Cloth diapering has saved us and will continue to save us lots of money over the time we've used them, continue to use them until (A) is potty trained and hopefully slap them onto the next kid's butt. There are arguments over their environmental friendliness of cloth diapering as it does reduce trash, but it uses more water. We work hard to reduce and reuse and save money around here, so this was our first choice. I have been cloth diapering for almost a year and a half now and I realize that I have advice that others want, because a ton of you have asked me for it. So here it is. This post has A LOT of information so hold on tight if you're planning to go down the cloth diapering route.
If you are in the Memphis, TN area Babytime in Cordova is hosting The Great Cloth Diaper Change on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 11:00am. It is a fun event to beat the record for number of cloth diapers changed at one time. It's a nice way to connect with other local moms who you already have something in common with or to find out more about cloth diapering. In addition to the record setting, they will be having a cloth diaper yard sale and $1 raffle tickets for a chance to win some great giveaway items. See http://clothdiapermemphis.weebly.com/faq.html and https://www.facebook.com/events/235639953196704/ for more information.
Choosing the Right Diapering System
AIO's, AI2's, pockets, fitteds, one-size, prefolds, snaps, velcro, WTF is a Snappi... Sound familiar?
For starters, trying to select something you're going to deal with for a couple of years is maddening with so many choices. I chose to go with all one-size diapers with snap closures rather than fitted ones or those with velcro for a few of reasons: 1. cost effectiveness over the long haul since they grow with the kid, 2. less stuff to store over time, 3. velcro wears out over time and doesn't work very well once a child gets to the point where he/she figures out how velcro works (at about a year-old).
I was so overwhelmed during the research phase I actually did not order the diapers until the kid got here. I went with a random sampling of diapers with hopes of finding a balance in the mix. I purchased a 6-pack of BumGenius One-Size pocket diapers, a 4-pack of Fuzibunz One-Size pocket diapers, a couple Kawaii Snazzy Minky One-Size pocket diapers, 3 Flips One-Size covers with inserts both reusable and disposable, and a dozen prefolds with a trio of Bummi's Whisper Wraps in both the small and medium. I also received a gift of G-diapers in the smallest size.
The g-diapers did not work well for us, but I have friends that love them. Our prefolds with the Bummi's covers got a lot of use early on since you can adjust the fit perfectly with a bit of folding and a Snappi. We still use them as back ups if we go through the other diapers before laundry is finished. The Fuzibunz are the cutest and fit trim between the legs and under clothes, but they do not hold as much, so if you have a heavy wetter you will have to change those a bit more often than some of the other options. I use the Flips with the disposable inserts when I have to use a diaper rash cream on the kid, because you don't want that stuff to get into the fibers of the cloth diaper inserts as it will make them less absorbent and more prone to smells. (There are other options to use with cloth diapers, but I use what I have before investing in new things.) Now this brings me to my two favorties: The BumGenius diapers are great quality, wash well, fit well since you get to make any adjustments necessary, hold in messes, and look adorable. The Kawaii Snazzy Minky is maybe not the same quality as the BumGenius, but it is SUPER affordable, washes well, fits great, has a better snap system than BumGenius, works super well overnight with a second insert, and also has a whole host of cute designs.
The Stuff You'll Need to Cloth Diaper
-18-21 cloth diapers (although a set of prefolds with a couple of covers in addition to this number of AIO's or pocket diapers is a great idea)
-1 kitchen size trash can with a snap-close lid
-2 pail-liners (2 because you'll need the second when the other is in the wash. I use the Kissaluvs Antibacterial Pail Liner. It's the least expensive and works as well as any other. The only drawback is that it only comes in white, but since it is on the inside of a trashcan it color doesn't mean all that much.)
-A diaper sprayer
-A drying rack or line to sun them occasionally
-Laundry Soap that works well for cloth diapers. You can use my recipe for diaper detergent found here: http://eccentricedwards.blogspot.com/2012/03/diy-laundry-detergents-and-softeners.html or Crunchy Clean, Rockin' Green, Tide, or All free&clear. Keep in mind that factors such as water hardness or skin sensitivities can mean that one person's go to detergent or the "it" detergent of the moment may or may not work well for you.
This site has a list with detergent comparisons: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm
Wash and Care Routines/Instructions
When the diapers are brand new, you will need to wash them with HOT water about 6 times to before they are ready for use. This helps the fabric become more absorbent and washes away any residual manufacturing chemicals. After 6 or so washes they should be fully prepped.
Diapers really need to be washed about every other day. If you skip to 3-4 days you will notice a strong ammonia smell emanating from the pail, just like if you don't take disposables out in a timely fashion.
While the baby is still breastfeeding or drinking formula their poop is not solid (liquid in - liquid out). I know this will probably make you cringe, but I swear it will be OK. You can either spray those diapers off into the toilet with the diaper sprayer or seriously just throw them in the pail and then directly into the wash. I know what you're thinking: "Gross not in my washer!" And I probably wouldn't do this in a front load machine, but in a top load washer this is fine. Those washers are basically self-cleaning with all the detergent and bleach we put in them and their long rinse cycles. Once the kid starts eating real foods, the poop thing gets easier to deal with because once the poop becomes solid you just dump it into the toilet and then put the diaper right into the pail. Pee diapers are easy, just thrown directly into the pail.
