Cloth Diaper Laundry FAQ
Do wool dryer balls help cut down drying time? How do you get stains out of your diapers? This page answers all your laundry questions!
Even those cloth diapering mamas who have been at it a while have questions about how to best wash their cloth diapers and deal with laundry issues that tend to crop up after a while. Here is a transcript of reader questions from 29 Diapers Laundry Week, 2011. I hope it answers all your questions! If not, you can always contact me directly with a question. Happy diapering!
Your Laundry Qs, Answered!
Elizabeth asks:
I have a Fisher & Paykel washer. It’s a top loader that has some of the functions of the front loaders to save water, but I can’t seem to get the settings right yet. Any tips?
Laura:
Hi, Elizabeth! The best basic wash routine goes like this: pre-rinse, hot wash with detergent, rinse, rinse. Many newer washers have the hot wash/rinse/rinse routine built in to the heavy duty wash cycle, which makes washing diapers a simple two-step process. Any variation on this routine that makes things simple for you should work. The important thing is to rinse or pre-wash your diapers in cold to warm water first to get as much soiling off the diapers as possible without setting any stains with hot water, and then to wash them on hot with a good additive-free detergent followed by two rinse cycles to make sure all that detergent has been rinsed out. Good luck!
Sappho asks:
I’m new to all this and am currently using regular detergent (baby hasn’t arrived yet) for our laundry. Before I start prepping the diapers I have, I should start using CD friendly detergent now to get rid of any residue in the washer, right? Also, bleach is a no-no, right? Hubby likes me to use bleach on his whites. Will the bleach from washing his whites affect a future load?
Laura:
Great questions, Sappho! Yes, you may want to wash your washer before you start cloth diapering and start using an additive-free detergent sooner rather than later. The quickest way to do that is to buy a sample of soap nuts (a natural detergent that comes from the dried berries of the soap nut tree in Asia), and wash a few loads of laundry using those. Soap nuts will strip any detergent residue out of your washer within a few loads. You’ll know it’s working because your laundry will smell like Tide for a few loads as the residue is deposited on your laundry. The smell will go away as all the residue is washed away. Then you can use an additive-free detergent moving forward (Rockin’ Green, Allen’s Naturally, and Lulu’s Glamour Wash are my favorites). I wouldn’t worry about residue from bleach, though. You should still be able to bleach your husband’s whites without it affecting your cloth diaper laundry.
Emily and Brienne ask:
E: I’m going to be stripping diapers this weekend. What’s the best way to do this?
B: How do you strip cloth diapers/inserts if they are starting to smell a bit funky? It’s snowing around here so I can’t line dry them with lemon juice.
Laura:
There are a number of ways to strip diapers. If you have localized buildup on your diapers from diaper creams, you can take an old toothbrush and some Dawn dishsoap to them, then wash as usual (be aware that using a non-detergent soap in your washer can void the warranty).
If you have stink issues, try adding a little extra detergent to your wash load to make sure you’re using enough, but then rinse several times and run your diapers through a couple of hot washes without any detergent to make sure the detergent is all rinsing out. If you have detergent not rinsing out of your diapers, you will have stinky diapers.
Finally, if your problem is diapers that are repelling moisture instead of absorbing it, resulting in diaper leaks as soon as baby pees (also known in our house as a “flash flood”), make sure your washer is not depositing old detergent residue on your diapers (see post above), and try both washing your diapers several times in a hot wash cycle without detergent AND running a cup of vinegar through an empty wash cycle to clean your washer.
Shanon asks:
My baby is starting solids, but is still mostly exclusively breastfed. When do I need to start rinsing before I add to the wash?
Laura:
Another great question! You’ll know you need to start rinsing, using a diaper sprayer, or just dumping as much of the poop as you can in the toilet when your baby’s poop goes from the liquid orange breastfed poop to a semi-solid brown poop. Breastfed poop totally rinses out of diapers, but when your baby’s poop starts to have solids in it you need to get that in the toilet to avoid overworking your washer (and to make sure your diapers get totally clean). This can be a pain if your baby has a long semi-solid poop stage where she’s nursing a lot and only eating a few solids, because it’s harder to get this poop off your diapers. You don’t have to get every bit of it off, but if you have a diaper or two where it just isn’t coming off, wash that load early and do an extra rinse to make sure your diapers don’t get stained or stinky. Some people would tell you to dunk and swish the diaper in the toilet to rinse it thoroughly, but that’s just gross. 
