Cloth Diaper FAQ

1. How many diapers do I need?
2. How do cloth diapers work anyway?
3. Everything you need to know about diaper laundry
4. Detergents for cloth diapers
5. Stripping Cloth Diapers
6. A really cute photo of our bean! (ok, we admit it, this one isn't vital to your diaper education)

 

What do I need to use cloth diapers?

We recommend 12-24 diapers to completely outfit your baby, depending on how often you want to do laundry.  For our son, we find it helpful to have 6 extra inserts to layer for extra absorbency at night, during naps and when we know we'll be out for a while.  A wet tote is also helpful for storing soiled diapers until laundry time. 







Using Pocket Diapers

Simply place the insert in the pocket and wrap your baby in soft cloth.  As for the dreaded poopy factor it's as easy as shaking the mess into the toilet (where it belongs!) Many people find a rubber spatula helpful for stubborn stinkers (just be sure to label it clearly as a poopy product!)  Store soiled diapers in a dry pail until you're ready to wash.

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Diaper Laundry

• Remove the inserts
• Cold Soak for 10-20 minutes depending on the level of dirt
• Wash on hot with slightly less than 1/4 cup of detergent
• You can add a downy ball of vinegar to the wash if the diapers have a heavy urine scent. I recommend a downy ball because it releases the vinegar at the right time - no need to wait by the machine.
• Rinse well to ensure all detergent is removed from diapers.
• Dry on high heat. The high heat of the dryer will keep your Happy Heiny functioning like new. We personally dry our PUL products on high heat and although we have had prolonged use with these products we have not noticed any break down of our PUL.

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Recommended Detergents

We recommend Tide, Sunlight, Cheer, Era, and Clout (Costco brand). These are not made with any of the natural oily substances which leave residue on fleece.

Detergents to avoid:

Natural soaps often contain various oils. These should NOT be used because they will leave a residue on fleece, causing it to repel liquids.

The following detergents will cause a soap build up. Do NOT use them.

• Dr. Bronner’s Soap
• 7th Generation
• Bio-Kleen
• Ivory Snow
• Dreft
• Any ALL free detergents.
• Sport-Wash and Sensi-Clean – These have the potential for detergent burn in babies.

Never use fabric softener of any kind on reusable diapers. Liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets both leave a waxy residue which causes fleece to repel urine and decreases the absorbency of other diapers.

Diaper rash creams can also cause repelling. For best results either place a small wash cloth on top of the fleece or use a liner.

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Stripping Diapers

Build up refers to residue left by detergents, fabric softeners, and other substances used to clean diapers. In rare instances, baking soda will react with certain minerals in water and also cause build up. If you notice a decrease in the absorbency of your diapers, build up may be the culprit.
Stripping is the process of removing residue from your diapers. To strip diapers:

• Hand wash your diaper with regular dish soap to remove any oils.
• Put a small amount of dish soap on the fleece layer.
• Rub vigorously or use a medium bristle scrubbing brush to scrub the fleece.
• Turn the diaper inside out and repeat.
• Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.

You may use this method at any time you notice repelling or as a preventative measure once a week. If you are still having problems, try these special cleaning agents to strip your diapers:

• 2 scoops of Oxyclean in a very hot wash
• 1 ball of RLR (found at Wal-Mart in the laundry aisle hanging on a clip) in a hot wash

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We are also delighted to share our knowledge about cloth diapers and to offer advice.  Our experience with cloth has been very beneficial, for little bean and for our big world.



Should you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!


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