How to Clean Cloth Diapers

This method is intended for regular cloth diapers. If you have diapers made of special materials, you will need to consult the care instructions included with your diapers for proper cleaning and any special steps that need to be taken.

You Will Need:

• Mild Detergent
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Borax
• Disinfectant
• Diaper Pail or Buckets

Cleaning Process:

1. Remove all solid waste from the diapers by rinsing it away with water and flushing it down the toilet.
2. Fill the diaper pail/bucket half full of cold water and ½ cup of borax or vinegar.
3. Soak the diapers in this solution until you are satisfied they have had enough time for the dirt to loosen.
4. Remove diapers from pail/bucket and squeeze out thoroughly. You can also place them in the washing machine and run a spin cycle to remove excess water.
5. Place diapers into washing machine
6. Fill with cold water and add 1/2 cup baking soda. This neutralizes the urine and helps to whiten the diapers.
7. Let the washer agitate for a few minutes and then stop.
8. Leave the diapers in the washer to soak overnight in this solution. If you have a pre-wash cycle, it works well for this step.
9. The next morning, drain the water and run the diapers through another spin cycle.
10. Now wash the diapers in hot water using a mild detergent on a regular cycle. If you are washing the diapers by hand, you will need to complete this in a separate bucket or basin and scrub the dirt away with your hands.
11. Rinse the diapers in cold water. Add some vinegar to the rinse cycle to help with freshness and to soften the diapers. If you are washing with the machine, just add the vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. If your washer does not have a dispenser, you can also put vinegar in a downy ball and toss that in the washer.
12. Do NOT use fabric softener on the diapers at any time.
13. Rinse again with plain cold water to ensure all the soap has been removed so it does not irritate baby’s skin.
14. Check for stains and treat or rewash as necessary.
15. Soak diapers for 2-3 minutes in a disinfectant solution to disinfect the diapers and wring them out by hand or place them in the washer for another spin cycle. Do not use bleach to disinfect the diapers as it will shorten their lifespan.
16. Place the diapers in the dryer and dry on high heat or hang in the sun to dry.

If you don’t have the time or resources to soak the diapers and use the pre-wash, use the no soak method below:

You Will Need:

• Mild Detergent
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Borax

Cleaning Process:

1. Place soiled diapers in washing machine with 1/2 cup of baking soda and wash with cold water.
2. Add additional wet diapers in machine with detergent and another 1/2 cup baking soda and wash with hot water.
3. Rinse with cold water and vinegar
4. Complete a second rinse cycle to insure complete removal of all cleaning agents.
5. Place diapers dryer and dry on high heat or hang to dry.

• Always wear gloves to protect your hands from possible infections when removing waste and washing cloth diapers.
• Never use fabric softener on diapers, it decreases the absorption.
• For best results, wash diapers a few at a time. Most machines can handle 2 dozen at a time and still allow for plenty of space to agitate them well to remove all the dirt.
• Diaper covers and wraps may require special cleaning. Check the labels for instructions.
• Always hang dry diaper covers and wraps. Placing them in the dryer will ruin their waterproof qualities.
• Be sure to use detergent and not soap products. Dreft and Ivory are both detergents that are safe to use on diapers.
• Wash and dry new diapers 5-10 times before using to remove chemicals from the manufacturer and increase their absorbency.
• According to 99 Cent Solutions by Reader’s Digest, putting a rectangle of fleece in the diaper helps to increase the absorbency of the diaper and wick the moisture away from the skin.