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cloth diaper care instructions
Following these cloth diaper care instructions will help extend the life of your diapers and ensure that your diapers function optimally day-to-day. It will also increase the likelihood that they last through the diapering years of more children!
how to prep cloth diapers before using them
synthetic materials like microfiber, micro-terry & microfleece
Wash once on hot with cloth diaper safe detergent before use
natural materials like cotton, hemp & bamboo
Wash 5-6 times on hot to strip the natural oils out (this enables the material to become absorbent).
Prep natural diapers separate from synthetic diapers to avoid passing the oils from the natural fibers onto the synthetic ones (this would make the synthetic fibers non-absorbent).
how to wash cloth diapers
- Remove solid waste from diapers (if exclusively breastfeeding, you can skip this step as the waste is water soluble).
- Use your machine's pre-wash setting or run a rinse cycle on warm to rinse the urine from the diapers (using small amount of detergent during this step is optional). If you're hand-rinsing soon after diaper changes, then you can skip this step. Just remember to leave rinsed diapers damp, not soaking wet, between washes.
- Wash on hot (120 degrees MAX) with a cloth diaper safe detergent.
- Run the diapers through a second rinse cycle.
- Machine dry on low heat or hang dry. Hook and loop closures must be hung dry, and elastics will last longer if hung dry.
how to NOT ruin your diapers
- Washing in scalding hot water can burn out elastic. Make sure your water temperature does not exceed 120 degrees.
- Do not put hook and loop closures in the dryer
- Use cloth diaper safe diaper balms to keep your cloth diapers absorbent and functioning properly
- Avoid fabric softeners and chemical fragrance as these will affect absorbency and can cause irritation
how to strip cloth diapers
Stripping, or deep cleaning, your diapers can remove mineral, urine, or detergent that has built up over time.
Your diapers may need stripping if you notice that they are smelly even after cleaning or immediately after being soiled.
Another indicator that your diapers need stripping is if they are leaking regularly.
cloth diaper stripping instructions
- Wash a maximum of 12 diapers at a time with 1/3 cup of bleach, and add an extra rinse cycle.
- Alternatively, wash your diapers in RLR or Mighty Bubbles (deep cleaners) following the instructions on the package.
need a little more help with cloth diapers?
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