Cloth Diapering Frequently Asked Questions

Please see also our Cloth Diapering 101 page for several articles on a number of cloth diapering topics!

Topics in our FAQs: (This page still under construction- please keep checking back for more content)

Thinking About the Switch to Cloth Diapers

Q: Is cloth diapering really better for the environment?

A: Absolutely, yes. The persistence on the internet of old data and studies funded by disposable diaper companies leads many, many people to think otherwise. But independent crunching of the same data comes up with a very different story. Many people worry about the water use. The manufacturing of disposable diapers uses far more water than you will ever use washing your diapers. And in addition to the water required to create a disposable diaper, there is also wood pulp, chlorine, and petroleum feedstocks. Your household water use will increase slightly when you begin washing diapers- our bill went up about $2.00 a month- but who knows if that is due to just having a new baby that is being washed and cleaned and lots of baby clothes laundered? In cloth diapers, you will launder fewer outfits per day because you won't have those newborn poop blowouts that disposable diapers are known for! Think of it this way- you are bringing a little person into your home. If the little person you were bringing into your home happened to be potty trained, he or she would be flushing the potty several times a day. In laundering cloth diapers, you will add 3 loads of laundry per week, which approximates the water usage of a potty-trained toddler. The biggest environmental problem with disposable products is our shrinking landfill space and the huge cost to taxpayers of disposable and throw-away items. More than 25 billion disposable diapers are thrown away each year in the United States!

Q: Cloth diapers seem expensive! Will I save money?

A: Yes! The average family spends about $1000 each year on disposable diapers and wipes. Most babies in disposable diapers aren't potty training until age 3 or even beyond- that's $3000! No matter how fancy you get with the cloth, you will not spend that much. And at the end of it all, you can re-sell or re-use your diapers. You can spend as little as $300 for the entire time your baby is in diapers.

Q: Will I be able to use them out? At Grandma's house? At daycare?

A: Yes. Today's All-In-One and Pocket Diaper designs are so easy to use that anyone can put one on. Just bring a waterproof wet bag out or provide one for your caregiver. All they have to do is toss the diaper in the wet bag, and store until you get it home and can throw it in your diaper pail or washing machine.

Q. I can't keep up with my regular laundry. How will I be able to manage washing diapers too?

A: Believe me when I say, I feel your pain!  We are also home to the perpetual laundry pile.  It's really inevitable with 2 small children and 2 adults!  But the diapers always get washed, and I promise you, it doesn't feel like a burdensome task.  Maybe it's because when you have 10 loads (or however many) of laundry to do each week, 2 more loads doesn't really make much of a difference!  I tend to wash diapers every 3rd day.  I dump the pail in the machine after the kids are in bed and run the cold rinse.  Then I go get ready for bed or work a little.  Before going to bed, I add the detergent and set the washer to the extra-long hot cycle with a cold rinse and then I'm off to bed.  In the morning I throw everything in the dryer.  It really doesn't feel like extra work.  And there's something really satisfying about clean diapers- it just feels good stacking them up on the changing table knowing that for us, there is no such thing as being "out of diapers."  And once you've bought your cloth diapers, you are done with your diaper expenses.  No more giant sized boxes of disposables, no more plastic bags of wipes, and probably no more need for expensive diaper rash cremes.  The hassle of standing in line at Costco on a Saturday morning for diapers, in itself, is enough reason to switch to cloth!  Cloth diapers, a handful of covers and a little tea tree oil for your wipes solution--all you need for months and months and months (until your baby needs a bigger size!).  Better yet, go with a one-size diaper and you'll be set for your baby's entire time in diapers.

Q: My partner is dead-set against it. How can I convince him/her?

A: We have heard this over and over. For local people, we invite them to come into our store as soon as possible. When the reluctant partner sees what today's cloth diapers are like, it is almost an instant 180. Remember that when you broach the subject of using cloth diapers to anyone, they are envisioning the flat white diapers, fastened with pins, and covered with a crinkly vinyl or rubber pant that was uncomfortable and leaky. Diapers in the 21st centuy are easy, convenient, and made of soft, breathable fibers. The best thing to do is to have a couple diapers in hand when broaching the subject. Seeing moms and dads touch and feel and use an AIO for the first time is so much fun- "THIS is what you meant when you said cloth diapers?!" We have seen some very reluctant spouses become our most vocal supporters. Many spouses make the final decision on the basis of baby's comfort. Paper underwear is uncomfortable! Cloth is also much more breathable than throw-away diapers- this means more air circulation around baby's bottom and less possibility of diaper rash.

