Washing Cloth Diapers: A Comprehensive Guide
Everything you need to know about washing and caring for cloth diapers.
Find your cloth diaper confidence.
Feeling overwhelmed by washing your baby's cloth diapers? Don’t worry—it’s easier than you think! We’ve simplified the process so you can wash and use your cloth diapers with confidence.
Choosing a cloth diaper safe laundry detergent:
It is essential to choose a laundry detergent formulated with adequate surfactants and enzymes in order to properly clean human waste from your baby's cloth diapers. Choosing a detergent that lacks these important ingredients may lead to odor, leaks and even diaper rashes.
The Importance of Enzymes and Surfactants in Laundry Detergents for Cloth Diapers
Washing cloth diapers is a unique laundry challenge. Unlike regular clothing, cloth diapers are exposed to heavy soiling from human waste, which contains a complex mix of proteins, fats, and starches. To keep diapers clean, stain-free, and odorless, it’s essential to use a laundry detergent formulated with both enzymes and surfactants.
Why enzymes matter when washing cloth diapers
Enzymes are naturally occurring proteins that act as catalysts, breaking down specific types of stains at a molecular level. In cloth diaper detergents, enzymes are crucial for targeting the organic components found in waste:
- Protease: Breaks down proteins from feces and urine stains.
- Lipase: Targets fats and oils, common in soiling.
- Amylase: Dissolves starches, which may come from food residues.
- Mannanase: Assists in breaking down organic waste and supports the activity of other enzymes.
By breaking down these substances, enzymes make it easier for the detergent to remove stains and prevent build-up, which can cause odors, skin irritation, and even fabric breakdown over time.
The role of surfactants in laundry detergent
Surfactants are the actual cleaning agents in detergent. They work by lowering the surface tension of water, allowing it to penetrate fabric fibers and lift away dirt, oils, and residues. There are two main types used in laundry detergents:
- Anionic surfactants: Excellent for removing soil, dirt, and oily stains. They provide strong cleaning power.
- Nonionic surfactants: Milder on skin and effective even in hard water, helping to ensure a thorough rinse and prevent residue.
A good detergent combines both types, maximizing cleaning while being gentle on delicate diaper fabrics.
The best detergent for cloth diapers
When selecting a detergent for cloth diapers, look for these features:
- Enzyme blend: Ensure the detergent lists at least two enzymes, such as protease and lipase, for comprehensive stain removal.
- Balanced surfactants: A mix of anionic and nonionic surfactants provides optimal cleaning and rinsing.
- Free of fabric softeners: These additives can cause build-up and reduce absorbency.
Using a detergent with both enzymes and surfactants is the best way to keep cloth diapers clean, fresh, and long-lasting. This combination ensures stains and residues are broken down and washed away, protecting your baby’s skin and your investment in reusable diapers.
Kinder Approved Laundry Detergents
- Tide
- Seventh Generation
- All / All Free and Clear
- Arm and Hammer
- Biokleen
- Gain
- Persil
- Up and Up
Unapproved laundry products
- Honest
- Ecos
- Molly's Suds
- Dreft
- Trader Joe's
- Attitude
- Rockin' Green
- Homemade Laundry Soap
Approved Laundry Boosters
These products are not detergent and may be used in conjunction with your normal laundry detergent.
- RLR
- Grovia Mighty Bubbles
- Borax
- Calgon
- Washing Soda
- Oxiclean
- Shout
- Bac Out
A simple wash routine that works well for most families:
Here’s a simplified cloth diaper wash routine:
- Remove solids: Shake, spray, or swish any solid poop into the toilet.
- Store dirty diapers: Air dry and place soiled diapers in a pail or waterproof bag until laundry day.
- Pre-wash: Run a normal wash cycle with detergent using warm or cold water to remove leftover waste.
- Main wash: Wash on a heavy using warm or hot water with the recommended amount of detergent, according to the dosing instructions on your laundry detergent packaging. Add an extra rinse if desired (skip this if you have hard water).
- Dry: Tumble dry on low or hang to dry.
That’s it—your cloth diapers will be clean and ready for use!
How to remove the poop before washing your cloth diapers:
How to deal with the pool in reusable cloth diapers
Common Questions about Washing Cloth Diapers:
How to store dirty cloth diapers before washing?
Soiled cloth diapers can be stored in water-resistant wet bags or plastic laundry pails until wash day. At Kinder, we offer large, zipper-top wet bags designed to effectively contain odors and moisture.
After changing your baby's diaper, remove any solid poop and allow the diaper to air dry before placing in the dirty storage container. You can then choose from several storage options, including an open-air pail, a lidded cloth diaper pail, or a zipped hanging wet bag to help minimize smells.
To maintain freshness and prevent staining, avoid letting the diapers sit for too long without washing. It’s recommended to wash them every 2-3 days to keep odors at bay. We do not recommend going more than 7 days between washes.
How to remove the poop from cloth diapers before washing?
When cleaning modern reusable cloth diapers, the poop or solid soil removed before washing. There are many different methods for poo removal. Some of the most popular methods include:
- Diaper Sprayer
- Disposable Bamboo Diaper Liners
- Dunk and Swish
- Plop Method
- Poop Spatula or Knife
How often should you wash cloth diapers?
Most families will wash their reusable cloth diapers 2-3 times per week, or about once every 2-3 days.
A good wash routine can support washing anywhere from 1-7 times each week.
Additional factors like climate and budget may also impact the frequency with which you choose to wash.
Most Families Wash 2-3 Times Per Week: 72% of families report washing their cloth diapers 2 or 3 times per week.
Few families wash cloth diapers every day: While only 5% of the families that completed our survey reported washing their cloth diapers daily.
How many diapers can you wash at one time?
The number of diapers you wash at one time will vary based on your lifestyle, wash routine and machine size.
Most families report washing around 20 diapers at once. This is typical of 2-3 days worth of cloth diaper laundry for an infant.
As your baby grows you may find that you can wash less often, with larger loads of cloth diaper laundry.
Do I need to rinse breastfed poop before washing cloth diapers?
No, exclusively breastfed or chestfed infant poop is water soluble and does not need to be rinsed before washing. However, rinsing before washing can help minimize staining.
Why do my cloth diapers smell?
Cloth diapers that have an odor after washing is an indication of a wash routine issue. This can be caused by a number of things, such as detergent buildup, hard water, urine residue, improper washing, and left-over particles of poop.
The most common types of odor on cloth diapers are ammonia and barnyard smell. Ammonia smell is caused by, you guess it, ammonia or leftover pee on the diapers. By contrast, barnyard smell is caused by poop, and diapers that are not getting clean enough, and it is usually more obvious when diapers are warm.
To avoid these smells, it is important to have a good wash routine, use the right amount of detergent, avoid fabric softeners and dryer sheets, and ensure that the diapers are getting cleaned enough.
Do I really need to wash my cloth diapers twice?
At Kinder, we recommend washing soiled cloth diapers twice. The first wash, a pre-wash, removes all excess soil to allow the main wash to thoroughly wash the dirty cloth diapers.
Some families use detergent in both cycles while other families find that they only need detergent in the main wash cycle.
