The Pinterest effect spreads far and wide, including to the cloth diaper community.  That elusive “perfect stash” and beautifully organized collection of diapers look gorgeous in the photos, don’t they?  Who wouldn’t want their diapers to appear color coded in the baskets or drawers, or organized by diaper type and brand?

I’ll admit that I used to.  When I only had one child and he was not mobile I had lots of time to slowly fold my diapers, lovingly organize them by shades of color, and put them away in a perfectly organized changing table.  My color coding was flawless since I used to work retail and knew the correct color scheme for clothing.  I often went into my son’s room, which was never used for sleeping mind you, just to look at how pretty and neat everything was.

Our Empty Drawers

Fast forward to almost 4 years later.  My second son’s diapers are currently sitting in a laundry basket, hanging on the wall.  There are 2 loads worth.  Well, there used to be except I was pulling diapers from the basket so by now there might be a full load in there, maybe less.  Each time I need to change him I run to his room only to forget I don’t have any clean diapers.  Sometimes he is naked already so I have to run across the house, grab an insert and shell since I already took all of my “easy” All-in-One’s out, and stuff the diaper while sprinting back.  Repeat multiple times a day until I finally decide to stuff my diapers and put them away.  Usually by then the pail is full and I already have another load ready to wash.  I can’t get my head above water in the laundry department.

Current view of my laundry room

I should just start changing my son’s diapers in the laundry room because I can’t seem to get his diapers past that room and back into his drawers.  I hope I’m not the only one whose stash lives in a basket and not organized in drawers.  (The time it took for me to write this post and edit photos was probably enough to catch up on folding clothes… ironic right?)

Image for diapers in baskets via: http://mcbabybump.blogspot.com/2011/12/cloth-diapering-my-system.html

Ask anyone what their cloth diaper washing routine is and you will get 20 different answers from 20 different women.  There are just so many factors at work in washing cloth diapers and that is why it is the toughest part of cloth diapering for most parents.

For most of us we work on our wash routines for months before finding what works.  What if life throws you a curve ball and you move to a new area?  

I hate to break it to you but your wash routine might be obsolete.  Due to the variables in water hardness and mineral content what worked for you in Point A might not work for you in Point B.  This might not be evident right away but there are signs that you need to change your routine and finding out sooner is better than later- trust me!  For an idea about the variations in types of water across the country Rockin’ Green has a chart, although you will want to double check once you get settled in.  I also highly suggest using Bummis as a resource for washing cloth diapers in general.

Things to look for:

An increasingly strong stink-

Your diapers shouldn’t stink after being washed and dried.  They also shouldn’t stink after being washed and still wet.  Typically your diapers should have no odor at all.  Take a moment to sniff test your diapers before hanging them to dry or putting them in your dryer.  There are different kinds of smells but the most common one you can detect while they are wet is called “barnyard stink” and this is a sign that your diapers are not getting clean enough.  Due to changes in water from moving this could mean using more detergent than you used previously (especially if you have harder water) or adding a water softener like Calgon in with your wash.  It might also mean that you should change detergents if other fixes don’t solve the issue because frankly- some detergents don’t work well with certain water types.

A “nose stinging” odor-

Whew!  Your diaper pail seems to be a toxic waste factory each time you open the lid and you have started closing your eyes and nose each time you have to open it.  That my friends is a sign of ammonia build up in your diapers.  Ammonia is one of those dreaded words in cloth diaper land because it can be a BYOTCH to get rid of.  It is important to take action at the earliest signs of ammonia build up because not only will it be harder to get rid of as more takes up residence in your diapers but it can cause serious rashes for your baby.  To get rid of ammonia you will need to strip your diapers (a process of removing build up through continuous washes with either plain hot water or Dawn dish soap among other products-find what will work best for you situation) and bleach them.  There I said it.   Bleach is a necessary evil in my opinion and is recommended by many manufacturers, including Cotton Babies, for diaper washing on a monthly basis.  You will want to check your warranties on your diapers before bleaching however as some do not cover them after that.  Once you have tackled the ammonia and your diapers smell odorless after your child has peed in them you will need to re-evaluate your routine to avoid another round.  It is normal to smell ammonia faintly on diapers after they have been sitting in your wet bag or pail for long periods but it shouldn’t knock you over so keep that in mind as you go on.

Rashes-

Any time there is a rash you will want to isolate the cause.  Rashes can be caused by so many things, not just diaper laundry.  Common rash causes include too much detergent build up (and your baby is sensitive to your detergent), ammonia in the diapers (usually these are flat and bright red rashes), yeast (which is another problem, related to diapering but not to moving), a reaction to new foods, sensitivity to wet diapers if not changed soon after wetting, etc.  If you rule out the rashes caused by other environmentals like food allergies then it is time to step back and look at your diapers for the cause.  Ammonia and build-up are both issues that could be caused from a new location and a bad fit from your old wash routine.  Treating the rash with a cloth diaper safe cream and revamping your routine should cure that rash and keep it at bay.

