I have been researching the best way to care for and launder my cloth diapers for the past month now. I realized just a few minutes into my search that there are MANY different ways to launder cloth diapers and EVERY person will tell you a different way. One thing to keep in mind is that there ARE different ways to care for cloth diapers and it depends heavily on which TYPE of cloth diaper you use (AIO, Pocket, prefolds, covers, one-size, etc).
Here is what I have found that MOST experts (including the manufactures) agree on when it comes to caring for and laundering cloth diapers:
-- Free and Clear detergents are BAD. I had originally planned on using All Free Clear for my diaper laundry b/c it seemed like the cheapest option. But, according to the experts Free and Clear detergents cause residue build up on cloth diapers which is what can cause them to leak.
-- Wet pail storage systems are BAD. Soaking diapers in water for long periods of time cause the fabric on the diapers to wear down and will shorten the lifespan of your diapers. Also, wet pails are a safety hazard for young children. I also wonder where in the world you would empty the dirty water at the end of the day...down the sink? That sounds pretty gross.
-- Using fabric softener on cloth diapers is VERY BAD. This causes build up and major residue problems with cloth diapers. I've even read where if you use fabric softener sheets on your regular laundry the residue can build up on the inside of your dryer and transfer to your diapers when you dry them. Not good!
-- Rockin' Green Detergent is GOOD. Actually, pretty much every website and review I've read on this detergent has been better than good. Rockin' Green gets fantastic reviews and people swear that it keeps their diapers in perfect stain-free, stink-free condition.
-- the sun is GOOD for diapers. Line drying helps remove stains from diapers and makes them smell good too!
As you can see, the list of things people agree on when it comes to caring for diapers is pretty short. Here is what I have found are the gray areas that you will get a million different answers for:
-- using Tide Original Powder on diapers: GOOD or BAD? Some manufactures say absolutely not since Tide contains enzymes and brighteners. Other companies say enzymes are good for the diapers.
-- using Bac-Out as a pretreater for soiled diapers. Once again, some say this is a must, while others say this will wear down the PUL on your diapers over time and cause problems.
-- using Oxiclean Baby or Oxiclean Free on diapers. Some say they add a scoop to every load of diaper laundry. Others say this is an absolute no no.
-- using bleach on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- using vinegar on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- using baking soda on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- putting cloth diapers in the dryer. Some say it decreases the life of the diapers, others say it is fine and that it actually keeps the PUL nice and tight.
Here is a list of detergents that I've read are NOT good for diapers:
-- Purex
-- any free and clear detergent including Tide and All
-- Arm and Hammer
-- Gain
-- any Tide detergent except original powder form (the verdict is still out on that one)
As you can see, all of this information is extremely overwhelming. That's why I've spent hours researching. My goal is to keep our diapers in perfect condition so we can reuse them on multiple children. So, here is what we have decided to do (tentatively):
-- For treating soiled diapers: Oxiclean or Bac-Out in moderation. We are also going to try out using a piece of fleece inbetween baby's bum and the diaper to protect the diaper from staining. Or we MAY try flushable liners...but I'm still not sure if I can justify that expense. If the fleece gets soiled you can just bleach the heck out of them or use as many stain removers as you want on them-- no big deal.
-- Detergent: We are going to try out Tide Original Powder and see how it works for us. I can get a years worth of Tide powder for under $35 (that's without coupons/paying full price) compared to $75 a year for Rockin' Green. If we find we have problems using the Tide, then we will consider buying the more expensive detergent. Right now, we just can't justify the extra expense of using Rockin' Green if the Tide works perfectly fine.
-- Pail system: We are going to use a dry pail system (see previous post). I plan on doing diaper laundry 3-4 times per week.
-- Drying: we will probably do a combination of line drying and using the dryer.
** side note. Bumgenius has specific instructions on their website about caring for their diapers. It also lists specific products that will VOID the warranty of their diapers. You may want to read this carefully before deciding which products to use on your diapers. www.bumgenius.com. We fully understand that using Tide Original Powder will void the warranty of our Bumgenius.
