Cloth Diaper Series: My Wash Routine!

Washing cloth diapers is an icky part of every mommy’s laundry routine after switching from DDing to CDing. And since CDs are to be used over and over again its important to note that they are clean and fresh before each use!

Here’s how I do it:

Firstly you’ll need to check with the instructions given on the label cos some diapers may need special care. Speaking in general,you can just throw the dirty diapers straight into the washer without bothering much….but then you may want to soak those diapers that are too dirty.

What I do is…gently shake off the “poop” from them before storing them in my diaper pail..I generally wait until I’ve a fully loaded pail. And obviously any detergent that contains additives,whitening or brightening agents should be avoid.

I also avoid softners that could interfere with the diapers absorbency. I have not yet tried using bleach as it tends to break down the fiber of the diapers. (But I guess Bumgenius is the only brand that recommends bleaching their diapers once in a while).

I occasionally add some amount of vinegar….approximately one tablespoon to get rid of the foul ammonia-like-smell , it also helps in softening of the diaper.

And yes, my cloth diapers go into the washer separately (Never mix them up with other laundry). Diapers and covers can be washed together unless mention otherwise. Washing 10-12 diapers per cycle should work just fine for every washing machine.

This is the procedure I usually follow:

• Pre-wash in cold water
• Wash in hot water
• Rinse in cold water(extra rinse if required)

Before drying the diapers I do the sniff-test and check if they are all clean and fresh. I rinse again if they are even a li’l smelly. I line-dry all the diapers and covers together in sun which helps in whitening the diaper. And also helps in getting rid of the poopy colour that may remain after washing.

And that’s it. It’s not as difficult as it appears to be. But yes, I agree that it’s a bit time-consuming but then in the long-run I’ll be saving so many bucks!! Plus it’s also good for environment( At least People say so…but I’ve no idea about it !! 😊)