Q. We know cloth will save us money in the long run, but we are on a very tight budget.. How will I come up with the initial investment?

A. If you are pregnant, plan for your cloth diapering needs just as you would plan for any other major baby expense such as car seat, stroller, changing table, dresser, etc. Some people start saving a little bit at a time over their entire pregnancies. Be sure to tell all or your family and friends that you will not be using disposable diapers, or you will end up with lots of paper diaper gifts! Create a gift registry and let everyone know that this is an important issue for you, and to please shop your registry. We also offer a layaway plan. You put down 35%, and we will set all of your items aside for you. You get 3 months to pay off your layaway in full, and then we send you your diapers.

If you are converting to cloth with an older baby, start with just a few diapers. A dozen prefolds and 2 covers for an older baby will run about $55, or if you are planning to use AIOs or pocket diapers, you can get 3 for about $55. Each week, pick up another new diaper and phase out your disposable diapers. Also let your family and friends know what you are doing! They might want to help you make the switch! The layaway plan also works well- try a few diapers and decide what you like the best, and then put on layaway enough diapers for your older baby- 24 is usually a good number for babies 4-5 months and older.

One of my favorite stories is from a mom who was very motivated to get her toddler into cloth. She spent a week gutting her kids' rooms, their garage, and their basement of hundreds of old toys, clothes, books, housewares...and held a yard sale! Not only did she feel great to get her home rid of lots of clutter, forgotten toys, and outgrown clothes, she raised enough money to outfit her baby in 24 All-In-One Cloth Diapers.

We should also note that there is a wonderful organization that helps low income families get started with cloth diapers. Miracle Diapers has helped get more than 700 babies in cloth diapers over the last 3 years with donations from individuals and businesses (like Wildflower Diapers) who donate products for distribution to those in need. For more information, to apply for aid, or to donate, please visit www.miraclediapers.org.

Q. They are so cute. I know they are better for the environment. But it seems like so much work.

A. We say this over and over again- it is much harder to think about doing cloth diapers than to actually do them. Do not be intimidated- just dive in and try a few things. It is not hard at all- if you are already doing laundry, you will hardly notice a change in your routine. 2-3 extra loads a week- that's it. Again, the big bonus is that with cloth you don't have those poopy blowouts that paper diapers are known for!. So you will be saving time in changing and cleaning up baby every time there is a blow-out! The key is to get good, high quality products that have worked well for thousands of cloth diapering families. We can help you decide what you need and support you every step of the way.

Gettting Started with Cloth Diapers

Q: How many cloth diapers do I need to start?

A: For a newborn baby, we recommend 3 dozen diapers. 2 dozen would be the minimum. Newborn babies will go through about 12 diapers a day, so you want to have at least 2 days' worth, preferably 3, of cloth diapers. Please see also our page on Cloth Diapering a Newborn. For an older baby, about 15 lbs and greater, you are only changing 8-10 diapers a day, so you can get by with 2 dozen more easily. If using AIOs or pocket diapers with inserts, you would just need the 2-3 dozen diapers. If using fitted diapers or prefolds, you will also need 6-8 covers for newborns and 4-6 covers for older babies.

Q. What else do I need to get other than the diapers?

A. We recommend the following accessories, at a minimum:

• Cloth Wipes- which are much easier and nicer to use once you are doing the cloth diapers. 2-3 dozen is a good number of cloth wipes to start with. Use your cloth wipes with a homemade wipes solution, or try one of ours. Baby Bits are a personal favorite!
• Pail Liners- a washable, reusable liner to line your diaper pail with, or hanging pail liners in lieu of the actual pail. 2 are recommended so when one is washing, the other is available.
• Wet Bags- to store dirty diapers in while you are out running errands, at playgroup, for the church nursery, daycare, etc. 2 again, so you are never without one while the wash is running
• Diaper Sprayer- Nothing needs to be done to rinse out the poop of an exclusively-breastfed newborn baby. However, once baby starts solids, you need to get the poop in the toilet where it belongs. The diaper sprayer makes this task quick, easy, and hygienic.