Repelling-

Repelling is another ugly word in our land.  With repelling your diapers have built up a barrier of detergent (or have rash cream build up or even softeners on the lining) from not being rinsed thoroughly enough or using to much detergent.  This is an easy fix when you notice your diapers are repelling or suspect that small leaks could mean the absorbancy rate is decreasing.  It can happen slowly or in one wash too.  If it happens slowly you will notice small leaks from the legs or back, usually because the urine escapes before soaking in all the way.  Leaks will happen more often and will get increasingly worse over time if you don’t fix what is leaing residue.  If you just happen to drop in a bottle of softener then you will have immediate repelling and no urine will soak in leaving you with a potentially soaked crib sheet or jeans with a baby on your lap.   First you need to strip the diapers of the residue, sometimes RLR is the best for removing detergent build up.  I uaully buy mine from Mom’s Milk Boutique because they offer free shipping on it!  After a good soak and strip look to detergents formulated for hard water if you have it now, or use less of your current detergent because you may have moved from a harder to softer water system.

Catching your problem early is the best way to tackle it before it becomes a beast!  I personally fought this battle after moving from NY to FL and had to change detergents and start using Calgon in my wash and this has killed the barnyard stink that my diapers were experiencing.  After moving I wouldn’t change your routine off the bat unless you for sure know what the differences are in the water and feel comfortable making that change.

Even vacations can have take a toll on your diapers.  I have taken mine with me many times to various parts of the country and experienced near immediate repelling due to a water change that didn’t agree with my wash routine.  This is hard to know until you try but consider asking others in that area about the water type and look up how that differs from your own, then make a small adjustment for that time.

My biggest tip is to join a local cloth diapering group after you move and ask about how others wash their diapers!  Asking on a worldwide forum is going to leave you with more questions than answers, but usually there is a theme within a community in the amount used, the detergent used, and any additives.  Try local boards on cloth diaper forums or even Facebook!  

How can you possibly find time to wash cloth diapers?  Isn’t it hard?  These are questions I am often asked by the people I meet in real life when they learn that I use cloth diapers.  Washing cloth diapers only adds a tiny bit of extra work into my life.  What people without kids don’t realize is that washing diapers is the easiest part of my day.  Just raising the kids is the hardest.  Retreating to my laundry room for two minutes to add detergent or toss my diapers in the dryer is a quiet oasis away from the children.  I know that when I emerge I’ll come out to one kid screaming because he is locked inside of his toy box or another kid jumping from the coffee table onto the couch exclaiming “I’m Spider Man!.”

Washing cloth diapers is easy.  Keeping my kids alive, fed, my house clean, my sanity in tact; these are all things that are difficult.  Since cloth diapers save money and waste less I’ll choose taking my washer and dryer’s time for a few hours.  Because let’s face it- your washer and dryer do the dirty work!  The time I actually spend on laundry is about 10-20 minutes.  I’ll take it.

To show you what washing diapers really looks like I filmed everything that happened in my day while I did my laundry.  You’ll see that my time “working” on laundry is overshadowed by the time I’m doing other things in my home.  It’s a brutally honest look at my daily life.  I am in pajamas during the entire film and my house isn’t ready for company.  I get a little pass though since I just moved in a couple of weeks ago!

I want to send a special thank you to my cloth diaper laundry detergent of choice, Rockin’ Green Soap!  I’ve been using their products since they came out and buying them when I run out (I don’t get free soap, ya’ll).  They also happen to be my BlogHer 2012 sponsor and are generously covering the cost of travel and lodging for my trip next week!  Their detergent makes my job a little bit easier by not having to worry about repelling diapers and other issues that happen with grocery store brands.  Thanks RnG!  

Not all cloth diapers are made from the same material, therefore not all cloth diapers can be prepped in one single load.  I’m answering the most common questions I’ve been asked over the years in hopes that I can just refer future readers here and save my hands some typing.  Just kidding…  kind of.  If you are completely new to cloth diapers you will find a lot more helpful information on my New to Cloth Diapers.

So exactly what does “prepping” mean?

Do I have to prep my diapers?

Yes, at least once.  If only to remove any leftover chemicals that might be present on the diapers from manufacturing.  I always wash my diapers at least one good time before using them, just in case.  If you do decide to only wash once then use that diaper during the day and not for a nap.  It won’t be fully absorbent until it gets washed a few more times.

Can I wash my synthetic cloth diapers with my diapers made with natural fibers?

