cloth diaper 101: laundering

two questions i get regarding washing are: how long does it take you? and how do you wash them? it's a myth when people say "you'll spend all your time washing diapers!" despite what people may think, washing your own diapers does not take a ton of time. i would say that actual "hands on" handling time is about 15 minutes. the rest of the time the washer and dryer are doing their thing.

the process: we do not pre-soak or pre-rinse our diapers. we just toss them in our diaper pail and then toss them in the washer. some people recommend a "two step" wash system and we found that it really didn't make any difference. so we go the easy route and use the "whites cycle". we have a front load washer so i set it on the "whites" cycle, put in a teaspoon of detergent (more on detergent later), put some white vinegar in the softener dispenser (or a downy ball if you have a top loader) and start the machine. pretty easy. then we just toss them in the dryer or on the line to dry, that's it. you should have a hot wash and a cold rinse.

stripping the diapers: periodically you will want to strip your diapers (this gets rid of any detergent build up). we just run a normal cycle with no detergent and a vinegar in the softener drawer (hot wash, cold rinse). we do this once a month. if you notice your kid is getting diaper rash easily or any yeast symptoms you should strip your diapers.

detergent: there are many cloth diaper detergents out there but we don't use them. basically all you need is a detergent with no additives (the free and clear variety). we use seventh generations free and clear detergent and that works great. here is a secret about detergent and cloth diapers: you don't need a lot. you see the more detergent you use means that it will build up in the diaper causing it to lose absorbency and smell more.

laundering "don'ts": don't use bleach! it breaks down the fibers and will decrease the absorbency. if you want your whites to be whiter, just place them in the sun (even in the house in front of a window) and the sun will bleach them. this goes for all your clothes by the way, neat little trick! don't use essential oils in the wash because they can build up in the diaper.

laundering really is simple and again i'm saving the money of having someone else wash them for me. thank you cheapness. one caveat: if both joel and i were working/out of the house full time i would use the diaper service in town, just for ease. though my wallet probably would be protesting (smile).