Q. How do I wash my new cloth diapers for the first time?

A. For synthetic fibers, including pocket diapers, AIO diapers, diaper covers made of PUL, and microfiber terry inserts, you just need to wash and dry once on high heat. Drying on high heat seals any needle holes from the manufacturing process.

Natural fibers will need to be washed several times to strip out the natural oils and to become absorbent. This includes all products made of hemp, cotton, or bamboo. We recommend 2-3 hot washes to start with just a tiny bit of detergent. Drying in between will help de-lint the products, but is not really necessary. Natural fibers will get more absorbent the more you wash. Some products take several washes to become fully absorbent- any colorgrown cotton or hemp will need a good 9-10 washes before it reaches peak absorbency. But don't do that all at the beginning- just a couple to start and then know that your cloth diapers will get more absorbent over the next several washes. If you only have a few hemp items, like inserts or doublers, there is no need to do a whole load just to prep your hemp. Throw them in your regular laundry a few times to jump start the process.

For the first few prepping washes, do not wash your natural fibers like hemp and cotton with your sythetic products (covers, pocket diapers, AIOs). The natural oils being stripped from the natural fibers may deposit on your fleece or suedecloth and cause them to repel moisture, causing leaks.

Washing Your Cloth Diapers

Q. What kind of laundry detergent should I use?

A. It is very important to use a laundry detergent that is free of any additives such as fabric softener, chlorine bleach, and optical whiteners or brighteners. We also recommend against a detergent with enzymes, because many babies have adverse reactions to enzymes in the laundry detergent. The mainstream detergent we have used for years has just one ingredient- biodegradable surfactants. If you can find a detergent with just biodegradable surfactants, that is preferred. Be a label reader and remember that most detergents, especially baby detergents, are all about the marketing. That cute pink bottle of detergent recommended for all of baby's clothes is actually full of additives and fragrance- not a good choice for diapers or baby's clothing.

It is much more important to read your labels than to get a brand recommendation from us or anyone else. Detergent formulas are always changing, and some detergents perform better in certain water conditions than others. The bottom line is, the fewer ingredients, the better. Biodegradable surfactants are good, whiteners/brighteners/fabric softener are not good. Some babies can tolerate enzymes, but use with care.

Q. Can I use a natural laundry detergent?

A. Maybe. Just like anything, read the ingredients label. Some natural laundry detergents are soap based and are not suitable. Anything with a soap base, or with certain essential oils like citrus oil, may cause problems with your diapers, especially your synthetic fibers as in pocket diapers and AIO diapers. The only natural laundry detergent we feel good about recommending as it has had no reported issues with baby reactions is Allen's Naturally. It was formulated for people with multiple chemical sensitivities and has been successfully used by thousands of people. Another recommendation we are getting from customers is Country Save, though we are unsure how it performs in our hard water. We are researching that now. Here in Arizona, we can get it our local Sprout's markets.

Q. Can I use soap nuts?

A. We are getting mixed reviews on the soap nuts. Some customers are reporting that they work great, leave no residue, and their diapers never have any retained odor. Other customers are reporting that the soap nuts don't work great with the synthetic fibers in pocket diapers and AIOs.

Q. So please, tell me brand recommendations!

A. As mentioned earlier, we really are hesitant to recommend things by name because detergent formulas change over time, and what might work well in soft water conditions may not work well in hard water. So please bear that in mind. To our local customers (hard water conditions), the easiest one to find is Purex Free and Clear - we get ours at Target. As of this writing, the only ingredient is biodegradable surfactants. Other people locally have reported success with Nellie's Laundry Soda, Country Save, Sun, Planet and Tide Free. Tide Free has 2 ingredients last we checked- biodegradable surfactants and enzymes. Use enzymes with great care- if baby gets a red bottom, he or she is not tolerating it.