No!  Cloth diapers made from cotton, bamboo, and hemp will have a natural oil in the fibers that will wash away within the first few washes.  Organic, unbleached natural fibers (especially organic cotton) have even more oils.  These oils can wash onto your synthetic materials, especially the stay dry layers of pocket diapers made from microfleece and suedecloth, and leave a build-up that leads to repelling (when liquids don’t absorb).  All natural materials should be washed at least three times alone.  If you receive a pocket diaper in the mail that comes with a hemp insert you still need to wash those two pieces separately.  I have a materials glossary for cloth diapers if you need a reference.

How many washes does it take for a diaper to be fully prepped and absorbent?

There is no definite answer because every diaper is made from a different material, however an average number is 6-8.  Microfiber inserts will fall on the lower range, even less than 6 usually.  Natural materials, especially hemp, will take 8 washes.

Do I need to dry the diapers between each wash when prepping?

Eh……..  I don’t.  The drying will exponentially increase quilting (this is when the cotton puffs/wrinkles up which makes them more absorbent) when prepping prefolds, however I don’t find this necessary for other inserts or diapers.  So basically- inserts, flats, fitteds- no.  Cotton prefolds- yes.

Boiling a load of flats

Can I boil my diapers to prep them faster?

You can, but take my advice:  don’t unless you understand what you are getting into!  Boiling looks like the easy route but unless you have a witch’s cauldron or you only need to boil a handful of diapers you’ll want the capacity of a washer.  I gave my tiny apartment kitchen a steam bath when I boiled about 52 prefolds in batches.  It took 5 hours of constant work.  The steam “cleaned” my wallpaper, leaving disgusting yellow streaks down my walls.  I ended up doing even more work than just boiling diapers- I also had to wash all of my walls.  You can NOT boil any parts of a cloth diaper that have PUL, TPU, elastic, or snaps.  Really the only things you can boil are prefolds, flats, and inserts.

What if I just have one brand new diaper?  Do I really need it wash it all by itself to prep it? 

This will all depend on the materials.  If it has organic, natural materials, I defintely would still wash it by itself.  This will be less work than stripping all of your diapers later.  If the diaper is made from synthetics,  non organic cotton, or non organic bamboo velour then I would say it should be ok and you can sneak it into a load of your dirty diapers.

How much detergent do I use when just prepping my diapers?

There is conflicting information on this (just like all diaper washing articles) but I use the tiniest amount.  Usually just a teaspoon or two.  Since prep loads are usually less than full wash loads this gives you enough to work out the oils but not enough to cause any repelling problems.  Some people prefer not to use any soap.  You can adjust the amount if you are prepping an entire load of brand new diapers- so if you have a full wash load of 12-15 new diapers you could use the full recommended amount by your soap maker.  In my case it would be 2 tablespoons of Rockin’ Green.

Do I need to prep my new covers?

Covers aren’t absorbent therefore you don’t need to “prep” them in the sense that they need washing to work effectively.  They will work right out of the package as intended.  You will still probably want to wash once but you can throw these into your dirty laundry (if you have any).

Should I prep my “new to me” (previously loved) diapers?

Assuming they were loved more than a few times they will already be fully absorbent.  You might want to “strip” your diapers, however.

Stripping gone wrong- Image from a friend

What is “Stripping” and why does it sound so dirty?  

Stripping refers to the removal of any soap, minerals, and stink that sometimes accumulate over time in the fibers of cloth diapers.  All fabrics cling to these things during the wash but unlike cloth diapers, our sheets and clothes don’t need to hold liquid so this isn’t usually a concern.  When stripping diapers there are several approaches, some of which could void the warranty of your diapers, so do your research and understand what you are getting into.  The simplest form of stripping just involved repeated HOT WASH CYCLES with no detergent.  The hot water will remove the built up soap and rinse it away.  Other stripping methods will recommend using Original Blue Dawn (just a drop…) and bleach.  If someone tells you to strip your diapers using your dish washer- DON’T DO IT.  This is extremely unsafe since a diaper could land on a heating element inside and start a fire.  Not only that, but you can potentially ruin your diapers.  If you are looking to go the unconventional route read about how to use fish tank ammonia remover.  Why does “stripping” sound so dirty?  Because your mind is in the gutter, that’s why!

How will I know that my diapers are fully prepped?

There won’t be an exact moment where you look at your diapers and know for certain that they are fully absorbent.  With prefolds you can kind of tell by how quilted the cotton appears, but even at full quilt they will still become more absorbent for a few more washes.  With pockets, All-in-Ones, All-in-Two’s, Fitteds, Flats, and other types of cloth diapers you’ll just have to work on the honor system.  If you decided to only wash once and let the dirty washes do the rest of the work give those diapers a few weeks or even a month before trying them overnight.  You won’t want to use a half-prepped diaper overnight because you’ll likely get unfavorable results.  Don’t rule out a diaper if it leaks and it is new- chances are it just needs a few more washes.

