Cloth Diaper Laws!

Here are some basic care & washing instructions for your cloth diapers. These rules apply to about 90% of brands out there, but if a particular brand’s manufacturer’s instructions contradict the rules on this page, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions!

For bumGenius! washing instructions, click here!

Pre-Washing

*Prewash Prefolds before using (3-5 full Wash & Dry cycles for bleached, 5-7 cycles for unbleached... with detergent each time), to attain maximum absorbency.

*Prewash Covers, Fitteds, Contours, All-In-Ones, Pocket Diapers, Inserts & Wipes once before using.

Diaper Changes

* Shake any solid poo into the toilet (use a diaper sprayer for easy clean up!). Breast milk poo can stay on the diaper.

*Fasten any Hook & Loop (Velcro, Aplix) closures. Some styles have special laundry tabs for this, be sure to use ‘em if they’re there!

*Remove all inserts from pocket diapers.

*Toss in your diaper pail.

Wash Day

*Do a pre-rinse cycle first. This will get the majority of the poopies out before you even begin the real wash.

*Wash on hot with ½ the recommended detergent. I use ½ scoop of Allen’s Naturally (www.allensnaturally.com). Basically, you want something that will rinse clean. See below for a list of detergents to NEVER use!

*Always follow up with an extra rinse. Residue is the cloth diaper’s mortal enemy.

*Most brands can be put in the dryer. If a particular brand can’t, just hang dry.

*Wait for your pocket diapers to dry before stuffing them. This will help the elastic stay stretchier longer.

Click the bottle below for a great detergent chart!

Cloth Diaper Felonies!

Never do these horrible, unspeakable things:

x DON’T leave Hook & Loop closures open in the wash! Your diapers will all stick together.

x DON’T leave inserts in pocket diapers! They won’t be able to get clean.

x DON’T use bleach (even color-safe), or fabric softener in any form! The bleach will weaken the fabric, and fabric softener will leave a residue on the diapers, making them unable to absorb.

x DON’T strip diapers in the dishwasher! This is incredibly unsafe! You run the risk of fire, and therefore injury or death!

x DON’T ever, ever use any of the following detergents:

- Detergents marked “Free & Clear”. These have optical brighteners that will coat your diapers & make them less absorbent!

- “Baby” detergents (like Dreft). These have softeners that will coat your diapers.

If you ever have any questions, please call or email me!!!

Mandi,

Owner of Keen Bambino