People with soft water conditions can successfully use a wider range of detergents. If you are only washing natural fibers like cotton and hemp, there are also more choices. Synthetic fibers as in diaper covers, pocket diapers, and AIOs are a little pickier about the wash routine. For more information on detergent residue with synthetic fibers, please see this page by Bummis, the manufacturer of our most popular diaper covers: Detergent Residue

Q. Can I use a fabric softener sheet or liquid softener in my diaper laundry?

A. No. It will interfere with the absorbency of your diapers. We also recommend that you do not use fabric softener sheets in any of your laundry, as the residue coats the inside of your dryer, and may deposit on your diapers.

Q. I have been looking online and found many conflicting washing routines. Which one is correct?

A. Local water conditions are a big factor in whether a certain detergent or wash routine works well, so you will find thousands of personal recommendations online because people are using cloth diapers in thousands of places. Other factors that affect wash routine are type of washing machine, age of washing machine, detergent and routine for other clothes laundered in the same machine, type of diapers used, and washing frequency.

The best thing to do is to get washing instructions from the manufacturer of your products, from a knowledgable retailer, or from a fellow cloth diapering parent in your local area who has been successfully washing diapers for at least 6 months-1 year. We say this because some issues with poor wash routines won't manifest for several months.

Beware of wash routines that use lots of additives, or recommend dangerous practices like washing diapers in a dishwasher. Vinegar, for example, is commonly used is laundry. However, please beware that vinegar will destroy the elastic of some brands of diapers, so it is recommended that you leave it out of your diapering routine. Vinegar can also chemically react with the mineral content is some hard water conditions, and may cause issues with your diapers.

The most important part of your wash routine is WATER. Be sure to wash your diapers in plenty of it- fill your washer half full, but run as a full load. Make sure that all your detergent is being rinsed out at the end.

Q. What is your recommended wash routine?

A. Our routine has worked for thousands of customers here in Arizona (hard water conditions) and all over the country. The keys are to keep it simple, use little detergent, and rinse well.

• For exclusively breast-fed babies, you do not need to rinse or spray your diapers off. Newborn poo is completely water soluble so it will dissolve in your initial cold rinse.
• For other babies, dump the poop in the toilet or spray with a diaper sprayer.
• In your washer, run a cold rinse. This rinses out urine and any poop left over on the diaper and flushes it out of the washer so you are washing in clean water.
• Do a long hot wash with about 2-3 T of detergent. For high efficiency washers, break this into 2 shorter hot washes and use 1 T of detergent. Your long hot wash is generally automatically followed by a cold rinse with most machines.
• Do an extra rinse.
• Dry in dryer on medium to high heat. Drying on heat heat periodically is important for PUL products like diaper covers, pocket diapers, AIO diapers, and wet bags as it seals any needle holes from the manufacturing process and regenerates the waterproof quality. Line drying will extend the life of your elastic, so do that occasionally if you can. We dried on high heat for 2+ years and never had any elastic go out, and were able to pass our pocket diapers along to another family, so if you are unable to line-dry, don't worry too much.

It is very important to rinse all the detergent out of your diapers. Check your final rinse for suds. If you see them, rinse again.

For our complete washing instructions, please see our Cloth Diaper Care page here: Cloth Diaper Washing and Care.

Cloth Diaper Maintenance

Q. How do I store my dirty cloth diapers?

A. We recommend a kitchen-sized garbage pail with a loose-fitting lid. Our local Target and Home Depot stores carry a suitable kind. Use a washable pail liner to line your pail, like the Wahmies pail liner with an elasticized top or the Blueberry pail liner with an elasticized drawtring. You do not want an air-tight lid because it can be a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. Get a loose-fitted lid that allows some air to reach the diapers.

If you don't want to take up floor space with a pail, we love the Happy Tushies Hanging Pail - it has a zipper closure and a sturdy loop to hang from a hook or changing table.

