So you just opened up your new bundle of Cloth diapers and your ready to start Cloth Diapering! What do you do now?
1. Prep your cloth diapers. New cloth diapers are like a brand new towel. They look perfect but when you try to dry yourself off they don't absorb any water. The more you wash your cloth diapers/inserts the more they will absorb.
Standard prepping is as follows:
Non Organic/Natural Fibers: Wash and Dry 1-2 times before use. This includes your Covers and Microfiber and Minky Inserts
Organic Cotton, Bamboo and Hemp Diapers and Inserts: Wash and Dry 3-5 times before use.
2. Trial and Error. Depending on your package you may need to adjust settings on your diapers for the size and weight of your baby. Follow the instructions on the packaging of the 'standard' settings and see your baby's fit. You want to make sure that the leg wholes and back are not too tight and not too loose. Some red marking on legs after diaper changes is normal (similar to wearing a sock all day you have indentations) but if the marks do not go away after 5-10 mins when they are undress or if they are dark red/purple and deep this is a sign of being too tight. Some diapers companies will require several test fittings before you find the perfect fit. Don't get discourage once you have a fit you won't need to make adjustments for 3-6 months
3. Dirty Diapers. Once diapers are dirty, depending on the style you need to do the following:
a) Babies on solid foods (flush poop down the toilet. using the flushable liners most of it should stick to the insert and peel away). Babies on breast milk or under 6 months no further rinsing is required
b) remove the insert from the pocket diaper
c) place all items n wet bag until wash day.
4. Wash Day. Very simple but does require learning about your wash machine to acquire the perfect settings. Key Tips for washing:
a) Measure soap.
b) LOTS of water. Inorder to properly wash your diapers you need as much water as you can in your drum of your machine. Top Loaders this isn't to much of a problem but if you have an HE you will need to 'trick' your machine as most of them are weight censored.
c) BASIC Washing Instructions: 1. Rinse or quick wash Cold Water No Soap 2. Wash with Hot water and 2-3 TBLS of soap 3. Rinse cold water
a) Cold Wash on Bulky Load, No Spin, Extra Rinse
b) HOT wash, add soap Bulky Load, High Spin, Extra Rinse
c) Extra Rinse and Spin
d) hang to dry OR dry delicate low heat in dryer. (INSERTS can be dried on HOT if you prefer)
NO Spin feature is great because it makes your diapers heavier so when you go and wash your diapers it senses more weight and adds more water to the HOT wash. Bulky is our highest setting as well for Water. Some machines have Heavy Duty or can increase manually the water levels.
You can also add a wet towel to the first step to provide weight to trick your machine to add more water.
DO NOT USE SANITARY CYCLE. This water is too hot and make the PUL fabric (waterproof part) bubble, crack and peel away. Hot and Warm water work great and keep your diapers in best shape long term.
CHECK OUT EACH COMPANIES WASHING INSTRUCTIONS as they may be different to the above. Once you have your own diapers it is important to follow their guidelines so you don't void warranty. They are all similar in nature so don't be concern for the Test Drive.
1. No Bleach, Fabric softeners, Diaper Creams with Petroleum Base (vasaline) or Zinc base ingredients. USE ONLY Cloth Diaper Safe Cream. We supply a sample of DELISH Yum BUM Butter. It works great on diaper rashes should you have any and won't destroy your cloth diapers. The other creams with create a barrier on your diapers and they will repel moisture and it is impossible to get out. If your using antibiotic cream from doctors/polysporn etc. we recommend using disposables for the time period or doubling up on the flushable liners provided.
Deposits for diapers will be held if diapers are exposed to the above