| p>Mention cloth diapers to some people, and they will | | | | particularly if you're only washing every few days, |
| grimace in disgust. For them, it's not the perceived | | | | rather than every day. Ideally, you should drain the |
| hassle of using a two-piece diaper system, nor the | | | | water out daily, and fill it up again with fresh water. |
| initial financial outlay that puts them off. It's the thought | | | | Don't soak for more than three days, or your diapers |
| of all that washing. They immediately think of the way | | | | will start to go mouldy. |
| their mothers and grandmothers used to wash cloth | | | | Fill the pail with water. |
| diapers. They imagine dirty diapers soaking in a pail of | | | | Flush or throw away any pooey liners (depending on |
| stinking water. And because washing machines are still | | | | whether they are flushable or disposable). If the liner |
| relatively new, they may even have memories of their | | | | hasn't got any poo on it, you can wash and re-use it |
| own parents or grandparents having to wash dirty | | | | several times before it disintegrates. Keep your wraps |
| diapers by hand. No wonder the initial reaction is one of | | | | separate. Soaking wraps in water can gradually affect |
| revulsion. | | | | the waterproofing and elastic on wraps. You can add |
| Today, though, this image couldn't be further from the | | | | a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), a |
| truth. For a start, if you've got a washing machine, the | | | | slosh of vinegar, or a few drops of tea-tree essential |
| whole laundering routine becomes much more | | | | oil to the soaking water. This helps eliminate odours. |
| straightforward. You barely need to handle the used | | | | When it's time to put on a wash, tip out the water. |
| cloth diapers, never mind actually hand-wash them. If | | | | Leave the diapers in the mesh. The easiest way to do |
| you use a launderette, or pay for a cloth | | | | this is let the full mesh drain for a bit in the bath. |
| diaper-washing service, using cloth diapers is still worth | | | | Take the mesh to the washing machine, loosen the |
| the extra effort. But washing your cloth diapers at | | | | opening and shove the whole lot in. |
| home really isn't as difficult as it may at first seem. | | | | Wash at 40 degrees. The diapers will tumble out of |
| Many parents start off full of doubt, but quickly | | | | the mesh during the wash. |
| discover that, with a washing machine and a vague | | | | Dry pail method |
| routine, washing cloth diapers is really quite | | | | Dry-pailing is easier and more popular. If you're using |
| straightforward. You'll soon wonder what all the fuss | | | | cloth diapers full-time or nearly full-time, you'll probably |
| was about. | | | | be doing a diaper wash every 1-2 days. In that case, |
| There are two basic ways to approach washing cloth | | | | dry pailing is fine. Don't put any water in the pail. |
| diapers. | | | | Ideally (if you can be bothered) rinse the diapers in cold |
| | | | water first. Cold water stops the stains from setting. |
| 1. Dry pailing (no pre-soaking) | | | | To help eliminate odours, you can sprinkle some |
| 2. Wet pailing (soaking). | | | | bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) on the bottom of |
| For both, you need a pail with a lid. Buy a roomy mesh | | | | the pail, or put a few drops of essential oil (eg tea-tree) |
| to line the inside of the pail. If you can't get hold of a | | | | on a cloth and spread this over the top of the pail, |
| mesh, use an old pillowcase instead. | | | | under the lid. |
| Wet pail method | | | | Drop the diapers directly into the pail. |
| This is a bit more of a hassle, but it prolongs the life of | | | | Carry the mesh to the washing machine, loosen the |
| your diapers and so may save you money in the long | | | | opening and wash as above. |
| run, especially if you hope to have another baby. If you | | | | So, if you're new to cloth diapering, try both methods - |
| leave used diapers too long, urine will begin to damage | | | | dry pailing and wet pailing - and see which one works |
| the fabric. So pre-soaking helps them last longer, | | | | best for you. |