Q. How do I control odor?

A. With a small baby, you won't notice much odor at all- especially with an exclusively breast-fed baby. Once baby starts solids, you can keep your pail smelling fresh by adding a sprinkle of baking soda in the pail with each diaper. We like Fluff Dust, because it has an added blend of essential oils that smell very nice. Also make sure that you are spraying your diapers clean of any poop before storing- it will prevent odor. Another option is a zippered pail liner- if you are going more than 3 days between washing, you may want to have the older diapers in a zippered liner. Another new product is great at helping destroy the odor-causing bacteria- the BumGenius Odor Remover. Before tossing the diaper into the pail, spray a bit of the Odor Remover on it and it will do a great job at preventing odor.

Q. How long will my diapers last?

A. That really depends on how often you are washing, how many total diapers in rotation, if you've used any harsh additives, whether you line-dried or dried on high heat, etc. Natural fibers like cotton or hemp prefolds will last practically forever. They have no closures or elastic to wear out, and can really be used for multiple children and then used as cleaning rags until there is not much left of them! Things that eventually give out- just as in underwear and other clothing- are elastic and thinning areas near seams. If you have an adequate supply of diapers, about 2-3 dozen per size in rotation, your diapers should last years. We offer no guarantee on this because everyone's routines are so different, but our experience has shown us that it is not unusual to re-use the same diapers for 2 or more children. The simpler the diaper, the longer it will last.

Q. Do the diapers get stained?

A. Yes, sometimes they do. The best cure for this is to lay your clean diapers outside on your patio or hang on a clothesline. The UV from the sun does a fantastic job of fading stains into oblivion. Even if it is cloudy outside, you will see the stains fade.


Q. How can I extend the life of my cloth diapers?

A. Just as with your regular clothing, cloth diapers wear out over time. Imagine if you washed your favorite T-shirt every single day for 2 years on high heat and in a hot dryer! Here are some ways to get the most out of your diapers:

• Be sure to have enough diapers in your rotation so that you are not washing the same diapers every single day. 2-3 days worth is most desirable.
• Some people have been able to successfully wash in cold water- usually people who use natural fibers only. Washing in warm or cold water will extend the life of your diapers.
• Try to air dry occasionally. The thing that goes out on diapers first seems to be the elastic. Drying on high heat every time may cause the elastic in your diapers to have a shorter life. The lifetime of elastic will differ among the different manufacturers. (We dried on high heat about twice a week for 2 years without ever losing any elastic, but didn't have another child to test how long we could really go with the original elastic!)
• Avoid detergent build-up. Use an approved detergent with no additives.
• Do not store cloth diapers in your garage or attic. Between children, when you put your diapers away for storage, keep them in your house somewhere. The heat and temperature fluctuations of a garage or attic will destroy the elastic.
  

Choosing Your Cloth Diapers

Q. Which brand is the best?

A. There is really no such thing as the "best" cloth diapers. You may find a diaper that is "best" for your baby's shape and size, but that may not mean they are the best for everyone. All of our products have been rigorously tested and shown to work well for the vast majority of people. If a certain type or brand of diapers only fits a narrow cross-section of babies, we will not carry that brand.

Diaper Service Quality Prefolds are the kind of diaper you really can't go wrong with. They are inexpensive, versatile, and will last forever because there is nothing on them to wear out (no elastic, snaps, aplix, etc.). Bummis Cloth Diaper Covers are another brand that we rarely, if ever, receive returns on. We do have a page that lists our best-selling products, but take that with a grain of salt because it is sometimes more of an indication of what our stock status is that particular week. Also keep in mind that a product that you may see and hear raves about all over the internet and in magazines may be wonderful, but there may be a small WAHM (work-at-home-mother) manufacturer that creates diapers that are just as good as the bigger brands that have the ability to put out more volume. (Incidentally, nearly all of the larger manufacturers started out as WAHMs!) So if you see a product that looks interesting, but you've never heard of, it is probably from a smaller manufacturer that isn't widely advertised. Don't let that deter you from trying one!

Whichever system you try, try a few different brands to see what you like. The fit on your baby and your preference for snaps or velcro, side snaps or front snaps, leg casings or none, and sometimes availability of the colors/sizes you want, will dictate what you ultimately decide that you like.