The wash routine is simple. Pour diapers out of the pail liner into the washer and throw the pail liner in the wash, too. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar depending on the size of the load and about the same amount of detergent. Run them through a COLD 20 minute soak cycle. When that is finished, add another 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup detergent and run through a HOT heavy cycle. I sometimes run them through an extra rinse cycle if they were really soiled or I accidentally used too much laundry soap. Do NOT use bleach as it will damage the fibers and cause your diapers to wear out faster. And do NOT use fabric softeners as it will coat the fibers of the cloth making them water resistant and leaky. Diapers can be tossed right into the dryer or can be line/rack dried in the sun on occasion to get rid of any residual stains (which are rare but happen from time to time). When you are sunning to get rid of stains be sure to have the stain facing the most direct sun light. This has gotten rid of all stains we've come across. (This also works on adult laundry, specifically collar and underarm staining.)
Cloth Wipes and Wipe Solution
If you want to use cloth for everything, bless you. I use cloth wipes for pee clean ups, but I use disposables for poop messes. I know, I know... but I just can't do it. I use a lavender-tea tree oil solution to help heal and prevent diaper rashes and make that baby smell nice. But be careful because some people may have reactions to essential oils.
-25-30 thin, cheap baby washclothes you can get 10 for $2 at Walmart - to use as wipes
-1 spray bottle
Lavender-Tea Tree Oil Wipe Solution
-2 cups water
-2 tbsp lavender baby oil
-2 tsp lavender baby wash
-6-8 drops of lavender essential oil
-4-6 drops of tea tree oil
Mix the water, baby oil, baby wash, and essential oils and pour into the spray bottle. Spray that wet or dirty baby butt and wipe with cloth. Throw in pail and wash with the diapers.
Simple Clean Apricot Solution
-1 cup water
-1 tbsp apricot oil
-1 tsp of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap scented or unscented
Mix and pour into a spray bottle.
Or http://www.zany-zebra.com/cloth-wipe-solution.shtml has a list of solution recipes that are easy to make and work well.
Where Can You Find Cloth Diapers
I found everything online. There are tons of retailers, but here are some I found most helpful. If you want to go super cheap, you can go to www.diaperswappers.com create an account and find and buy what you want used directly from other moms, but you'll need to have a good idea of what you're looking for. If you want new and can afford some of the nicer lines, you can great things at www.kellyscloset.com. They were prompt, friendly, they give loads of discounts, and have a really helpful sister-site called http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com for all questions cloth diaper related and cool giveaways. For the Kawaii diapers you should visit http://www.theluvyourbaby.com/. It will be cheaper direct from the source and you have more color and style options. Many local baby shops and stores are beginning to get in on this and may carry a brand or two.
Troubleshooting
Leaks:
Let me begin by saying leaks and blowouts occasionally happen even with name-brand disposables so if it happens a time or two don't get discouraged. I don't know a single family who has ever not had this happen, just ask any parent. It's absolutely inescapable. That said, here are some things that may be helpful.
-Were the diapers washed the correct number of times before initial usage? If not a couple more washings
ought to do the trick.
-Fit needs to be adjusted. It may take a time or three before you find just the right adjustment the first few times you change things up. This becomes much easier as you go. By month 3 you'll be an old pro.
-You may have a heavy wetter. How often are you changing the diaper? It should be about every 2-3 hours, except at night. You can plan to change 10-14 diapers a day while the baby is very young. As they get older they hold their urine and bowels longer and go less often but more at a time, and you will only go through 6-10 diapers a day.
-Another solution for a heavy wetter and/or overnight is a second insert referred to as a doubler. There are lots of options on the market. Most of the pocket diapers you order with come with a doubler. This is where the Kawaii diapers beat the others as their doublers are awesome. I am not a huge fan of the hemp inserts as they tend to retain smells, even though they have great powers of absorption.
-Oh no you used the wrong detergent, fabric softener, or a diaper rash cream without a diaper liner... You may have to strip the diapers at this point. This is easy, I swear. I'll talk about this below.
Smells:
-Haven't found the best detergent for your water's hardness/softness yet - buy a couple of sample packets and try a few before settling on buying large amounts.
-A change of detergent - easy fix switch back.
-They sat too long before being washed or sat in the wash to long before drying and got mildewed. Add 1 cup of vinegar to the wash along with 1/2 cup of detergent. Wash on Hot full load to get the maximum amount of water to run through the machine. Run through an additional rinse cycle. Dry in the sun.
-High efficiency washing machines often do not have a long enough rinse cycle to remove all the urine or all the detergent and you may need to run them through an additional rinse cycle. If that doesn't do it, try this: wash a cold 20-minute soak cycle with 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup detergent, wash a full hot wash/cold rinse cycle with 1/4 cup detergent. Run a second cold rinse cycle.
-You may have a build up of detergent, diaper rash cream, fabric softener, whatever. These diapers may need to be stripped.