We have diaper sprayers and washers to do the gross jobs for us these days.
Tana asks:
Other than stripping with Dawn dishsoap, is there another cost-effective way of stripping diapers? Also, bleach and vinegar for washing? what are the pros and cons?
Laura:
Hi Tana! I’ve answered part of this question above, but here is a little more information. You can strip diapers without any special products just by washing them several times without detergent. This makes sure that any detergent build-up is cleaned off of them. Bleach can disinfect your diapers, but it weakens the fibers so they’ll wear out sooner (and it can ruin some PUL covers: check with the manufacturer. most tell you not to use bleach). Vinegar can act as a softener in your rinse load and is much easier on your diapers than bleach.
Colleen and Laura ask:
C: I suddenly have stains after 6 months of keeping my AIOs, fitteds, & inserts stain free. 
How can I get rid of them since it’s too cold to line dry?
L: Is there any magic way you can get stains out of nappies donated to you? The stains are probably at least 12 months old.
Laura:
It’s true that line drying is the easiest and most miraculous way to disinfect and remove stains from your diapers. Stains can be caused by several things. Did your baby start eating new foods that are more staining? Did you change your detergent or wash routine? Are you waiting longer between wash days? If you can’t troubleshoot any of those things, try sunning your diapers in a window to remove stains. It can take several days instead of hours to remove stains with weaker indoor/winter sun, but it still works. If you have kids or pets that would get into your diapers if you left them in a window, you could also try leaving them on your car’s dashboard, which also earns you ultra-crunchy mama street cred. 
If your stains are older, you may need to sun them or soak them a lot longer to remove stains. You could try bleaching inserts or prefolds as a last-ditch effort, but be aware that bleach will weaken the fabric and make your diapers wear out sooner.
Sabrina asks:
What are some ways to keep bamboo and other velour soft?
Laura:
A couple tablespoons of vinegar in your rinse cycle can act as a fabric softener for your diapers. Just be sure not to use too much: if your diapers come out smelling like a 5th grade science fair volcano, rinse again and use a little less next time. Also, if you line dry your diapers, they may be stiffer than if you machine dried them. If you’re a hardcore line-drying fan, try line drying them most of the way and then just popping them in the dryer for 10 minutes to fluff and soften your diapers.
Trisha and Tana ask:
Tr: What are the best diaper sprayers and how do you keep “Curious George” older kiddos from finding mischief?
Ta: I JUST DISCOVERED SPRAYERS (after 3 years of CDing)!! I have yet to get one, because Id like to research them before buying… any suggestions?
Laura:
LOL! I actually haven’t used a diaper sprayer yet myself, so I’m sorry to say I can’t recommend a particular brand. I’m not sure I could even keep myself out of mischief! Diaper sprayers are basically the same thing as your kitchen sink sprayer, just hooked up to your toilet water supply, so when evaluating brands just try to make sure they have quality hardware so they last a long time. This is only possible to do in person, of course. If you’re buying one online, go with a brand name that offers returns if you don’t like the sprayer, because $40 is a lot to pay for something if it leaks or breaks. If you or your husband is handy you might also try just installing a sprayer bought from Lowes, as this is pretty much the same thing and guaranteed to be cheaper.
Beccy asks:
I am new to CD, do you have to strip pocket-type diapers or do you just wash them once?
Laura:
Hi, Beccy! When you first wash your diapers, you should at least wash them once, but diapers containing materials such as bamboo or hemp will need to be washed several times to remove natural oils and fluff them up to full absorbency. Each diaper you buy should come with instructions for how many times you should wash and/or dry it before use. If there are no instructions, just wash once and dry once and you should be good to go! Stripping diapers is only for when you have issues like diapers that won’t come clean or won’t absorb moisture like they used to.
Heather asks:
If overnight dipes have ammonia stench in the AM, does it always mean you have a residue problem? I rinsed 8x last wash cycle and AM dipes still wreak. DS sometimes has burns, too.
