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Washing and Caring for Cloth Diapers and Covers
By: Heather L. Sanders
Diapers demand to be WASHED.
Read here for more information. The washing system for cloth diapers
and diaper covers is really very
BASIC - designed to take up the least amount of time possible,
and in conjunction with that idea, utilize the least amount of tangible
space.
Regardless of the Diapering System you choose, the washing
suggestions below will have you washing, on average, every
2 days. Your diapers will remain stain free, smell fresh,
and retain maximum absorbency!
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Click on the links below for more information.
 First Things First:
Diaper Pail Choices:
Washing Methods:
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Okay, so you've researched the type of
diapers that you want and have purchased them . . . you may even have them tucked
away or neatly folded into your baby's diaper closet, changing table, bins
or wherever. Now the questions linger about the storage of soiled
diapers between washings. Thoughts like, "Should I use a wet or
dry pail?" or "What do I do with the diaper before
throwing it in the pail?"
Well, we hope to make those tasks seem as
easy as they are by giving you a simple breakdown that includes a couple of
recommendations for a
Washing Machine Diaper Storage
that
alleviates the need for a diaper pail completely and some
'On-The-Road'
tips! Oh, and of course, you will need to know what to do
'Before You Pail It!'
Understand that your family will develop a
'unique' system over time as you discover what works for you and your
given space and time. Maybe you wash every day, or every
two days. Maybe you have your own washer or dryer . . . or maybe you
are in an apartment and need to use a laundry-mat. You could have a
washer and no dryer and line-dry either outside or hang-dry throughout the
house/apartment. Fact is, no two homes will function the same and
you will naturally lean toward one method above the other. Our goal
is to offer you a few solutions/suggestions and let you choose what you'd
like to 'start with' in your own personal approach.
If you feel we've left anything out or have
any suggestions to add, please feel free to
Contact Us
with the information or even, questions.
Otherwise, know that the methods below have been tested and used by us
personally or have been researched thoroughly, so we feel confident in bringing them to you.
Before you Pail It:
Obviously, there is a process between baby
soiling the diaper and that diaper making its way into a pail. But it
doesn't have to be much. We are not huge advocates of diaper dunking,
wringing and rinsing
before pailing. We didn't do it regularly - don't plan on doing it with
future children - haven't suffered stains as a result of NOT doing
it. What we prefer to do is to change our babies and shake
off any 'remains' that might be in the diaper into the toilet.
If it doesn't fall off or wipe off easily with a bit of toilet
paper, it will come off easily in the wash. After that, we
may pre-treat what looks to be a particularly difficult stain before throwing the diaper,
cover (if the cover has been soiled) and cloth baby wipe into the
diaper pail or washing machine.
Yes, you can believe that gone are the days
of 'swirling' your diapers regularly in the toilet - let your washing machine do
the work!
The only instance where this SHOULD NOT BE the
case is when you have a sick child or if/when your child has had immunizations
or been on antibiotics.
At that point, it is a good idea to do what is necessary to thoroughly cleanse diapers
before throwing them in a diaper pail (and may we suggest
that if you do not use gloves to protect yourself from the
bacteria/active virus in the loose stools/diarrhea, that you wash
your hands thoroughly afterwards). When a child is sick, a
good amt. of the bacteria, along with remnants of medicine, etc. .
. comes out via their stool. After a child has been
vaccinated it is essential that you take care in handling their
stool.
Dry Pail Soiled Diaper Storage
Supplies needed:
I prefer the flip-top lidded trash cans which can be purchased from any local bargain store/super
center. Since it is a DRY PAIL that we are talking about, there is no
need for a lid that seals, because it does not pose the dangers of
drowning that a WET PAIL does. The only threat for a child that
finds their way into this pail is singed nose hairs. If you choose
a 20 to 24 qt. pail, it will easily hold two days worth of small diapers.
Storing soiled diapers for more than 2 days is never recommended, so
this method kept me on my toes!
Nylon Totes are reusable, washable, water-resistant and
hardy - and therefore, easy on the environment and your budget. You
could use plastic bags, but you would need to throw them away each time
you emptied the pail. The Nylon Totes can be thrown in with the diapers
to wash and hung inside-out to dry on a cupboard knob, the clothesline,
the back of a chair - wherever. If at a laundry-mat, they can be
thrown into the dryer for a few minutes for a 'quick-dry,' but it is not
recommended to leave them in there for more than 10 minutes!
