How to Wash Reusable UNO Cloth Diapers

Congratulations on choosing cloth over plastic! And welcome to this fantastic world of cloth diapers, where you save the earth, protect your baby’s delicate bum from nasty rashes and give them the comfort of cloth. But, if you are a first-time cloth diapering parent, the thought of washing and maintaining cloth diapers might intimidate you. But, more than 20 lakhs happy SuperBottoms UNO and SuperBottoms Basic users can assure you that concerns like “How To Wash Cloth Diapers” would become a thought you won’t even remember. But it is an easy-to-master skill and soon becomes a part of your routine. So, let’s dive straight into the topic and understand how to wash cloth diapers.

If you are still deciding where to begin and have yet to buy your first set of cloth diapers, here is the Diaper Buying Guide For Newborns And Infants. Also, we encourage you to read SuperBottoms reviews from real users and parents before you trust us!

How To Wash Cloth Diapers For The First Time

If you have just bought the diapers, you do not need to do anything special to prepare them for use. However, you must wash the cloth diapers once before you start using them to eliminate any gunk or dirt they must have accumulated in the transit while reaching you. You can wash them once with your regular laundry using a cloth diaper-safe detergent. Please do not use any antiseptic, liquid detergents or fabric softeners, as they reduce the life of cloth diapers.

Preparing Cloth Diapers Before Washing

As soon as you take the baby cloth diaper off your baby’s bum, you must prepare it for washing. You might not wash the diaper on the same day or at least for the next few hours. Thus, cleaning it and keeping it aside with the pile of other clothes to be washed becomes essential for hygiene and the long life of the diaper.

Preparing the diaper for washing is easy. Once the diaper is off the baby's bum, it's ideal for knocking the poop off, if any, rinse once to remove the poop remnant and one can do the first wash, if done by machine, run a quick cycle or rinse or spin cycle. If you plan to wash the diaper once in 2 to 3 days, It's good to give the diapers first wash or pre-wash and line dry them. Some parents prefer Easy Clean Top Sheets to make cleaning easy and not create a mess on the diaper. Once diapers are off baby's bum, parents can either place them in a slightly covered bucket or place them in a waterproof cloth bag.

How To Wash Cloth Diapers

And now we come to the main topic - How to wash cloth diapers and SuperBottoms washing instructions. But, before that, the question is, which detergent is the safest and best detergent for cloth diapers (1)? The answer is – SuperBottoms Cloth Diaper Detergent, India's only cloth diaper detergent that is safe and efficient for washing all your babies and even your dirty clothes.

How to wash cloth diapers by hand

STEP 1: Soak the UNO and UNO extras for 30 minutes in detergent water.

STEP 2: Wash well by rubbing properly. Do not brush the cloth diapers as doing this might damage them.

STEP 3: Rinse thoroughly till the water runs clear and no detergent remains in the diapers.

STEP 4: Line dry under the sun.

How to wash cloth diapers in a washing machine

STEP 1: Put the dirty diaper in the machine with one detergent sheet and run a short cycle to clean it.

STEP 2: If you want to, you can now add your other clothes to the machine and run your longer regular wash cycle. Add a regular amount of detergent or 2 sheets for a full machine load with your other laundry.

STEP 3: Dry in the machine.

How To Dry Cloth Diapers

Now that we know how to clean reusable diapers and how to wash reusable diapers, let us move to the next step - drying the washed diapers.

The best way of getting rid of stains and bacteria in your diapers is to line dry them in the sun. And isn't that one of the most accessible and the most eco-friendly options for drying any of your baby's clothes. But, of course, if the sun is too harsh, it can make the diapers stiff. So, dry them in the morning or late afternoon for longer life of the diapers. Avoid wringing them after washing, as that might change the shape of the cloth if done with too much pressure.

Mistakes To Avoid While Washing Cloth Diapers

• => Ensure all the poop is removed entirely before putting the diaper in for washing.
• => DO not reduce the wash cycle time even if the laundry load is less in the washing machine. Any detergent residue will reduce the life of the diaper and can cause rashes on your baby's bum.
• => Do not overload your washing machine, as that would not result in clean clothes.
• => DO not dry the diapers indoors if sunlight is an option.

How Often Should The Cloth Diapers Be Washed

A soiled diaper can usually be stored for 2 - 3 days. Many parents also prefer to have a wash cycle every day or alternate day. With young kids, the laundry load is more than usual because kids soil clothes while feeding and throwing up, and it is hygienic to change their clothes 2 - 3 times in one day.

As a thumb rule, during the daytime, even if your baby has not pooped, change the diaper every 3 hours at max. Mixing them with your regular washing pile would mean that you will have a whole load of clothes within 2 - 3 days. This is the ideal frequency for washing cloth diapers, if not sooner.

How To Take Care Of Cloth Diapers

Here are some tips to keep your baby cloth diapers as good as new for longer.

• => Wash them regularly, and do not keep an unwashed diaper for more than three days for a longer life.
• => Dry them in the sun to remove all stains and bacteria unless there is no sun due to weather.
• => Do not use antiseptic liquids or fabric softeners on your cloth diapers.
• => Unless specifically mentioned in the instructions not to, use bleach or vinegar occasionally to keep the diapers fresh.

In the beginning, the thought of maintaining cloth diapers and washing them might feel a little intimidating. But remember, they are like any other apparel or bum wear of your baby. They do not need much extra effort but save you a fortune that you otherwise would spend on disposable diapers. Once you start it, you will fall in love with the sustainable and rash-free world of cloth diapers.

Common Questions Parents Ask

Q1 – What all do I need to start the cloth diapering journey?

Your must-haves include SuperBottoms cloth diapers with inserts, a hand sanitiser, wipes and fragrance-free detergent. The goods for the cloth diapering journey are a diaper bag, waterproof travel bag and diaper liner sheets.

Q2 - How to clean cloth diapers while travelling?

You can carry the easy-to-store sheet detergent by SuperBottoms and a waterproof cloth bag for storing the diaper when soiled. Use the hand wash method mentioned, and you can still have clean cloth diapers when out and about!