Wash cloth diapers

17. November 2022

By Anja Herren - Kaja Babymode
There are many myths about cloth diaper washing. I would even say most of the prejudices against cloth diapering are buried in the washing. Because of boiling on the stove! Washing cloth diapers is easy - I promise. Here come my tips for a washing routine that's easy to incorporate into everyday life, yet still addresses the most important points against stinky diapers. Note: This is about PUL diapers and absorbent pads. Info around wool diaper care can be found here.

Use

Use diaper fleece (single use) or fleece (washable) as a skin-contacting layer in the diaper to protect against heavy soiling. Milk stool is 100% water soluble, so the washable fleece can be washed in the washing machine without extra pre-treatment. Fleece can be disposed of in household waste. Feeding stools do not belong in the washing machine, you shake them off over the toilet and flush them down. The washable fleece can be rinsed with clean water, it is up to you and the degree of soiling. Then let it dry and store it in the wetbag together with the diapers (must not be wet anymore, why you can read under point storage airy). The diaper fleece you dispose of in the household waste, it does NOT belong in the toilet, because it causes problems for the sewage treatment plants and can clog the sewage pipes. Both liners can be shaken out over the toilet. Dispose of the diaper fleece in the residual waste and rinse the fleece.

Storage: cool, dry and airy

It is best to store used cloth diapers in a large wet bag, pail liner, laundry net or open bucket. Be sure to keep the following items in mind when storing:

  • cool: not near the heater - heat leads to increased germ growth
  • dry: Do not soak diapers or store them together with water - water carries bacteria with it, these find optimal food in the diapers (excretions, skin particles, sweat, etc.) and multiply there, which leads to a very high bacterial load, which the washing machine can no longer cope with. Therefore, it is also very important to store wet washcloths, i.e. those that have come into contact with water, in a separate wetbag or bucket!
  • airy: leave the diaper container open. Sounds strange, but it's true. If the bucket is closed it stinks, because then the temperature rises, the diapers start to "sweat" and the germ load increases.

Washing

Washing cloth diapers is easypeasy, all you need is a washing machine.

  • wash the diapers every 2-3 days, longer washing intervals should be avoided due to bacteria growth and ammonia formation. If you can only wash 1x a week, dry the diapers before storing them until washing.
  • PUL overpants are best washed in a laundry net to protect the coating and keep the overpants tight for longer.
  • close velcro fasteners before washing so that they do not get tangled or collect lint
  • Fill the machine at least 2/3 full, if you can put your hand like a shark fin (thumb up, little finger down) between the drum and the laundry, the load is perfect.
  • Prewash, you don't want to wash the diapers in the "waste water". The prewash rinses out Bisi and Gagi so that the main wash is done with fresh water. Make sure that the water is pumped out between the prewash and the main wash.
  • 60°C main wash, only from this temperature bacteria die. Nevertheless, pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendation.
  • if your washing machine has it: press the water button, a cloth diaper wash should contain as much water as possible (but it is not good to pour extra water into the washing machine, so hands off the watering can
  • thorough rinse cycle, there should be no foam on the glass at the end
  • Spin number. Personally, I am doing a long-term study on the subject of high spin numbers for cloth diapers. Often you read on the net that low spin numbers are given there. I think this is nonsense and only prolongs the drying process unnecessarily. If you load your washer correctly, there are no imbalances (oversized sauna towels or similar) and you wash the PUL overpants in a laundry net, you can easily run your cloth diaper wash at 1200 revolutions.

TIP: You don't have to throw cloth diapers "alone" into the wash mix, towels, underwear and everything else you wash at 60°C are happy about washing machine buddies.

Detergents for cloth diapers

There is not THE ONE cloth diaper detergent. But there are some components you should look for when choosing:

  • - Powdered heavy duty detergent, this contains oxygen bleach by design, it has a disinfecting effect and gently bleaches stains.
  • Soap content below 5%, otherwise there is a risk of saponification = leaky diapers.
  • max. 15% oxygen bleach, too much bleach leads to premature wear of material
  • dose your detergent according to the water hardness in your community and use softener (for prewash) or descaler (in the fabric softener compartment) if necessary, especially for hard water
  • Enzymes can lead to increased wear over a long period of time, pay attention to the surface wear of your diapers when using detergents containing enzymes.
  • DO NOT use fabric softener, it will lay down on the fibers, making PUL coatings leaky and inserts less absorbent
  • TIP: Avoid detergent mis-purchases by reading my detergent buying recommendations beforehand: to the eBook "Cloth Diaper Detergent".

Drying

  • outdoors on the line, this is gentlest and the sun helps remove stains as the stool dye bilirubin is not UV resistant.
  • in the dryer (in gentle cycle), if it has to go fast or to loosen up the absorbent material for more softness
  • Attention: coated diapers do NOT belong in the dryer, so PUL or TPU
  • Tip: wash in the evening, dry at night, fold in the morning

Storage

The clean diapers should be stored completely dry, otherwise there is a risk that they start to mold or get mildew stains (if they stay in the closet for a long time) or the germ load increases due to the residual wetness (this creates heat, heat wetness = bacterial growth). You can also prepare or prefold multi-piece diapers, which makes the diapering process easier.

SOS - what to do if the diapers stink?

You already follow all these points and still your diapers stink, are uncomfortably hard and gstabig or you just can not get the stains out? In Speed Dating - Cloth Diaper SOS I will help you find the culprit and give you valuable tips and tricks to solve your washing problem. You can find out when the next Speed Dating will take place and how you can participate here.

Picture: Kaja Babymode

Picture: Marco Verch

Photo: Kaja Babymode

Photo: Marco Verch