ALL ABOUT CLOTH DIAPERS CANADA

ALL ABOUT CLOTH DIAPERS CANADAlaundering, because it helps maintain the
Baby will require 7500 or more diaper changes fromwaterproofing.  Use Ivory soap flakes, not Ivory
birth to potty training.Snow liquid--the liquid is a detergent, not a soap.) In one
Before I had my first baby, I decided on cloth diaperscase, the customer had hard water, and the soap had
because of economy, but I had visions of myselfnot rinsed out but had actually formed “curds”
steaming a kettle of diapers on the stove in order toinside the cloth diaper layers!  If you insist on using
sterilize them.  I struggled to find a way to fold thesoap, despite all this, then use soap with 1/2 cup of
square cloth diapers that were standard equipment atwashing soda (Arm & Hammer washing soda is
the time.  Now the prefolded diapers have taken theone brand, found in the laundry detergent section of
work away from folding, and after four children andany grocery store).  In hard-water areas, rinse first
36,000 diaper changes, I’ve learned that there’swith 1/3 cup of washing soda to eliminate soap
nothing mysterious or scary about washing diapersingrained from previous washings, or a curd may
either.  (Actually, I learned that after the first monthform.  If curds form, use 1 1/2 cup of white vinegar to
into my diaper-changing career!)  My husbandeliminate them.
changed cloth diapers too.  With the Velcro closuresWHAT CAUSES THIS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
on diapers and Nikkys, he didn't worry about pokingSOAP AND DETERGENT?
baby with a pin.  We used the laundry methodAccording to the World Book Encyclopedia, “The
described on the next page.  Like all parents, wemost important feature of detergents is their ability to
have a busy schedule but with the modern-dayclean effectively in hard water.  Hard water contains
convenience of automatic washers and dryers, itcertain minerals, and many soaps cannot be used to
takes no more effort than pushing a few buttons tolaunder in it.  Such soaps react with the minerals to
do a load of diapers.form a substance called lime soap or soap curd. 
Here are some of the common questions parentsLime soap does not dissolve, and so it is difficult to
have asked us, about diapering.  Hope you find itremove from fabrics and other surfaces.  It also
helpful,causes bathtub ring.  Detergents do not leave such
Gracedeposits, and they also penetrate soiled areas better
HOW MANY CLOTH DIAPERS DO I NEED?than soap does.  The chief ingredients of soap are 1)
Even if you wash cloth diapers every day, you shouldfats, and 2) chemicals called alkalis.  Manufacturers
have at least 3 dozen diapers, preferably 4 dozen.  Ifmay use animal fats, or such vegetable oils as coconut
you buy less than that, they’ll wear out from theoil or olive oil.  Most soapmakers use sodium
frequent washing, before baby is potty trained.hydroxide (often called lye, or caustic soda) as the
WILL MY BABY GET DIAPER RASH IF I DON’Talkali.”
STERILIZE THE DIAPERS?SHOULD I USE FABRIC SOFTENER ON CLOTH
Normally, hot water washing and thorough rinsing willDIAPERS IN CANADA?
leave your cloth diapers sanitary.  Of course,No, fabric softener leaves a coating on the fibres in the
common sense prevails—a health nurse phoned tocloth diaper which will decrease absorbency in the
tell us her concerns about rinsing cloth diapers in thecloth diaper.  Also, fabric softener has been found to
toilet.  She explained that if the toilet is not keptcause an allergic rash on some babies.  Fabric
reasonably clean, it is better to use a separate bucketsoftener is not necessary if you don’t overdry your
for rinsing diapers.  Apparently some of the homescloth diapers.  If you wish to use it anyway, use about
she visited had very poor housekeeping habits.  The1/5 the amount you would normally use.
biggest cause of diaper rash is simply leaving baby in aHOW TO WASH CLOTH DIAPERS IN CANADA
wet diaper too long, so that the rash-causing bacteria1.  Store wet diapers in a diaper pail.  Rinse soiled
have a chance to multiply in the warmth, darkness, anddiapers in the toilet, using the diaper duck or rubber
dampness.  If you are in doubt about the sanitation ofgloves.  No water is needed in the diaper pail if you
your cloth diapers, use 175 ml of vinegar in the finalwash within 1 or 2 days.
rinse.2.  Put cloth diapers in washer and put through a cold
SHOULD I USE A PURE SOAP, LIKE IVORY SNOW,rinse.  (If diapers are not very soiled, you may skip
ON CLOTH DIAPERS?this.)
We don’t recommend ever using pure soap (as3.  Remove cloth diapers from washer and fill washer
opposed to detergent) on cloth diapers.  Manywith HOT water and detergent.  DO NOT USE
customers have told us about the problems whichBLEACH, IT WEAKENS THE FABRIC.)
have resulted from using pure soap on cloth diapers. 4.  Put cloth diapers through hot wash and rinse cycle.
One customer told us that using pure soap had5.  If desired, put cloth diapers through a second rinse
plugged up their farm septic system and that the mancycle.
who did the clean-up told her not to use soap again,6.  If you wish, add 175 ml vinegar to final rinse.
and to switch to detergent.  Some customers have7.  Dry diapers.  If using dryer, use hot setting, but do
had the hoses on their washing machines clog upnot overdry as the diapers will not be soft.
because of the soap residue.  Customers have sent8.  If using prefolded cloth diapers, no need to stack
us cloth diapers to look at which have actually becomethem.  Just take them out of the dryer and leave
water repellent because of the waxy build-up of soapthem in a laundry basket near the change area.
residue.  (Ivory Snow is recommended for Nikky pant