Laura:
Diapers can smell strongly of pee in the morning if they’re soaked, but if you’ve got a definite knock-your-socks-off ammonia stench then yes, you do have a residue problem. Eight rinses without your diapers coming clean also indicates a problem. Have you tried soaking your diapers in Rockin’ Green for 24 hours and then washing them? Also, are you washing your diapers at least every 2-3 days? If you wait longer than that it is easier for stinkies or even mold to get into your diapers. Whenever I have had a problem with stink (though I’ve never dealt specifically with ammonia stink), I let my clean diapers soak a good long time in normal Rockin’ Green and then wash as usual. Rockin’ Green also just came out with a soak formula called Funk Rock that is designed specifically for removing stinkies from your diapers. That may be just the ticket for you. It’s one of a kind on the market right now, as far as I know. Funk Rock is not a normal detergent and it won’t remove stains: it’s just designed for getting stubborn stink out of your diapers. Good luck!
Beth asks:
Where is a good place to buy the wool dryer balls? I have regular dryer balls, and they have been falling apart, we wanted to go with wool, but I’m afraid to buy from just anyone because some people really skimp and the balls fall apart in the dryer. Thanks.
Laura:
I have also heard about poor-quality wool dryer balls coming unwound in the dryer. I haven’t tried numerous brands myself (yet), so I would recommend going with a popular brand such as Buddha Bunz or Rockin’ Green for this product. I love supporting moms on Etsy, but it’s just too hard to tell how long homemade dryer balls will last if they come from a brand that doesn’t have a lot of experience or positive reviews behind it. Another thing to consider is whether or not you like colored or even printed dryer balls. Some are natural white wool with no dyes, while others are made of colored yarn or even have patterns on them (yikes, I feel another addiction coming on!). I will be posting a review/giveaway of Rockin’ Green’s dryer balls later this week, so be sure to enter for a chance to win some!
Crystal asks:
Do I have to use Wool dryer balls? I’ve used tennis balls in my laundry before, will those work? Thanks!
Laura:
Tennis balls are similar to PVC dryer balls, so they should work about the same. Wool dryer balls are made of natural materials, though, so they’re nicer if you’re concerned about heating the not-so-natural materials in PVC balls or rubber/synthetic tennis balls. Dryer balls work by bouncing around to separate your clothes or diapers in the dryer, allowing more air between the laundry and thereby cutting down on drying time. Anything that does this should work, though if you have enough tennis balls or PVC dryer balls in your dryer it sounds like you’re machine drying a small dog.
Maggie asks:
Stains…newborn stains, blueberry stains…the works. Any fabulous tips?
Laura:
Hi Maggie! When your baby starts eating a new food that more easily stains his diapers, it can be tough! But the best way to deal with all of them is to sun them. If you hang your diapers out to line dry in bright sunshine this should only take a couple of hours. If you are dealing with a cold, dark winter then you might need to leave them in a window or on your dashboard for a few days to get the same bleaching power. If you have regular water, you might also try Thirsties Pre-Wash and Super Wash, which are specially formulated to help break up stains, but I have found that this detergent doesn’t work nearly as well in hard water–even slightly hard like we have. If you’re dealing with food and spit-up stains on clothing, the best trick I have found is to soak the stained item overnight or even for 24-36 hours in Oxyclean. This won’t work as well on older stains, but it works wonders on tough but new stains, including poop and applesauce, which are the worst! Good luck!
Stephanie asks:
Do diapers need to be wet when sunning them? Or can you sun them dry? Does it make a difference?
Laura:
It does help if they’re wet, yes, but they will still bleach out in the sun if they are dry. It just takes longer. I believe someone else also asked about this and asked about adding lemon juice (sorry, I can’t find the question to post it!). Lemon juice does help diapers bleach out more quickly, and Thirsties added it to their pre-rinse formula to help break up stains, too: if you sun your diapers with lemon juice then you should sun them wet and give them another rinse once they dry. Lemon juice is a folk remedy to fade freckles on your skin and even works to gently bleach your hair in summer sun, so it definitely boosts the bleaching power of the sun.
Trisha says:
This isn’t a question, but I thought you might be able to pass this tip onto your HE Front Loader users: A few minutes into the main wash cycle–the one where you are actually using your CD friendly detergent and hot water–add 2 to 3 gallons of HOT water through the detergent dispenser. That extra water can really help get your diapers clean. =)
Laura:
Thanks, Trisha! Another way to add more water to your front loader is ot add a couple of soaking wet towels to your load before it goes in. The weight tricks the washer into thinking your load needs more water. This might be a good option for those of you with a baby on your hip, lol.
