Washing Cloth Diapers "On-The-Go!"

By: Heather L. Sanders

Washing and caring for cloth diapers when away from home. Thinking of going on a family camping trip?  Are you "Leaving on a Jet Plane?"  Do you wonder if you can carry cloth on your vacation with hotel stays and long car trips?  Well, YES YOU CAN!  Not only that . . . it is much easier than you think!

Many of us feel that cloth diapering is something we can only do at home, but that isn't the case.  We don't pack disposable panties for ourselves when we are on the road, so why should we do it for our children?  A disposable is still a disposable - yes, it may seem convenient, but can you call the healthiest alternative for your child an 'inconvenience?'  Would you fail to pack their toothbrush/toothpaste? How about their clothing - it has to be washed when soiled.  We hope that after reading some of our experiences and recommendations, that you'll agree it isn't the hassle you anticipate.  TRY IT . . . YOU MIGHT LIKE IT!  Your baby/toddler will thank you!

What will you need:

• First, you need to consider how long you will be gone.  Is this a weekend adventure OR are you going to be gone for a week or more?  Plan ahead NOW by counting your baby's daily diaper usage while at home.  **Remember that when you are outdoors, you will need to hydrate your child more often . . . so add 2 to 3 more diapers per day for extra wetting due to extra fluids.

• While figuring in 'time away' from home, also figure in your location.  If you are going to be in a local state park or on the beach - you are most likely only going to be there a few days.  In which case, you could bring enough diapers for the whole trip and wash upon returning home.  However, if you are hiking and camping and packing-it-all-in on your back for a couple of weeks, then you need to take fewer diapers (no more than two or three days worth) and consider that you will be washing along the way.  You will also want to select diapers/covers that pack down easiest (prefolds) . . . and don't forget the cloth wipes!

• Storage is always an issue.  You need a waterproof - or water resistant tote that is large enough for you to carry your soiled diapers in.  Clean diapers and wipes, of course, can be carried in the bag of your choice.  Again, if you are going to be staying 'put' at a local state park/beach/camp grounds, you can easily take a small 20 qt. trash can with flip-top lid and lined with a nylon tote.  This type of camping does not have to differ too terribly much from your home routine.

• It would be a good idea to take a small bottle of Tea Tree Essential Oil (good for keeping odor down with its strong, fresh scent and can double-duty as an antiseptic for bug bites/scratches), a 4 oz. bottle of Dr.Bronner's Castile Soap (another 'double-duty' item as you can wash diapers, dishes, bodies and anything else with this concentrated soap) and a squirt bottle for your diaper wipe recipe (2 drops Tea Tree Oil, water and a squirt of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap).

• If your trip is going to be lengthy, also pack a bag of wooden clothespins and any thin, strong rope that can be secured between two trees for an 'instant' clothesline.  You would need this for your clothes as well . . . so, it shouldn't be an additional burden.

So here's the basic 'list' - depending on your particular camping trip/situation (look to bulleted list above):

1. Diapers - 2 to 3 dozen Prefolds (depending on the age of your child and the length of your trip).  Prefolds are the easiest to pack down flat and the easiest to clean and dry.

2. Diaper Covers - 6 to 12 diaper covers.  Using a nylon pull-on pant is wisest and most space-efficient as they fold down very flat and are cool (remember you aren't going for stylish - you are going for durable, breathable and space efficient).

3. Baby Wipes - 2 to 3 dozen (remember, these pull 'double-duty,' and will not only wash your baby's bum, but their hands, faces, bodies, etc. . . as well).

4. Large Nylon Diaper Tote or some other kind of waterproof or water-resistant drawstring bag.  You can take plastic, but once it is soiled . . . it is often difficult to clean for re-use.  Do NOT use canvas or a cotton based material for your soiled diapers.  They will soak through the bag and leave you with a mess.

5. 20-24 Qt. Diaper Pail - if you are going to be staying 'put.'

6. Tea Tree Essential Oil

7. 1 or 2 (4 oz.) bottles of Dr. Bronner's Natural Castile Soap

8. Squirt Bottle

9. Wooden Clothespins

10. A clothesline to secure between trees.

Changing, Washing, Drying and dealing with 'the remains of the day':

All you need for your diaper changes is a fresh diaper, a baby wipe, your wipe mixture in the squirt bottle and a good attitude.  Change your baby as you would at home.

• DEALING WITH THE POOP:

  •  If your diaper is soiled and you are in a place where there are restroom facilities (be it public restrooms or outhouse), dump the diaper in the proper facilities. 

  • If you are hiking and do not have facilities where you are camping-out for flushing away solid waste, treat your baby's waste as you would your own - find a place out of the way and bury it.  This is simple camping hygiene.

• URINE ONLY DIAPERS: 

  • If you have public running water, rinse the diaper out and wring it before tossing it into your waterproof tote.  (If you will rinse them and wring them out, they will not harbor as much acrid urine smell.)  If you do not have running water . . . it is not essential - just throw your diapers into your waterproof tote.  In most cases, you will be returning to 'civilization' before 3 days time and can do all your washing at home.

  • If you are near a river, a brook or stream, you have an advantage . . . you can rinse your diaper out, but be sure that you rinse it out downstream (and take notice of other 'campers' - if they are bathing downstream . . . it wouldn't be appropriate for you to be rinsing out a soiled diaper upstream).

  • If you are at a lake, the same rule does not apply.  It is better to collect water in a jug and pour it over your diaper in a place away from the campsite, then wring it out before throwing into the pail.

• WASHING AND DRYING:

  • If you are on a prolonged trip, you will run out of diapers and need to wash and dry them.  Easy enough.  if you are near running water, go downstream from your water source and take some Dr. Bronner's Natural Castile Soap.  This will not be detrimental to the river, brook or stream that you are washing in.   You can wash and scrub the diapers directly in the stream by squirting the soap on the diaper, folding it in half and using one side of the cotton prefold to scrub the other.  Make sure you rinse the soap completely.

  • In the case that you have carried in water or you are near a lake, soak the diaper with fresh water, repeat the process of scrubbing/washing the prefold and rinse thoroughly.  DO NOT WASH your diapers directly in the lake.  The water is not 'running' and you cannot be certain what you wash out of your diaper won't become part of your 'swimming hole' or 'bathing supply' later.

  • Hang dry your diapers with any stains facing out towards the sun for a 'sun-bleaching.'  The sun will sterilize your diapers as they dry.  If you do not need them in a hurry, try pinning two diapers back to back for a slower dry time . . . this will keep them from getting as crunchy.

• MOVING CAMP or PACKING-OUT  BEFORE DIAPERS ARE WASHED:

  • When hiking, you may need to 'move camp' before you've had the opportunity to wash your diapers.  If you know this might be the case, you should always rinse out your diapers between washes and either hang dry them or lay them out on the ground to dry.  DRY DIAPERS are lighter weight than WET DIAPERS!!  You can stack them in your soiled diaper tote DRIED until you are able to get to a stopping point where they can be washed thoroughly.

Final Note: 

Once you develop a good system, you will wonder why you ever considered doing it any other way. Fact is, especially with hiking trips, what you 'pack-in' you have to carry out.  So, if you are packing-in disposables, you will have to keep them with you the entire trip.  Disposables will attract more pestilence and will secrete more odor than your cloth diapers AND are not re-usable.  You may go in with a 'light weight' of unused trim and folded-down disposables, but you will emerge with a heavy bag of stinky diapers.  Uggh!

 
Content Copyright © Heather L Sanders.
May not be reprinted without permission.