We have used the Bummis
Nylon Totes both in our diaper bags and in our diaper pail.
The Large Nylon Tote fits easily into our 20 qt. flip-top lidded trash
can and we keep (2) to rotate between washings. Their simple
design with pull-string and toggle makes dry pailing simple at washing
time. Just pull up on the drawstring closing the tote, pull it out and
transport it to the washing machine (be it in your home or at the
laundry-mat). Wash it with the diapers and you can use it to
transport your diapers back to the folding area or home (if you are
washing at a laundry-mat). We love things that pull 'double-duty!'
Any waterproof, water-resistant or laminated bag serves
this purpose well. You will want to avoid a cotton or woven bag,
because it will absorb the moisture from the soiled diapers, retain
smell and will require you to clean your diaper pail, along with the
diaper tote, after each use. Plus, any woven, cotton-based, or even
canvas-based, cover may potentially stain. We have been told that the
nylon draw-string sacks that hold sleeping bags have been used and can
be found in the camping area at any 'outdoors' store.
Optional Dry-Pail Supplies for Dry Pail 'smells':
-
Tea Tree or Lavender Essential Oils - A
couple of drops on a paper towel or rag thrown into the dry pail can help eliminate a good amount of the ammonia-like odor.
You can find Essential Oils at your local Whole Foods or Natural Foods
Store . . . usually near the fresh herbs.
-
Fabric Softener Sheets - Although we do not
recommend the use of Fabric Softener sheets in the dryer when drying
diapers (or for clothes, for that matter) . . . if you lay one of these on top of your diapers, it can
help ward off strong smells. Try to stick with more baking soda
based softener sheets. The more perfume it has, the more likely it
will interact negatively with the ammonia smell of urine and you will
have created a worse smell than you started with initially.
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Baking Soda - Sprinkle 1/4 cup of baking soda in
the bottom of your pail and add a sprinkle here and there on the top
when you feel the smell is getting strong.
Another way to prevent dry pail smells is to rinse your
diapers thoroughly before 'pailing' them. We did not do this and
did not feel that we suffered terribly from a smelly diaper pail
(although if you stick your nose down in there . . . well, you deserve
the whiff that you get). However, if you will rinse out your
diapers after changing, a good deal of the smell will be alleviated.
In this case, the only add'l 'supplies you might need is a pair of
waterproof gloves to protect your hands (and only if you are a bit
squeamish about putting your hands into a toilet or around a soiled
diaper). I did not regularly use gloves - just washed my hands
thoroughly after diaper changes.
When using our In-House Washing Method, we also did
not often experience problems with staining. The few times
staining did occur, it was easy enough to alleviate with a cold soak in
baking soda overnight and line-drying in the sun! However, if you
are concerned about leaving diapers for even two days in a dry pail
without pre-treating, try one of the following AFTER rinsing your
diapers and before putting them in the dry pail.
-
Spray a solution of 1/2 distilled white vinegar and 1/2
distilled water on the soiled area. This will keep a stain from
setting in.
-
Squirt an enzyme stain remover (Bac-Out by Bio-Kleen is one example) -
the live enzyme
cultures can safely, naturally and effectively eat away at any/all
organic waste. This may not leave your diapers STAIN FREE, but
definitely is effective in deep cleansing.
Wet Pail Soiled Diaper Storage
Supplies needed:
With wet pails it is absolutely ESSENTIAL that you choose a diaper pail
that has a tight lid that seals/locks. I cannot express this
enough. The danger is that curious children can easily fall HEAD
FIRST into these pails and drown. It HAS happened and it is
something you MUST consider before bringing a wet pail system into your
home.
