Our cloth diaper wash routines

Megan and I decided that it was important that, in addition to the troubleshooting in today's Tell-it Tuesday, we share our cloth diapering laundry routines and tid-bits with you. 

Megan's

Here is my wash routine, after 3+ years of cloth diapering full time it’s perfection for us.  We have a top Load washer.

-10-12 diapers in the washer, pull out inserts etc.  Washed on extra large load in cold/cold water

-Add ¾ TBSP of detergent (we use Lulu’s in the fluff after many trials). Wash on extra large load with hot/cold water

-1 full wash cycle on warm/warm

-Put in dryer or out on the clothesline.

-We wash about every 2 days.

Some tips/things we have tried:    

We had NOTHING but stink and unclean diapers with our front loader.  IMO, front loader suck for cloth diapering because lots of times they won’t allow for enough water to get diapers clean.  I have a friend who battled nothing but issues, once I told her that I had sold off my FL for a TL, she tried it and is back to Cding.

Remember that some detergents will make a stink issue worse.  What works for 10 people may not work for you. I really think that washing and finding a routine/detergent/etc is the hardest part of cloth diapering. I know some people separate their nighttime and daytime diapers to wash. I don’t because that’s a lot of ammonia for one load. I try to divy up the nighttime with daytime.

Microfiber inserts tend to have more stink issues than the natural fiber. Hemp has the least.

Sunshine is a wonder!  Even for stink issues. I was very early in the morning and then lay diapers and inserts out in  the sunshine. I have been known to water them down with a garden hose midday!

Jamie's

Since I've stated what works for me (and hasn't) in today'sTell-it Tuesday post I'll just post my wash routine here. You can also read more about our cloth diaper detergent debacles on my blog. We have a top loader.

-Spray off poop diapers using Sigma Diaper Sprayer.

-Put poopy/pee diapers in hanging storage sac. My faves are the size 2 AppleCheeks storage sacs. I do not separate daytime or night time diapers, whatever is in there gets washed together. 

-Wash every couple days, 4 at the longest.

-Remove inserts from most pocket diapers.

-Hot/heavy load with water the highest it will go. I use 1/2 way up to the "1" line on scoop that comes with  Ivory Snow powder or a couple wooden scoops of Lulu's in the Fluff Glamour Wash hard water formula. Let it cycle through. 

-When that cycle ends, do another wash on hot/heavy with a couple scoops of Lulu's--more or less depending on how long the diapers have been sitting or another plastic scoop 1/2 up to the '1" for Ivory Snow powder.. 

-Extra rinse, if I remember. When I don't remember, oh well.

-Promptly tumble dry with four undyed, unscented wool dryer balls from Wooltopia or line dry during warmer months. 

-Sun occasionally. 

-Bleach white inserts (especially microfiber) once every month or two.

If I use cream with any water barrier ingredients (lanolin, petroleum to name a couple) I always use a liner-normally microfleece, though I have and do use on occasion flush-able liners I prefer to use the reusable microfleece liners. I was those liners completely separate from my cloth diapering laundry. Typically, I wash them with my white clothes. To learn more about resolving rashes while cloth diapering check out THIS Tell-it Tuesday post.

If you haven't already read today's Tell-it Tuesday: Troubleshoot the cloth diaper STINK! (part 1) if you haven't already.