Do you have a prepping question that wasn’t answered?  Leave a comment and I’ll answer it if I can!

Traveling with cloth diapers isn’t a cut an dry topic.  There are just so many variables that a simple “Yes you can use cloth diapers while traveling” or “No, you shouldn’t cloth diaper when traveling” is impossible.  I hope my vast experience with practically every type of scenario will shed some light on how to cloth diaper while traveling and maybe even when to skip it.

Air Travel- Flying with a baby can be a stressful idea even if the flight itself winds up being a breeze thanks to heavenly white noise and a baby happy to nurse and nap the whole way {as an experienced flyer with babies I have tips for this}.  There are ways to bring cloth diapers with you if you are so inclined.  I’ve snuck an entire stash of diapers inside of my carseat which was bagged up and checked.  If you need to pack cloth diapers in your luggage consider sticking to enough for 1.5 days and washing frequently.  Extend your stash by using All-in-Two’s and lots of extra soaker pads, or ultra compact flats with 4-6 covers.

As for washing your diapers, flats make the best choice because they work better even if your destination has a different water.  They can easily be washed in your hotel bathroom tub or washer and hung to dry over shower racks and even the luggage caddy that most every hotel room has.  If you are staying with family you may want to check that washing your diapers there is OK (some people might balk at the idea).

Car Travel-  If you are packing the family into the car you have an obvious advantage because you control the space and will likely be able to fit an entire stash of diapers into your car.  From experience I would recommend sticking to the basics of your stash if you are washing while away.  If you plan on washing when you return home then by all means bring every diaper you have.  To those washing while away save the space in your luggage for souvenirs and only take 2 days worth.

Camping- I can’t speak from experience on camping and using cloth diapers.  I defintely know it can be done and would suggest a small stash of flats and covers.  Flat cloth diapers can pack small and be handwashed while camping.

Other options:

Hybrid cloth diapers that will work with disposable inserts are a way to either thicken your stash while you are away, save the day when you get too busy to wash diapers and run out, or can be used full time inside of your covers or shells to make your packing load lighter and your vacation a little more convenient.

Use a Diaper Service on longer trips and leave all of your diapers at home!  I’ve done this twice myself while attending a conference with a nursling in tow.  Once in Las Vegas and once in Louisville Kentucky.  Both diaper services were happy to work with me and both also received extra business while offering the service to other attendees.  Win/Win.  They dropped off a large bag of clean prefolds and a diaper pail/bag to my hotel and I met them or left the bags at the desk for them when my trip was done.  You’dd have to diaper your baby from home to the hotel and back but for the rest of your trip you are will be worry free and waste free too!  Find a list of diaper services on Real Diaper Industry Association or simply use a search engine for your destination’s city.

Should you cloth diaper while away from home?  

Most of me says yes.  I’ve done it many, many, many times.  I’ve flown with diapers to Texas and North Carolina a few times each.  I’ve driven my diapers to Massachusetts (3 times, once with 2 babies in diapers), North Carolina, and various weekend trips around NY State.  Then I’ve used a diaper service in Las Vegas and Louisville.

I’ve also used hybrid systems and on one occasion, have used disposables exclusively on one trip.  I much prefer to travel with cloth and have made it work for almost every trip we have taken as a family.  That being said, I do understand that we moms tend to make life harder on ourselves sometimes and if a weekend away from diaper laundry while on vacation is what you crave you are entitled to that!  Cloth diapering families are vastly reducing the waste being left by their children.  I do feel guilt when the occasional disposable on a trip or at night is used but I try to put this into perspective.  If only disposables were used for these occasions by everyone then they would be fulfilling their original purpose!

I’ll leave you with my “Expert Tips” for traveling with cloth diapers.

• Pack only what you need.  I stick to about 15 diapers worth, 1 Large wet bag and 2 medium for the diaper bag.
• Remember to bring your own detergent and a way to measure it!
• Cloth wipes and water from the sink.  Or your disposable wipes.
• If you are handwashing pack latex gloves.
• Diapers pack smaller if you pack the inserts seperatesly from the shells.  Pre-stuffed diapers take up more room.
• Be aware that your destination might have a different water type and this could afect your wash routine.
• To prepare for packing your diapers consider having hybrids or a disposable on hand to put on while washing the last load.  If you will be gone longer than 5 days you don’t want to leave one last dirty diaper at home to be washed before you leave.
• If you have to cloth diaper until the last moment before leaving home toss that final dirty diaper or two in the washer and run a rinse with a bit of detergent just so it isn’t growing mushrooms before you get home.
• My best piece of advice: be realistic with yourself.  Try to do cloth diapers if you desire but if you just can’t make it work logistically then use plan b or a mixture of plan a and plan b.