Q. Which diapers should I get for my newborn?

A. We have a page that addresses Newborn Cloth Diapering that will answer that.

Q. How many different systems are there- it seems like hundreds!

A. Actually, we try and simplify that a bit for you and break your choices down into 3 basic systems:

• System One- Cloth Diaper + Cover
• System Two- Pocket Diaper + Insert
• System Three- All-In-One Cloth Diaper

System One- Cloth diaper + Cover: You can use either prefold, flat, or fitted diapers- this is the soft absorbent part that you put on first. Then you add a separate waterproof cover.

• Highlights: You can re-use the covers, rotating their use within one day. So you might have 36 diapers, and just need 6-8 covers. Another advantage would be that you have two lines of defense against leaks- your diaper will usually contain everything, but if by chance it doesn't, the cover will catch it! Great for newborns with skinny little legs who might not fill up the leg holes in an AIO diaper.
• Things to consider: It is a two-step system, so first you put on the diaper, and then the cover. It is still easy, but some people prefer a one-piece system.

System Two- Pocket Diaper + Insert: A pocket diaper has a waterproof outer covering, sewn to an inner layer of material that lays against baby's skin. The absorbency is provided by an insert that slides between the two layers.

• Highlights: Once the insert is stuffed into the pocket, it functions as a one-piece system. You can very easily stuff these and stack them up on your changing table, and any caregiver will be able to use them just like a disposable diaper (especially the velcro-closing pockets!). The two pieces separate easily so they wash up well and dry quickly.
• Things to consider: You do have to stuff the insert in the pocket. If you have 36 diapers, this task takes a little time. Many people just stuff as they go, adding the insert when get to the changing table. You also need to change the entire diaper every time- you can not re-use the pocket and just change the insert.

System Three- All-In-One Cloth Diaper: An All-In-One is truly a one-piece diaper. No covers, no inserts, nothing to add. You put it on and take it off just as you would a throw-away diaper.

• Highlights: Definitely the most user-friendly and easiest to use of all the cloth diapering systems. It's nice to have a couple of these on hand for babysitters. (though pre-stuffed pocket diapers accomplish the same thing for caregivers)
• Things to consider: All of the absorbency is sewn in AIO diapers. Unless it is sewn in a quick-dry fashion, AIOs typically take longer to dry in the dryer. You are also limited to the amount of absorbency sewn into the diaper, unless there is a place to add a doubler.

Q. Which system should I choose?

A. This is completely up to you. Most people have at least tried all systems and like something about each system. For newborns and young babies, we tend to favor the diaper+cover system because you are changing so many diapers that it is nice to be able to re-use the covers. Prefolds and newborn fitted diapers fit new babies really well, and you don't have to worry about skinny legs that don't fill up leg holes and allow leaks because you have the cover in addition to the diaper.

Pocket Diapers and All-In-Ones are favored by customers who really want a one-step system where day care workers and other caregivers can very easily use the diapers. They also tend to be a little more trim under clothing.

Many customers use a combination- the diaper+cover when at home, or All-In-Ones when they are out.

Diapering Fabrics and Closures

Q. What are the diapers made of?

A. All of our prefolds and flat diapers are either 100% cotton, or a blend of Hemp and Cotton. Most of our fitted diapers are 100% organically grown cotton, or a blend of Hemp and Organic Cotton. We also have some Bamboo/Polyester blends. A few of our fitted diapers have a polyester content, to increase the stretchiness or to provide a stay-dry microfleece or suedecloth lining against baby's skin.

All-in-One Diapers and Pocket Diapers are mostly synthetic and made of polyester. This is because waterproof diaper covers that can withstand industrial washings are made of polyester. So All-In-One and Pocket Diapers have this waterproof cover sewn onto the diaper. Additionally, most pocket diapers and some All-In-Ones use microfleece or suedecloth as a stay-dry lining against baby's skin- both of these fabrics are synthetic. BumGenius Organic All-In-Ones and Bumkins All-Ones both have a synthetic waterproof outer covering, but the inner absorbent part is cotton, so no synthetic fiber touches baby. (not that there is anything wrong with that- some parents just express a preference for natural fibers only)