Strip-washing diapers

Diapers sometimes need to be stripped in order to remove the residue left on the fleece by detergents and/or softener.

Fill a sink with hot water and add in some dish washing detergent. Hand wash your diapers, rubbing the fleece vigorously together or use a medium bristle dish brush or hard bristle tooth brush to scrub the fleece. Turn inside out and repeat on this side. Rinse very good, making sure that the water runs clear. To make double sure all the detergent has been rinsed out, we recommend washing them again in the washing machine WITHOUT any detergent.

It's best if you do not return to using the same detergent that caused the problem.

Fix stinky diapers

Cloth diapering should never be stinky. If your diapers smell bad as soon as they get used, then there is a problem. Usually the problem is detergent build-up. Occasionally the problem is that they are not getting clean enough.

Smell them when they are wet out of the washer or warm out of the dryer. If they smell at that point, then they are not getting cleaned enough. If they smell fine but stink as soon as your baby pees in it, then they have detergent build-up problem.

Build-up refers to residue left by detergents, fabric softeners, and other substances used to clean diapers. The first suggestion which will work for both problems is to make sure you have enough water in your washing machine and enough "swish" room for your diapers. Some front-loading washing machines do not add enough water to thoroughly soak the diapers and will not do a good job in getting them clean. Adding water to the machine can remedy this problem. Do not overload your machine with diapers or they will not get clean. The diapers need their "swish" room!

If you have detergent build-up, then it is time to strip wash them. Please refer to the section on strip washing the diapers.

Fix leaky diapers

When you receive your cloth diapers, wash and dry them several times in warm water. Brand new diapers require several washings to remove natural plant oils before they become absorbent. Try shaking a few drops of water on your diapers - does the water bead up on the surface or get instantly absorbed? If the water droplets bead up then your diapers need a few more washings in hot or warm water using detergent.

If your baby's diaper leak from around the legs while the inside stays relatively dry, then most probably you have the repelling issue with the fleece. To confirm this, perform the water droplets test on the fleece like we described above.

What if you wash repeatedly - and the fleece is still repelling waters? Then most probably it's the issue with the detergent. Check your detergent to see if it contains fabric softeners. Fabric softeners work by coating fabric fibers - and this coating can greatly decrease absorbency. In Singapore, we have found the brand "Kao Attack" to yield the best result. Dynamo and Persil seems to give rise to this repelling issue.

Refer to the section on strip washing the diapers in order to fix this problem.

Preparing your cloth diaper for first use

We cannot stress often enough how important it is to wash your new diapers and inserts at least three times before using for the first time. This will ensure the absorbency of the cotton and will make the diaper "fluff up." If they are not pre-washed, the diapers will not absorb urine properly, this is because during the manufacturing process, there is a waxy buildup on the cotton.

A great way to pre-wash your diapers is just to wash them with your regular clothes for 3-4 times. Avoid softeners as they create waxy build up on the cloth diapers that will cause the diapers to repel water instead of absorbing it. To test whether the diapers are ready to be used, drop a few drops of water on the fleece. The water should be absorbed straight into the fleece and not bead up on it.

Washing a cloth diaper

After removing a soiled diaper from a baby, shake any solids into the toilet. The fleece is great for releasing anything fairly solid. Remove the insert, then rinse any solids still on the diaper; you may want to add a squirt of hand soap while you are rinsing the diaper and the insert. While not necessary, we highly recommend the mini toilet spray for rinsing any dirty diapers. Finally, drop the diaper into your dry diaper pail ready to be laundered.

We normally wash our diapers at about 60 degrees Celsius. You may hang your diapers to dry (The sun naturally bleaches out any stains!) or put them in the dryer on LOW heat!

A Few Important Tips:

Caring for your diapers properly will keep your diapers looking & performing their best. The following is a list of things that can harm your diapers and cause the fabrics to break down, resulting in a leaky diaper!

• Don't use any bleach products. Bleach leaves a residue on diapers and can cause irritation to the baby's skin. It also breaks down the fibers in the diapers, shortening their life.
• Don't use fabric softener. It will coat the diapers making them water repellent and will cause leaks! Some babies are sensitive to the softener residue left on diapers as well. The same problem might happen if you use dryer sheets in your dryer. If you encounter leaks, try line drying instead.
• Don't use natural soap products such as pure glycerine soap. They may clean the fibers, but a slight oily film or "soap scum" is left on the fleece. When this happens it makes it very difficult for urine to get through the layer of fleece to the insert.
• Don't wash or dry on HOT or HIGH HEAT! The PUL layer (waterproof outer) is meant for warm or low heat only! Preserve the life of your nappies by following this recommendation
• Don't use a nappy barrier or balm cream with these diapers - it will leave a greasy residue on the fleece which is very difficult to remove. If you want to use a cream because of severe nappy rash, use nappy liners to prevent cream getting onto the cloth diaper.