Cloth Diapering at a Home Away From Home (my recent post on KellyWels.com about cloth diapering while living with family)

Roadtrippin’ With 2 Kid and Cloth Diapers

Roadtrippin’ With 2 Kids and Cloth Diapers Pt. 2

Last Minute Trip to Texas (and packed cloth)

Traveling With Cloth Diapers (with map of travels)

Using a Diaper Service on trip to Las Vegas

This post is part of the Real Diaper Week BlogHop hosted by The Eco Chic.  Visit her blog to see the other entries for today.  Don’t forget that the Great Cloth Diaper Change is this Saturday.  Help set a World Record for most cloth diapers changed simultaneously.  I’ll be in Charlotte, NC!

This guest post is from The Pedal Powered Family.  I first learned about their adventure after they signed up for the Flats Challenge.  I asked Heidi if she would write a guest post about using cloth diapers and touring North and Central America by bicycle with 2 children!  I hope you will all follow their journey on their blog or Facebook Page.

It would have been difficult to take on the Flats and Handwashing Challenge while living at home – having the washing and drying capabilities and a good stash of fitted diapers that worked fantastically, I didn’t want to invest in another type of diaper. You would think that doing this challenge would have been even more difficult to attempt while travelling, however that’s when I realized that unless I did so, I wouldn’t be able to continue cloth diapering at all during the next year, as I would be spending the next year on my bike.

On May 21st, I left with my family (myself, husband, and 2 kids ages 4 and 18 months) on a year long North and Central American bike tour. We’ve gone on shorter bike trips in the past where it has always been easier to just switch to disposable diapers for the duration of each journey, but we didn’t want to compromise our eco-friendly values for an entire year as we continued to diaper little Harper on the road.

Better for Babies generously supplied us with a complete collection of fitted diapers and wool covers for our travels. We wanted to utilize wool covers as we would only need a rotation of 2 or 3, and wool doesn’t need to be washed very frequently. When they do require washing, they have a pretty long dry time, so we did take along a few Bummi’s Super Whisper Wraps for back up. After using the fitted organic cotton velour diapers from Better for Babies for several weeks prior to the start of our bike trip, we determined that they work very well, fit great, and never leaked. However, they did take forever to line dry. So we looked into flats as a faster-drying solution. Re-diaper, our local cloth diaper resource supplied us with some Osocosy flats. We learned how to fold them and have since taken 13 of them on our travels. We also took 9 flat hemp inserts, figuring this would be about a two day supply.

We have been on the road for about a week, and the diapering is going pretty smoothly. We wash each diaper as it is dirtied in whatever resource we have – a hotel bathtub, sink at a campground or in a bathroom in a gas station. Then we dry them on the back of the sun shade attached to my husband’s bicycle and they dry in the sun and wind. One night, we did a load of about 8 flats in a hotel bathroom and they were almost completely dry by morning after hanging all over the hotel room.

Ok. I’m struggling here. I have a confession. The diapers are currently in an electric dryer and I’m cheating. However, there was no way around this situation! Being on the road by bicycle means you are out in the weather almost 24 hours a day. And it has rained straight the last 2 days! We have no indoor drying rack as we are sleeping in a tent so the diapers had to be dried in a dryer. For this challenge I may have cheated but I’ll make up for it by participating in the handwashing challenge for the next year as we continue to travel by bicycle around the continent. {Editor’s Note- You are totally forgiven!  Your dedication to cloth on your journey more than makes up for using a dryer this week!}

Pros – we continue to use cloth diapers while travelling and don’t contribute to the mounting landfills with diapers that will never decompose; Harper is happier in cloth!
Cons – handwashing each individual diaper as we can uses so much water and takes a considerable amount of time – 7-10 min per diaper can equal almost 1 hour of the day – we have to wash them when we can as we can never predict where the next available resource to wash them will be; unpredictable and rainy weather means that we will be using a dryer when we have to; flats don’t contain poop as well as fitted diapers which means our wool covers will need washing more frequently which may be a challenge due to their drying time.

So far, this handwashing challenge has been just that – a challenge. I admit, I sometimes long for a disposable diaper that I can just throw in the next trash can. I dread every time I see Harper straining with his next #2 because I know I’ll have to scrape it out and get my hands dirty. But it does warm my heart every time the diapers dry within an hour on the bicycle or over a lunch rest stop hanging on a fence. Perhaps my next stop should be looking into “elimination communication” to eliminate the messy parts of this challenge… {Editor’s note: I posted about EC coincidentally today, check it out}

About The Pedal Powered Family: We are a family of four seeking to live simply, give generously, and travel slowly on our bikes. On May 21, 2011 we plan to live out our dream of exploring our continent on a year-long, 20,000km bicycle tour, starting and finishing at our home in Hamilton, Ontario.

