The Don'ts of Washing Cloth Diapers

Deciding to use cloth diapers is a great choice for your baby, your wallet and the earth. After figuring out what style and what brand(s) of diapers you're going to use, the next step is working out a washing routine. There are as many routines as there are cloth diapering parents but there are a few universal don'ts to avoid when washing your diapers.

Don't #1: Don't Use Too Much Detergent. This is probably one of the first mistakes new diaper washers make. We generally use too much detergent when we wash laundry so we end up using too much for our diapers. For some reason people believe that more detergent means cleaner clothes but that's a myth. And it's a big don't when it comes to washing diapers. Too much detergent causes detergent build-up and detergent build-up causes repellency issues. If your diapers repel the urine you're going to end up with leaky diapers. You don't want pee all over your lap. Residue build-up also causes odors, especially ammonia, in your diapers and inserts. Build-up can also lead to diaper rashes and irritated skin. You should use about 1/4 of the amount of detergent recommended on the bottle when you wash your cloth diapers. But you might have to experiment a little to figure out the right amount for your diapers and washing machine.

Don't #2: Don't Use Too Little Detergent. Using too little is either a beginner mistake or it's overcompensation from someone who had detergent build-up, odor and repellency issues. The obvious result of not using enough detergent is diapers that aren't clean. Ew. But how do you know if you're using too much or too little? Too much causes an ammonia smell; too little causes a poop smell.

Don't #3: Don't Use The Wrong Kind Of Detergent. Not all detergents are the same and only a few should be used on your diapers. You can check out ratings of detergents at Pin Stripes and Polka Dots. A general rule is that the more stuff in the detergent, like scents, brighteners, dyes and fabric softeners, the worse the detergent is for your diapers. Free And Clear detergents have caused problems in the long run for unknown reasons, so they're generally not used for diapers either. You probably just realized that most major detergent brands are not good for your diapers. So what can you use? The detergent of choice seems to be Allens Naturally. I have used it and highly recommend it. However, it's on the pricey side: a quart will run you around $20 without shipping costs. The good news is that a quart will last you several months to a year depending on how often you wash diapers because you need only a teaspoon or less.

Don't #4: Don't Use Fabric Softener. Fabric softeners work by depositing a thin layer of chemicals on the fibers so fabric softeners will cause repellency issues, just like detergent build-up. If you have problems with static cling (on diapers and your other laundry too), put 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle. You can put the vinegar in a Downy Ball if you'd like to keep things simple.

Don't #5: Don't Under-rinse Your Diapers. We're used to the wash and rinse cycles of regular laundry but you should always give your diapers an extra rinse or two to make sure all the detergent is out. During the extra rinse cycle, stop the agitation and look for bubbles--if you see soap bubbles, you need to rinse again.

Don't #6: Don't Forget The Pre-Wash. Some might disagree with me, especially if your baby is exclusively breastfed (enjoy that poop while it lasts!), but as the mother of a toddler, a pre-wash is absolutely necessary. It gives your detergent a better chance to get your diapers really clean because you've already rinsed out the urine and any poop bits still clinging to your diapers.

Don't #7: Don't Wash Too Many Diapers At Once. It's tempting, I know. No one enjoys washing their diapers (someone please correct me if I'm wrong...) so you might try to space out diaper laundry days. Most people wash their diapers every other day or every third day, which is fine, depending on how many diapers your baby goes through and what kind of diaper you're using. If you're using pocket diapers, you essentially have twice the laundry as someone who uses AIOs or prefolds; and if you have a baby, you'll have more diapers than you will if you have a toddler. Cramming as many diapers into the washer as possible causes several problems. Just like with regular laundry, if the diapers can't agitate properly they won't get as clean. And you'll cause undo wear on your diapers because the friction between them will break down the fibers or cause piling over time.

Don't #8: Don't Skimp On The Water Level. You might be concerned about the amount of water you'll use when you start doing laundry every other day so you might decide to use less water. This will cause the same problems as cramming too many diapers in at once: improper agitation and undo wear.

Don't #9: Don't Use Bleach. I repeat: do not use bleach! Bleach will destroy the elastic and PUL in your diapers. The one and only time bleach may be appropriate is when trying to deal with odor problems in prefolds and microfiber inserts, and even then you should use 1/4-1/2 c in the highest water level you can get in your washer. Don't use bleach on hemp. To deal with hemp odor problems, boil them in water; you can do that for microfiber inserts too. If you're tempted to use bleach to get out poop stains, leave your diapers to dry in direct sunlight and the sun will bleach out all stains.

Don't #10: Don't Forget To Put Your PUL Diapers and Covers In The Dryer. A lot of cloth diaper parents like to line dry diapers. Dryers can also cause unnecessary wear on your diapers, but you do need to run your PUL diapers and covers through a high-heat dryer cycle every now and then because the heat reseals the PUL.

Washing cloth diapers doesn't have to be difficult or problematic if you know what to do and what not to do. Once you get into the right routine, diaper laundry is simple.