Washing
Soiled diapers should first have the poop removed, either by dumping into the toilet (if using a flushable liner) or by rinsing off with water.
Before washing your Prefold Diapers, you may want to either soak them (the wet pail method) or store them in a diaper pail for washing once you have enough diapers to necessitate a wash (the dry pail method).
1.) The Wet Pail Method
This method involves soaking your dirty diapers in a liquid filled pail. The pail should be filled ¾ with water and then have diaper soaker added. Oxygenated bleach such as Oxy-Boost is a good example of a diaper soaker. These can be bought either as chlorine or oxygen based bleach with enzymes added or enzyme free for babies with sensitive skin.
A natural alternative is to add ¼ cup of white vinegar or ¼ cup of baking soda or borax to the water instead.
Always ensure that your pail has a lid which fastens securely and is kept well out of the reach of small children and pets.
The advantages of the wet pail method are that stains are easier to remove and the diapers are rid of any bacteria.
It is important to note, however, that while many people will opt for this method (including ourselves), research has shown that the use of commercial antibacterial products are unnecessary if you wash your diapers using detergent and then line dry them. The use of detergent, heat and sunlight are all effectively antibacterial and antifungal, either alone or in combination.
2.) The Dry Pail Method
This method involves storing the diapers in a pail without any water, however, many people opt to sprinkle some baking soda at the bottom of the pail to absorb odors. If you are planning to dry pail your diapers for more than a couple of days then it is advisable to briefly rinse the diapers before placing them in the pail.
The advantage of the dry pail method are that there is no use of commercial antibacterial chemicals which in many ways contribute to the antibacterial product build-up in our waterways and the proliferation of superbugs.
Washing Diapers
Prefold diapers should always be unfolded when washed to allow for complete cleaning. It is recommended that you do an ordinary wash in cold or warm water with half or less than half the usual amount of detergent you would use in a normal wash. If you use too much detergent (or pure soap flakes) it can increase the residue, which in time, may affect the absorbency of the diaper. It is also wise to avoid the use of fabric softeners as this can also build up on the fabric and the perfumes may also irritate your baby.
Residue and Strip Washing
Over time detergent can build up on the cloth and this can cause diapers to smell and/or affect their absorption. Thick barrier creams can also have this effect. If you suspect that this has happened to your diapers then there are a few things you can try to fix this:
- Rinse the diapers until there are no suds.
- Boil the diapers.
- Put the diapers through a wash in the dishwasher (minus dish washing detergent).
If you have a particularly heavy buildup, you can strip your diapers.
- By using very very hot water and a little dish washing liquid, or
- By adding bicarbonate of soda to the wash and vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Please also note that brand new diapers will always require a few washes to reach optimal absorbency.
Here are some items we have hand picked from amazon to help you wash dirty diapers.