So you have decided to use cloth diapers.  Awesome!  Now you are wondering what you do with the dirty diapers?  Disposable diapers go in a diaper pail or trash can.  Where can you put your dirty diapers until wash day where they won’t stink up the joint?

Most families choose between 2 options: A traditional Diaper Pail or a Hanging Wet Bag.  In either case, you will need a PUL (waterproof material, same used for most cloth diaper covers and shells) lined bag of some sort to either put in your pail, or to hang in the nursery to place your dirty diapers in.  There are certainly other options, and I will list those at the end as well.  Full disclosure: the links provided are affiliate links.

Diaper Pail:

If you have ever walked inside of a Target and shopped for baby stuff you have seen the aisle of large boxes containing a variety of different diaper pails.  The most famous being the “Diaper Genie.”  Unfortunately, most pails designed for disposable diapers are simply not cut out for cloth diapers.  Pails that have turning lids like the Diaper Genie don’t have room enough in their openings for many cloth diapers to fit through.  Other brands, like the Diaper Dekor (which I use) can be modified to accommodate cloth diapers and an elastic edged reusable pail liner.

Diaper Dekor Plus Diaper Disposal System

There are also cloth diaper pails which have locking lids.  I have not personally used one since I prefer the convenience of a step can.  Some of these pails use mesh bags to hold the dirty diapers.  The good news is that the mesh allows the diapers to breathe which can prevent odors.  The bad news is that the wet and soiled diapers could get the pail itself dirty.  You would have to wash the pail more often than if using a PUL pail liner.  Locking lids are great for curious little ones.  Since most people do not keep wet pails (pails with water and bleach to soak diapers between washes) at least there isn’t a worry about drowning.

Bambino Mio Dirty Nappy Cloth Diaper Bucket & Lid

A third pail option isn’t technically a pail at all.  Plastic or Metal step lid trash cans can work as a pail also.  You will just want to check the sizing and make sure a pail liner will work.  Many of these trash cans are too big or too small.  I found a hard time locating one to fit a pail liner when I shopped for one, so I bought my Dekor.

Umbra 12-Gallon Trash Can

With a pail you have the option of using an elastic edged pail liner, which functions like a trash bag, but that you wash over and over with your dirty diapers.  Many major brands make their own version.  Wahmies has a popular model which also has an elastic loop that you can use to hang it from a door knob if you choose.

Wahmies Diaper Pail Liner

Wet Bags:

Hanging Wet Bags come in a large variety of options.  There are long skinny bags, short wide bags, zippering bags, drawstring bags, colorful print bags, plain solid colored bags, and so on.  These bags also come in a variety of sizes.

The best hanging wet bag is going to have an unsnappable handle.  These can be looped around anything sturdy enough and closed.  If you have bars on your changing table this is a good place to put one, other than a door knob.  Or, you can opt for a bag made to go on a door knob like the Knickernappies.

Knickernappies Doorknob Diaper Pail

Another cool option out there is the wet/dry bag.  This bag has a front pocket that can be used for clean diapers, and the main pocket is lined with PUL for dirty diapers.  I usually recommend this bag for daycare families.  They can send the bag with clean diapers and have it returned with dirty ones, all in one shot.

Planet Wise Wet/Dry Diaper Bag

You don’t HAVE to put a wet bag in your nursery.  There is the option to hang a wet bag in your bathroom.  Since you will at some point likely be spraying down dirty diapers, this is a convenient place to put them, especially if your bathroom is far away from the baby’s room.  Some people also hang them in their laundry area.

If you are in the market for a MASSIVE bag because you either have more than one child, like to go a while before doing laundry, or will be going on a long trip, then you need the Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag.  I use this one every time I go on vacation!  It can be hung on a door knob or used as a pail liner.  It can hold enough diapers for 4-5 days worth of dirties.

Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag (Large)

(All of the wet bags I mentioned can also be purchased at my affiliate, Kelly’s Closet, if you would like to support my blog!)

Diaper Pails:

Pros:

Can contain Odors

Some are lockable

Those with step lids are hands free and easy to use.

Cons:

Take up more space

Might be hard to find one that works with a pail liner

If they don’t lock, toddlers can explore them and add/subtract items

Eyesores in the nursery

Hanging Wet Bags:

Pros:

Take up less space

Can be placed on door knobs, changing table, etc.

Inexpensive

Choice of cute patterns

Choice of various sizes to suit your needs

Cons:

Zippering/ Unzippering can be a pain

Drawstring bags might not close all the way

Might not be as smell proof as a pail

Other Options:

There are also other options for storing dirty diapers.  Many of them cost little to no money.

Washer:

Some families wash so often that they go ahead and throw the dirty diaper directly in the washer.  Once they have a load they start it up.  There is no middle man and no cost to this method.  If you have basement laundry then this is probably not a great option, unless you are trying to tone your legs!

