step 2...

- Diapers need to be laundered every two to three days. One should not wash more than 24 (or so) diapers per load as many more may be difficult to properly clean.
- A cold wash/rinse cycle is recommended as the first step (to fight stains). We found that a cup of vinegar in this cold wash got our diapers extra clean as it  helped to fight the ammonia from the urine.
- Now comes the wash. Add detergent to your machine (eco-friendly. phosphate-free is best) and clean your diapers on a hot wash cycle using the highest water level, followed by a cold rinse (which helps to eliminate soap residue).
- Run one last rinse cycle to eliminate any soap residue.
- Lastly, dry your diapers in the dryer on the hottest setting (to sterilize) or under the sun (the sun will also help fight any stains). Line-dried diapers may need to be put in the dryer for a few minutes to soften them.

PLEASE NOTE... - NEVER use chlorine bleach as it will break down the fibres of the diaper and reduce the life of your diapers.

- NEVER use fabric softener as it will affect the absorbency of your diapers. One can add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle which will help soften diapers and remove any soap residue, but this is not necessary.

The outcome will be fresh-smelling, clean diapers. You will quickly develop a system that works for you. That is all there is to it!

We are happy to help. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!

A Word About Phosphates...

Phosphates are added to detergents as a water softener. They free the water of calcium and magnesium, which makes washing easier. A side effect of this however is that phosphates lead to massive plant growth in the environment which chokes water life. Just like nitrate, phosphate is a nutrient for plants. Water plants and algae will grow strongly if there is a high concentration of phosphates in the water environment. During the day, these water plants produce oxygen with the help of daylight. However, a problem is created at night because they consume oxygen instead of producing it. Too much oxygen is then taken out of the water which means that plants, fish and other organisms are killed.