How to Wash Cloth Diapers

It may take some trial and error to find the routine that works best for your washer and your water hardness.  Here is a basic laundry procedure and guidelines for washing cloth diapers.

Basic washing routine for cloth diapers.

1. First, make sure that you have removed the solids from the cloth diaper.  It is easiest to shake the solids into the toilet at each change.  A spatula in the bathroom is great for removing as much as you can.  For exclusively breastfed babies, the soiled diaper can go right into the washer.  Yet another benefit of breastfeeding! 

2. Take your diaper pail liner full of soiled diapers to your washer.   Dump all the diapers and the liner into the washer.  Put the washer on a cold rinse.  Nothing to add.  This cold water rinse will remove any protein based stains (poop).  I often do this step right before I start dinner. 

3. Restart the washer on a hot wash with your diaper detergent of choice.  If you are using a detergent available at your local grocery store, use much less.  About a quarter of the recommended amount.  This will ensure the diapers rinse clean.  Set the water level on your washer as high as possible.  Make sure you don’t overstuff the washer.  There has to be enough space for the water to circulate around the cloth diapers.   I put the diapers on to wash, and then put dinner on the table. 

4. A hot dryer will fluff up your prefolds beautifully. Most prefold diapers are made to withstand these harsh conditions.  Most covers can stand the heat.  However, you could place the diaper covers on top of the dryer to capture some of that escaping heat.   Some cloth diaper manufactures of microfleece products recommend air drying and others recommend a medium dryer setting.   However, these too could be hung up to dry overnight near the dryer.   I start the dryer right before I go to bed.  In the morning, there are fresh clean diapers. 

Or
 
Use a clothesline for all your cloth diapers.  The sun will naturally bleach out any stains.  Here is a trick for softer prefold diapers.  Hang your prefolds so they overlap.  That is, half of the first diaper is covered by the second diaper.  And the other half of the second diaper is covered by the third diaper.  They will take longer to dry, but they will be soft and fluffy.  If your diapers are a little stiff when you take them off the line, check how much detergent you are using.  When I choose to hang the diapers outside, I hang them in the morning before the boys are awake.  Our South Florida sun has them dry, well before lunchtime!

 There are many variables; baby sensitivities, family diet, water hardness to name a few. This basic routine is a great way to start.  Tweaking this routine can be done later, IF you have a problem.