Hamper:

You could also put the diapers in a hamper, which will more than likely be stored in your laundry room.  The obvious issue here is getting the hamper dirty.  You may or may not care.

Utility Sink:

Same concept as the washer.  You can use a utility sink to rinse off diapers and leave them there until wash day.

Plastic Bags:

Not the ideal option, however those grocery bags many people use as trash can liners can also be used as travel wet bags in a pinch.

Pail with no liner:

Some bucket type pails can be used with no pail liner.  You will likely end up washing the pail often, or ignoring the mess the diapers are leaving.  This method requires you to take the pail with you to the washer and dump your diapers in.

Surprisingly, many parents who embark on the journey of cloth diapers are surprised when they find that many of their diapers are left with less than attractive staining on the inside.  Whether this is because a well meaning article online or parent told them they don’t stain (this is true sometimes in the case of newborn poop, but not always….) or because they assumed everything would wash away clean, the realization is frustrating.

Every stage of poop comes with different stain risks.  To date, after 22 months of cloth diapering, I have only had 1 stain (caused by poop) that I could not get out.  These are my tips for preventing and removing stains.

Prevention:

• Always Pre-Rinse in COLD Water before you add a hot wash when there is poop involved.
• If you suspect a poop is coming, throw in a fleece or flushable liner.  This not only makes clean-up easier, it keeps poop from hitting your diaper directly.  This is more for children on solids than newborns.
• If you are so inclinined and you know that your baby is going to poop, put them on a little potty or potty insert on your toilet.  Abstinence is the best prevention!
• Once your baby is eating solids, having a diaper sprayer will be a lifesaver.  Use this to spray as much debris off, leaving little chances of the stains setting in while waiting for wash day.

Treatment:

• Newborn poop has long been thought to never stain.  This statement is misleading because often a diaper comes out of the washer covered in a light shade of yellow.  For most newborn (EBF) poop just ignore it and wash a few more times.  It should come out in a few washes.
• Sunning is the number one stain treatment.  (I have an old post on the Miracle of Sunning with before and after photos) Lay your diapers flat in the sunlight for a few hours while damp or wet.  Dry works too but better when wet.  9 times out of 10, as long as the stain has not been set in, this will only take one session.  More stubborn stains may take a second sunning.
• Sunning not working?  You might have a food based stain from something your child ate.  Try adding a squirt of lemon juice topically to the diaper, then lay in the sun.  This has gotten a few very stubborn stains out for me.  You need to re-wash your diapers after a lemon treatment before using them on your baby.
• Last Resort: chlorine bleach.  I have never used bleach to treat a stain, but incidentally, when I have used it during a stripping some diapers with stains that I had not had the chance to sun out came clean.

Other tips:

• Not all poop is created equal.  I have an exhaustive list of the different stages of poop that you may find helpful.
• Newborn poop manages to get into every nook and cranny.  Especially if you have a diaper with gathered gussets on the inside, like a Rumparooz or Thirsties, you might notice that most of the poop has washed out minus in those crevices.  There is no way to sun this since it is in those hiding spots.  Don’t worry, I never had a permanent stain in these places.  A few washes and it all came out.
• Toddlers can eat some colorful items which in turn, leave colorful stains: think blueberries.  Even blueberry stains have come out for me after sunning.
• The only stain to remain for me is a mystery.  I wish I knew the food which caused it but I don’t.
• Unless you are terribly concerned about the resale value of your diapers, don’t get your panties in a knot over stains.  I used to religiously fight stains and sun my diapers at every chance (which is rare living in Syracuse, NY).  Now, I am happier not being so worried about stains.  Usually, they resolve themselves after a few washes.  If not, who cares?  He is just going to poop in it again at some point.

Photo Credit: Stevec77 from Flickr

I have lived through 20 months of cloth diapering my son.  To say I have learned a thing or two is an understatement.  Not only have I tried and reviewed over 50 cloth diapers, I have tried all sorts of accesories.  Plus I have real world experience.  I know how to change a cloth diaper on a plane, bench, lap, and how to deal when my son is fighting me for a change.  I have sampled cloth safe diaper creams and detergents and picked my favorites.  And, I have learned how to keep my son relatively still during changes (crucial when in public and there is a nasty poop!)  I am listing what I feel a cloth diapering mom needs and stating my brand of choice where applicable.

A few easy peasy AIO diapers for the babysitter/ diaper bag. Because no matter how much you love prefolds, your babysitter might not.  My favorites are the Drybees Hybrid Pocket AIO and the AMP AIO.

Diaper Sprayer (around 6 months when your baby begins solids)

At least (2) Travel Size Wet Bags. The Wahmies Medium in the Guitar Print is my go to quick trip out, while my Planet Wise Wet/ Dry in Medium is best for a day trip.