When using a wet pail, you do not need any type of nylon
liner. You should fill the diaper pail about 1/4 of the way with
water and then, you can add any of the following to help 'pre-treat' and
soak possible stains and to cut down on diaper pail odor:
-
2 or 3 squirts
of Bac-Out Stain and Odor Eliminator
-
1/4 cup vinegar (also neutralizes urine)
-
1/4 cup Borax
-
1/4 cup Baking Soda or A&H Washing Soda
-
3
drops of Tea Tree Oil
Do not add detergent in with the water in your wet pail. This is
harsh on your diapers and will wear them down over time. Detergent was
never intended to be a soaking agent. DO NOT ADD CHLORINE BLEACH .
. . this will eat away at your diaper's fibers and render them useless
for absorption, plus, they will start developing 'holes' and 'tears.'
It is also essential with a wet pail that you change out
the water daily in order to avoid ghastly odors and the build-up of
grime on your diapers. If left too long, the water will 'lift'
gunk from one soiled diaper and transfer it to another. What might
have amounted to one stain, could become several and your diapers will
smell as if they have soaked in sewage.
Wet pails are often heavy and difficult to manage.
Make sure you do not get too large a wet pail or you will not easily be
able to lift it to pour into your washer for the initial 'spin cycle'
that you will need to incorporate into your washing system. They
are also not ideal for those that go to the laundry-mat. Please do
not just 'pour' your diapers into the washer without first
unfolding/unrolling them. They need to be opened for a more
thorough cleaning.
Washing Machine Soiled Diaper Storage
Supplies needed:
- Top-Loading Washing Machine
If your washing machine is conveniently
located inside your home this is the way to go! This has been our
PRIMARY diaper pail system and we have found that it eliminates a lot of
the 'middle work' that we wanted to avoid. It does NOT require a DIAPER
PAIL, but is a safe 'wet pail' alternative and saves you time! Do
remember to keep the lid down when not placing soiled diapers into the
washer.
Keep your washing machine filled either
1/4 or 1/2 the way with COLD water. Then, add any of the following
to help 'pre-treat' and soak possible stains and to cut down on diaper
pail odor.
-
3 to 4 squirts of Bac-Out Enzyme Stain
Remover
-
1/4 cup vinegar (also neutralizes
urine)
-
1/4 cup Borax
-
1/4 to 1/2 cup Baking Soda or A&H
Washing Soda
-
3 drops of Tea Tree Oil
DO NOT add detergent in with the water in your washing machine.
This is harsh on your diapers and will wear them down over time.
Detergent was never intended to be a soaking agent. Also, DO NOT
ADD CHLORINE BLEACH . . . this will eat away at your diaper's fibers and
render them useless for absorption, plus, they will start developing
'holes' and 'tears.'
It is also essential, just as with a wet pail system, that you change
out the water daily in order to avoid ghastly odors and the build-up of
grime on your diapers. However, in a washing machine, this is a
simple process, because you can spin it out before going to bed at night
and re-fill to the appropriate level for the amount of diapers you have
soaking. Remember, if left too long, the dirty water will 'lift'
gunk from one soiled diaper and transfer it to another. What might
have amounted to one stain, could become several and your diapers will
smell as if they have soaked in sewage.
So, what's the tote for? Well, there is always
family laundry day. In which case, you can leave a Nylon Diaper Tote on the top of the
dryer to serve as a short-term DRY PAIL for other soiled diapers
while you are doing the family's laundry.
If you already have diapers soaking and need to do a
load of household laundry, spin those diapers out and place them inside
the Large Nylon Tote until you are ready, once again, to either soak or
wash your diapers! If you are ready to wash them, after spinning
them out, just follow through with your washing method.
Click here to read more about our
In-House Washing Method.
Content Copyright © Heather L Sanders.
May not be reprinted without permission.
About the author ::
Heather Sanders lives in Huntsville, TX with her husband and 3 kids. Heather has started and sold two successful online cloth diapering businesses, including The Diaper Hyena. In addition to those two businesses, she has written exclusively for Diaper Pin in the Cut of Cloth section. Shortly thereafter, she wrote a few articles for Natural Family Online and in 2004, served as one of the Moderators for the Cloth Diapering Forums at Mothering.com. Later, she worked as the Assistant Administrator for the entire forum and served on the Expert Panel at Mothering.com for Cloth Diapering.
Heather was one of the founders of Real Diaper Association, owns and manages Clothdiapersale.com and blogs personally at www.ohmystinkinheck.com.
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