Misty asks:
My question is about my bumGenius: they’re brand new, I’ve only washed them 4 times, and the velcro is just unraveling. I’m so dissapointed because i can’t afford to go buy new ones, but i also don’t own a sewing machine. Is there anything i can do?
Laura:
That is a bummer! But yes, there should be a warranty on them against defects or at least a return period to your store that offers to replace products that fall apart, so contact the place you bought them and BumGenius/CottonBabies directly, and at least one of them should be able to help you (I’d start with the retailer for your convenience: they will probably contact BumGenius about the possibility of a whole shipment of the diapers being defective after you return them, and you will be saving them trouble by notifying them of this problem.). If you had a sewing machine you could just request replacement velcro tabs for free from BumGenius and replace them yourself, but this is intended for replacing the velcro once it has worn out. It sounds like you have a defective batch instead. Good luck!
Tana asks:
I just bought Kushies one-size all-in-ones…. and have washed them just as I do my other diapers. They stink! It was my first time buying an all-in-one, so are they washed differently?
Laura:
All-in-ones are great because they are sewn into one piece for ease of use, but this also means they can have a harder time getting clean and dry than diapers that are in several pieces. The sewn-in core of the diaper can trap messes or moisture and take longer to get clean. I’d recommend adding an extra rinse to your wash cycle to see if that gets the messes out. If that doesn’t work try adding a little detergent to your hot wash cycle and changing your pre-rinse cycle to a cold/warm wash cycle without detergent. All these things would be easier than washing your all-in-ones separately.
Kate asks:
Laura:
Baking soda can boost the cleaning power of your detergent, so yes, you can definitely try it! It’s an ingredient in some pail fresheners, so it can work to de-stinkify your diaper pail as well as get the stinky diapers cleaner. We’re talking a sprinkling to a tablespoon, though. Don’t add too much, and make sure you’re not mixing it with vinegar (a great natural fabric softener), which should go in the rinse load. I recently tried pouring vinegar into my softener dispenser before the wash, at the same time I had added powder detergent to the detergent dispenser. I was expecting a volcano when I dripped some vinegar in the detergent, but what happened instead was that my detergent turned to a lump and didn’t come out of the dispenser at all when it was supposed to. So try vinegar and baking soda AND detergent in your wash routine, but don’t let them play with each other. Even front-loading washers will only know what to do with each substance if you neatly place them in the right compartment.
Update: Molly at The Little Seedling tells me that many manufacturers say you shouldn’t use vinegar with any diaper containing elastic, as it can wear/break the elastic. Thanks for the tip, Molly!
Rema asks:
I am new to CDing and was wanting to also switch to cloth wipes. My baby is still EBF, but will be eating solids soon. Do I put the dirty cloth wipes with the diapers in the washer, wash separately or what? Thanks.
Laura:
Great news, Rema! Cloth wipes can be washed with your cloth diapers and make cloth diapering super convenient. It’s a lot easier to throw cloth wipes in the pail with your cloth diapers when dirty than it is to schlep them to the trash separately. Plus, using cloth wipes can save you a couple hundred dollars a year over using disposable wipes. Yay! My favorite brands of wipes are Thirsties and Etsy brands that have flannel on one side and minky on the other. There are tons of options! You can even cut up an old t-shirt for no-sew wipes if you’re on a tight budget. The best wipes are thick and soft, or textured on one side and soft on the other.
Rem Ann asks:
Can I strip my front-loader with Rockin’ Green or Purex?
Laura:
Just using a cloth diaper-friendly detergent like Rockin’ Green will help keep your washer clean and free of residue, but if you have been using Tide for a long time and want to clean out your washer, I recommend you use soap nuts to do that quickly. But a sample of soap nuts from a company such as Maggie’s Pureland, and use it for two to three washes as a detergent. You may notice your clothes coming out of the wash smelling like Tide. That means the detergent residue is washing out of your washer and is being deposited on your clothes! After a few washes this smell will go away, and then you can use your favorite cloth diaper detergent–whether that’s Rockin’ Green or Allen’s Naturally or soap nuts–and wash your diapers and clothes as usual. I would recommend washing your washer while washing clothing instead of diapers, so you don’t get that detergent residue on your stash. You can keep your washer clean after that by running an empty cycle with a cup of vinegar every few months or so, or whenever you notice that your diapers aren’t getting as clean as they used to.