Stripping Diapers
If your diapers are dirty wash them before stripping, otherwise stains may be set in. Freshly washed diapers don't need to be dried before stripping. Before stripping be sure to check the washing instructions for your diapers so you don't accidentally damage them.
Run the diapers through a HOT wash cycle with NO detergent. Top loading machines are slightly easier to use when stripping because you can lift the lid to check for bubbles. They may also be more efficient at stripping due to the large amount of water they use. However, front loading washers can also be used successfully, it may take more cycles plus a bit of creativity and a flashlight to see bubbles.
The water should be as hot as possible so you may want to turn your water heater up beforehand, or boil water on the stove to add to the washer. If you change your water heater temperature be sure to turn it back down afterwards.
Rinse, rinse, rinse your cloth diapers in the hottest water your machine will allow. You just want to make sure no soap bubbles are hanging around. It could take four or more rinses to get rid of all the bubbles depending on the detergent you used and the amount. Don't confuse soap bubbles with agitation bubbles - agitation bubbles will dissipate quickly if you stop the washer while soap bubbles will hang around a bit.
SUN DRY THE DIAPERS!!! I cannot tell you how often this does the trick. Fresh air and sunshine are cloth diapers best friends.
Other Options in Case Stripping Doesn't Do the Job
It's rare that stripping doesn't do the job, but just in case here is a list that may help improve or fix a smelly laundry situation.
-Have you cut down on the amount of detergent you're using? Maybe you've stripped and stripped, but your diapers still stink? It could be that you're not using enough detergent. Try running a hot wash with a full cup of detergent then rinse, rinse, rinse.
-If you have hard water and use vinegar the acid in the vinegar could be reacting with the minerals in the water and causing odor. Cutting down or eliminating the vinegar may help in this case. Try 1/4 capful to begin with and use more or less as needed.
Sometimes cloth diapers need a little more than plain hot water to get completely stripped. If your diapers are still leaking or a faint odor remains after hot water stripping, you may want to try some of these ideas. Because the effectiveness of these methods depends on what kind of water you have and what kind of diapers you use, these methods won't work for everyone. Keep trying until you find one that works for you.
-White Vinegar naturally breaks down uric acid and soapy residue. The acid in white vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. It also prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew. Vinegar can be added to your final stripping rinse to remove the last of the detergent residue and to soften your cloth diapers - try 1/2 to 1 cup. Don't worry, your diapers won't smell like vinegar after they're dry.
-Baking Soda has been trusted for over 100 years as an effective, natural, gentle cleaner with no harsh chemicals. It can help balance pH, keeping things neither too acidic nor too alkaline, and resists further changes in pH balance. Add 1/2 to 1 cup to the wash cycle to neutralize and eliminate odors. Rinse until there are no bubbles in wash.
-Dawn Dish Soap - Add a squirt or two of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. Dawn is a degreasing agent and helps stripping by removing oily residue. If your microfleece is repelling (not allowing wetness to penetrate) try scrubbing a little Dawn right into the microfleece with a medium bristle brush. Be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse until the water runs clear with no bubbles. This works really well is you've gotten diaper rash cream into the diaper's fibers.
-OxiClean can be used to remove residue and improve stripping efficiency. It's an alkaline laundry booster containing chlorine and phosphorous. Try adding 2 scoops to a hot wash and then rinse completely.
-RLR by Cadie is not a bleach, blueing agent, or detergent. It removes dried-in mineral deposits and detergent residue from fabrics, pulling the deposits out of the fibers and suspending them in the water until they gets rinsed out. It is gentle and safe for all fabrics and PUL, and it is free of perfumes. Add one envelope to the hot wash and - you guessed it - rinse, rinse, rinse!
-Sensi-Clean and Sports-Wash are actually the same detergent, labeled differently to address different needs. Sensi-Clean and Sports-Wash do not contain perfumes or brightening dyes and have been proven to rinse completely clean leaving no residue on laundry. Add to your hot wash then rinse as needed.
-Bac-Out by Bi-O-Kleen is a natural alternative containing a unique blend of natural living enzyme cultures and botanical extracts. Bac-Out has been successfully used for stripping by some cloth diapering mamas, however other mamas have reported that their little ones developed a rash from diapers washed with Bac-Out. If you choose to use Bac-Out be sure to rinse a lot and keep an eye out for rashes.
-Calgon and other water softeners can help with stripping by removing hard water minerals that trap dirt into fabric fibers. Calgon also helps to prevent detergent build-up, neutralizes the hard water minerals in your water, and contains no phosphates. Expect lots of bubbles when using water softeners, so be sure to rinse until they're gone.
-Bleach is a last resort as it is NOT recommended for use in cloth diapers. But if you're at the end of your rope and it's a choice between using bleach or hating your cloth diapers and switching to disposables, bleach may be the answer. If you've tried everything else and your diapers still stink, add a little bleach to the hot wash. This can cause irritation to baby's skin so - rinse, rinse, rinse!
If you have anymore questions, please feel free to leave a comment. I'm all too happy to help.