(2) Elastic edged pail liners -or- at least 2 Hanging Wet Bags- Wahmies Pail liner is my choice, and Planet Wise Wet/Dry bag in Large for a hanging pail.

Diaper Pail- if you choose one, it should have a pedal for ease of use, especially when you have a dripping wet diaper.  I love my Diaper Dekor, which I modified to accommodate cloth diapers.

1 pack of Snappis

Cloth Friendly Diaper Detergent (I use Rockin’ Green Hard Rock)

Dryer Balls (if you want to soften your diapers or reduce static.)

Flushable Liners- I have found Bummis Bioliners are the softest.  Good to use when on the go to prevent coming home with poop in your diapers.

Drying Rack, clothesline, or gizmo for hanging diapers- I love my Ikea Octopus for hanging covers, but I just throw my inserts over the porch rail for sunning.

Awesome diaper bag big enough for your cloth diapers! I like my Petunia Picklebottom but I am still drooling over the Go Gaga Messenger bag!

Changing Pad- I have a great changing pad from Ikea!

Cloth Diaper safe Cream- My fav is Dimpleskins Bum Balm.  Silky and very effective!

Distracting/ engaging Toy for changes.  Especially good for when you are learning how to put on a prefold or a snapping diaper.

Mobile above changing table when the baby is younger and can’t reach it. It will keep their eyes engaged while you do your thing.

You can find many of these items at my affiliate, Kelly’s Closet, including the Bummis Bioliners, Planet Wise and Wahmies Wet bags, diaper sprayers, snappis, and Rockin’ Green.  Shopping my link supports DDL!  Need a coupon code?  Find them here! Happy Shopping!

What are your must have items to make cloth diapering easier?

A fellow blogger (Pamela from Daytontime) emailed me a link to a blog post announcing a new campaign from Huggies that utilizes “mom bloggers” as brand ambassadors for a new diaper drive.  The Drive is called “Every Little Bottom” and aims to donate 20 million diapers to diaper banks over the next 8 months.

Yes, you read that right, 20 million. And the sad fact is: that is a drop in the bucket of the worldwide consumption of disposables.

But I am not writing about the diaper drive.  There are families who truly need diapers, and food, and other things that these big companies can provide.  Do I wish these families were using cloth diapers?  Absolutely.  Is it possible for them all?  Not really. Without access to laundry facilities it is difficult to use cloth diapers.

This is what Elita of Blacktating commented on that post:

I just don’t see any way around using disposables for low income moms. Instead of pointing the fingers at poor women who don’t have many options, why don’t we ask why parents of means aren’t using them?

The first part of the comment I slightly disagree with.  Even some low income families have washers and dryers.  Many do not.  And coin laundry can become costly, transportation to the facilities hard to come by, etc.  I get it.  I want to cloth diaper the world but I have to be realistic. And the blanket statement that cloth diapers save money so we should provide those, which will last for one or more children, doesn’t always apply.  In theory cloth diapers are the best option because they last, they work for many sizes in most cases, and the families would never need to buy diapers again.  But without access to proper facilities to wash them how useful are they? Not everyone wants to hand wash diapers (I personally do not, thank goodness for my own washer) or has the time.

The second part of her comment did resonate with me.  Even though cloth diapers are the economical choice, there is no reason the upper and middle class shouldn’t or couldn’t use them.  Just because a family has “disposable income” that doesn’t mean they should literally be buying diapers that are meant to be disposed of. Families with means have access to any cloth diaper they want and washers/ dryers.  Some even have enough to hire someone to wash their diapers for them!  Why wouldn’t you use cloth diapers if you didn’t even need to wash them yourself?

Shouln’t we be focusing more on converting those who can afford either option more than pushing cloth diapers on families who hardly have the means to wash them?

Once again, before you think I am pro disposables, I am speaking of families in the modern world who just don’t have the time to hand wash diapers, or transport their own laundry and cloth diapers to a laundromat.  I still hate the thought of all of these diapers going to a landfill, but if more families who could buy a stash without blinking did so, that is better than nothing.  I know many in the cloth community see things in black and white.  There is a grey area too that should be acknowledged.

This is why I hope Operation Fluffy succeeds.  Widespread media attention is needed to make cloth diapers visible.  The Green movement is being followed by plenty of upper and middle class families.  They pay extra for organic food, natural cleaners, sustainable clothing, hybrid cars, and solar panels for their homes.  But somehow they still use disposables!  They just don’t know there are modern cloth diapers!

And for families in need who do have laundry access, cloth diapers should be the answer. This is why The Cloth Diaper Foundation helps families get started who cannot afford to buy their own cloth diapers.  There is no easy answer to the diaper dilemma faced by needy families, but both ends are trying to meet the need.

Image Credit: Jonathan Harford via Flickr