Care and Maintenance of Cloth Diapers
Have you heard that maintenance of cloth diapers is difficult, messy and time-consuming (along with other Cloth diaper myths)? Not at all! It is sooooo easy! And – with a bit of practice – it doesn’t take much more time than managing used disposables.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about maintenance of cloth diapers:
Before the first use, we recommend to wash the absorbent inserts 2 or 3 times so that they reach their full absorbing capacity. Absorbent inserts may shrink and their surface may change slightly after washing but they will always remain soft to touch.
OUR TIP: Do not cut off the material information from your diapers before you get familiar with their maintenance. They are here to help you!
For dirty diapers, just shake out the stool into the toilet (Bamboolik’s Fleece Liner is very useful help in this case), then use a stream of water to rinse the diaper. If you don’t wash soiled diapers immediately, put them in a wet bag or diaper pail, where we recommend to add a few drops of essential oil (eg. Antisept or TeaTree).
All cloth diapers should be machine-washed at 60° C (including the items containing PUL - diaper covers, pocket diapers, wet bags, etc.) This temperature ensures that no bacteria survives, thus avoiding possible skin irritation or damage to the diapers. You can add one of the “magical buttons” of your washing machine: pre-wash, soaking or 95°C. Please, keep in mind that higher temperatures than 60°C should be used only exceptionally, for disinfecting the diapers (e.g. in case of an infection). Repeated washing at high temperatures (over 60°C) can shorten the diapers’ lifetime.
Also, do not use the “Eco” program of your washing machine for washing cloth diapers. This program uses less water and intensity and as the diapers are extra absorbent, they would basically be washed without any water. To learn more about this, see the article “How to wash cloth diapers”.
The benefit of Bamboolik’s All-in-Two (AI2) system is, that you only have to wash the inserts after each use. The Diaper Covers can be just aired out (during 1 changing interval at least) and reused. Unless they are soiled of course, in that case you wash them straight away.
Bamboolik’s fleece liners can be washed the same way as the other diapers. They may be tumble dried, although it it not really necessary, they are dry almost in an instant.
More useful washing tips can be found in our article How to wash cloth diapers.
Bamboolik recommends to wash your diapers every second or third day.
You can use any good quality washing powder for washing your cloth diapers. However, with respect to your baby’s sensitive skin, we recommend to use natural, non-irritating washing powders for all children’s clothing. We have also witnessed that cheap detergents which contain chemical bleaches, surfactants, optical brighteners and other synthetic substances can cause damage to the diapers.
Hesitating to bid farewell to your lovely smelling washing powder? Use at least double rinsing program to decrease residuals of it in the diapers.
Do not add any fabric softeners when washing cloth diapers. They coat fibres of your cloth diapers and decrease the absorbency significantly. To soften your cloth diapers, use water softeners or rinsing solution instead of it.
Secure the velcro fastenings before you put your diapers in the washing machine. By doing so, you prevent damaging all the other fabrics in the drum.
After washing, line dry your diapers. Some of Bamboolik’s diapers can also be tumble dried – those not containing the PUL layer (Pocket diapers, diaper covers, training pants, wet bags, changing mats). These should also never be exposed to direct sunlight or direct source of heat (heating); doing so might damage the PUL fabric irretrievably.
We do not recommend ironing the diapers at all, as it could cause damage to the snaps. On top of that, washing machines are so efficient these days that potential bacteria will be destroyed already during the washing cycle, provided you follow the right maintenance procedure.
In case you’re still not sure about washing, follow the washing instructions on your diapers or see Bamboolik’s Information leaflet. And do not worry: you will be a pro in a few days!