How do YOU clean cloth diapers?

**dndylfe** · 07-29-2005, 11:57 PM

I've just switched over to cloth diapers this last week and am looking for a good system for cleaning them.

Diaperpin.com suggests that you prewash in baking soda than wash in hot water with washing soda, then rinse in white vinegar. It seems to help with the smell, but I wanted some second and third opinions.

Also, do you use a dry or wet pail??

**canadian gardener** · 07-30-2005, 12:36 AM

my goodness that's a lot of work. It was 22 years ago but here's what I did and why.

I used to dump mine in a pail with a slosh of vinegar. (dump the solids into the toilet, then pop into pail with the rest)

Vinegar cuts apart the ammonia molecule which causes the smell. you don't need too much. It also slows down the bacteria that feed on urea, and create ammonia (which causes the rash, AND the eye watering smell)

it softens the diapers, without harming the fabric as bleach tends too. Once in a while bleach them just for stain removal.

I didn't use a lot of water in that pail either, just a little in the pail to help distribute the vinegar and keep them damp. Nothing a toddler could drown in by falling in head first.

Once a day empty the water from the pail into the sink/tub/toilet (whatever is close)

Take the wet load of day's diapers (this is where my load a day keeps the dr away system started)

and dump in washer.

Turn it onto a spin, just for a few moments to wring out the worst liquid.

Then dump detergent as per usual wash (HOT WASH COLD RINSE kills diaper rash germs) and let it run thru. Do a double deep rinse or just run thru a rinse cycle again. This gets rid of the last traces of detergent.

I didn't bleach them very often, usually just hung them on the line in the sun. Sun removes stains too.

Sunlight will sanitize them and kill the diaper rash germs,

so will bleach

and vinegar retards the diaper rash germs from growing. Take your pick.

**many houseapes** · 07-30-2005, 02:10 AM

As a proud momma of nine, here is what i've done and am still doing... I don't use the store bought diapers b/c if you use bleach, they will shread like crazy. I use diapers made from t shirts, blankets, etc. So I use bleach...but I wash the plastic pants w/ the dark clothing b/c bleach will ruin them as well.....for a pail, I just use a regular small kitchen garbage pail that I keep in the garage..that costs about 2-3 dollars at big lots....and I use regular laundry soap (extra or sun) and so far, none of my kiddos have had a reaction.

**Kimberlina** · 07-30-2005, 09:13 AM

For pee diapers, I just put them in the normal laundry. When DD was smaller, I had to be exceedingly careful about the detergent I used, which is why I didn't use cloth exclusively. (None worked for her skin, so I would have to make sure they were very well rinsed or she would get chemical burns from the enzymes in even the "gentlest" detergents reacting with the pee.) Cold water wash.

For dirty, I would do a separate pre-wash rinse, cold water, then wash them with whatever else I wanted to. Regular detergent- nothing special added. If ther were any residual stains, I would put them in a sunny window to bleach out. Never had a problem with smell. Never used a diaper pail (and as a matter of fact, wet pails aren't recommended now, as they are a drowning hazard.)

**Jasmine** · 07-30-2005, 10:05 PM

We use a dry pail. I tape a deodisk to the bag to help with smells but I find the trash smells worse when I use sposies than the cloth smell. When I wash, it's a cold rinse, longest HOT wash with about 2 tablespoons of Tide with 2 cold rinses. When I first started cloth I would do the whole baking soda/vinegar thing and DD got a few rashes. I took out all the extras and simplified my wash routine. She hasn't had a rash since. I read the pin forums sometimes and read there once that you should start with the simplest washing. Only add things or change things if the simplest doesn't work. I absolutely LOVE cloth diapering!!

**SewCrafty** · 07-31-2005, 08:02 AM

Hey Mom where are you? Ladies my mom has washed more loads of diapers than any 10 women I know! manyhouseapes, I bet you are well on your way too!

**Darlene** · 07-31-2005, 10:53 AM

I sent mine away for the diaper service to deal with.

Sorry, I'm no help.

**dndylfe** · 07-31-2005, 11:50 PM

Did you ever sanitize the diaper pins?

**Darlene** · 08-01-2005, 07:28 AM

Originally posted by dndylfe
Did you ever sanitize the diaper pins?

Sure, just washed them with soap & threw them into boiling water.

Another way of doing it is to make up a bleach water soulution: combine 5 ml (1 tsp.) bleach and 500 ml (2 cups) water and put some in a small bowl and add pins. This solution is good for wiping down the changing table too, just put in a spray bottle and store away from children.

**dndylfe** · 08-05-2005, 10:39 AM

Thanks for the good advice.

Sometimes the plastic pants seem to retain smells, but they've been washed the same way as prefolds. Should I wash them separately??