Cloth Diapering: Care, Washing, and Product Guide

Over 3.3 million tonnes of disposable diapers are sent to landfills every year. A single diaper might take up to 500 years to degrade in a landfill. For every diaper thrown out, the ecosystem has been infected with poisonous gases and hazardous chemicals for 500 years.

Cloth diapers make a significant difference. You are having an impact. However, how we wash these babies' cloth diapers is critical—not just for our sanity, but also for our infants' health. Many parents are scared off by the thought of washing cloth diapers before they even begin. However, it does not have to be complicated.

We've been using baby cloth diapers for years, and washing them is rarely inconvenient, especially considering the money you save by not using disposable diapers! We'll answer all of your questions and show you how to wash cloth diapers the easy way in this article.

Steps to Wash Cloth Diaper for Newborns

1. Rinse off pee/poop if any, using a little detergent: If your infant is exclusively breastfed, their excrement is water-soluble and technically does not need to be removed. Some women may prefer to dump soiled diapers into the pail or bag they're using for storage, which is okay.

Before putting the diaper or padded underwear with the other dirty ones, dump, drop, scrape, or spray the solid poops into the toilet, then rinse off the pee/poop with a bit of detergent.

2. Soak: Soiled diapers should be presoaked. Use warm water and a pinch of detergent. Soak liners, booster pads, inserts, wet wipes, and other goods in warm water for 10 minutes. Fill your bucket with a third to a quarter of a cup of warm water. There should be enough water to cover and thoroughly soak the diapering products. One-fourth the amount of detergent used in a wash load for a bucket or tub.

3. Wash Well: Rub the cloth against itself on the inside of the diapers using your hands. But make sure not to use a brush. Allow for a 10-minute soak if desired.
Tip: Avoid using bleaching powder in every wash, as it can degrade the diaper's quality and harm your baby's skin.

4. Rinse Thoroughly: Squeeze extra water from each item. Toss it in the diaper bucket or push it to the back of the bucket or tub. Do not ring out diapering items, as this stretches the fabric/components out of shape.

5. Line Dry in the Sun: Drying your diapers in the sun will help eliminate stains, clean them, and provide fresh air.
Once these are dry, wash the tub/bucket/basin with a disinfecting cleanser, such as pine oil cleaner or vinegar.

Machine Wash

1. Rinse Off: Using a health faucet, remove the solids in the toilet.

2. Put it into the machine: Put the dirty diaper in the washing machine with a small amount of detergent and run a brief cycle to clean it. You can now add your other garments to the machine and run your regular, longer wash cycle if you wish. With your normal washing, add a regular amount of detergent.

3. Tumble Dry: Dry on low heat or hang to dry.

Dos and Don'ts of Washing Cloth Diapers

Dos

1. For stains, use lemon juice and Sun bleach.

2. Sanitise your washing machine once a month. To avoid stains, rinse and wash the diapers daily. Once cleaned and residue-free, place the diapers in the washing machine with other clothing items.

3. When travelling, put dirty diapers in a sealed bag - a Waterproof Cloth Bag is a beautiful choice for this because it has an appropriate tight closure.

Don'ts

1. Do not leave soiled diapers out for several days.

2. Avoid using bleach since it destroys the waterproof membrane and melts the elastics.

3. Avoid washing the diapers in extremely hot water since this shortens the life of the elastic.

Cloth diapers for babies are available with features such as double leak guards, square tabs, stomach strips for tummy-sleeping babies, pocket flaps, and more. Each minor detail can significantly impact your baby's comfort and your cloth diapering experience. Choose the appropriate cloth diaper.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Why Cloth Over Disposable: Reusable Cloth diapers could save a lot of money.
2. Gentle on Skin: Cloth diapers are incredibly soft on a baby's skin.
3. Material and Ingredients: Cloth diapers contain various non-natural components that increase overall functionality, like Velcro, snap buttons, a waterproof polyurethane coating, etc.

Message from SuperBottoms

Hi there, new parents! SuperBottoms brings you doctor-recommended cloth diapers — the best rash-free diapering solution for your baby’s sensitive and delicate skin. Unlike disposable diapers loaded with chemicals, our newborn cloth diapers, when used and washed properly, can help eliminate the risk of diaper rashes. SuperBottoms offers a wide range of safe, skin-friendly essentials for the whole family — including Reusable Cloth Diapers, Diaper Pants, DryFeel langots for diaper-free time, Padded Underwear for potty training, SuperSoft Underwear for everyday comfort, Joggers for playful days, and Period Underwear for women. Not just for everyday use, SuperBottoms products also make the best gifting choice for babies — thoughtful, eco-friendly, practical, and loved by parents. Now available on Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, FirstCry, Zepto, Swiggy and Blinkit.