How to Wash Diapers

OtterMama uses and recommends Lulu's Glamour Wash for cloth diapers and all your laundry!

Put Lulu's in the Fluff and you're using a safe, environmentally-friendly detergent that smells fabulous in your laundry room and rinses clean, leaving no residue behind. It’s made with safe, phosphate-free ingredients, and it’s great for family laundry. Best of all, it’s totally safe for cloth diapers. Just one tablespoon and you are on your way to clean diapers and clothing!

How do I wash cloth diapers?

New diapers need to be laundered prior to their first use.  Some items such as pocket diapers, covers, and items made with prewashed fabric only need a quick wash; warm or hot water works best (detergent is optional but recommended). Unwashed cotton prefolds require several washes BEFORE they will be absorbent; otherwise, leaks will occur. It can take between 5-6 hot water washes (or more) before the natural oils from the cotton are removed and the fabric can properly absorb.  Items will become more absorbent with each wash.  

Steps: 

1. Flush solid waste away. Some people use flushable liners inside cloth diapers to make this easier.
2. Store diapers in a dry diaper pail. A sprinkle of Lulu’s Sparkles Deodorizing Pail Freshener is an excellent way to keep your diaper pail fresh-smelling. We recommend not soaking diapers as this tends to set in stains and odors. We also recommend washing at least every other day or every third day. 
3. Wash your diapers in hot water. If the diapers are very soiled we recommend doing an initial cold water rinse to remove the soiled matter. 

• 1 short cycle cold water wash with detergent. Just 1 tsbp of Glamour Wash per wash load is recommended.

• 1 long/heavy duty cycle hot water wash with detergent (use slightly less detergent)
• 1 additional rinse (warm water rinses, if an option on your machine, work best at removing residue.)

     4.  Dry the diapers on a medium to high setting. If you are drying covers or             pocket diapers we recommend line drying them or drying on a low setting. 

Tips

Detergents to stay away from: 
Any Baby Detergents 
Any Free & Clear Detergents 
Any Detergents that contain chlorine bleach 

Sunshine is a great stain remover. Line drying your diapers in the sun from time to time will help keep them white and fresh-smelling. 

If not using Glamour Wash, use 1/3 to 1/2 the manufacturer’s recommended amount of detergent to help prevent soap/residue build up which can cause diapers to leak. 

You may want to consider using the following additives to enhance cleaning:

• RLR  Laundry Treatment (1.35 ounce packet) – helps remove mineral deposits, dirt and detergent residue from fabric, holding them in suspension in the water and preventing them from being redeposited so they can rinse away.
• BioKleen BacOut (2 tbsp) - BacOut’s live enzyme-producing cultures attack pet, food and beverage stains, organic waste, and odors until they are gone, digesting them back to nature, safely and naturally. BacOut is safe to use around children and pets, even birds.
• Baking Soda (1-2 tablespoons) - helps neutralize acid and odors.  Baking soda can be used in place of detergent in the initial cold water wash, or substitute ½ of your detergent for baking soda in the initial cold water wash.
• Vinegar (1/4 cup or less) - works by breaking down residues, helps restore the pH balance in fabrics, reduces lint, and naturally helps prevent static cling. Avoid the use of vinegar with diapers containing PUL. Use in the rinse cycle--either with a Downy Ball or in the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine.

NOTE:  The use of these additives can void certain manufacturer warranties.
Warnings: 
-Keep diaper pail out of reach of children - especially when filled with water. 
-Avoid fabric softener in the dryer - it can reduce the absorbency of your cloth diapers. 
-Avoid washing too many diapers at once - an average washing machine can handle about two dozen diapers at a time, if you want to get them really clean. 
-Check the washing instructions for diaper covers and wraps carefully- many of them need to be washed separately from diapers, and will not stay waterproof if you put them in the dryer.

Why is my detergent hardening?

No worries! The main cleaning/softening ingredient in Lulu's has a low melting point of 73.4 degrees F and as it gets warm, it starts to melt. As it cools, it binds back together, but in a block or clumps. The detergent is as effective as ever - The lumps are generally soft and can easily broken by hand or they will dissolve when they meet the water. The Hard-Water formulations will have more softening agent and may clump more so than the regular formulation of Glamour wash. If the clumps are very hard just remember they will dissolve in water and the solution is just as efficient.

What about Lulu's and hard water/soft water?  

Lulu's In The Fluff was formulated with consideration to moderate levels of hard water. If you have soft water, you may be able to reduce the amount of detergent you use. If you have VERY HARD water and need an extra softening agent added to your order please contact lulu@lulusinthefluff.com and we will work with you to help find a solution to your laundry needs. 

My diapers stink! Help!

Do You Have Hard Water?
Simply put, hard water has a lot of minerals in it, namely calcium and magnesium.  These minerals, if not properly rinsed away, can lead to a mineral build-up in your diapers which may cause offensive odors.

Hard water can sometimes lead to stinky diapers because:

1.  The detergent is not able to work as effectively in hard water 
2. The minerals from the hard water are being deposited back onto the diapers

Many detergents don't work as well in hard water because they have to work at softening the water rather than cleaning.  Therefore we recommend using a separate water softener, such as Calgon Water Softener (NOT Calgon bath products).  Calgon Water Softener is considered safe for use on all types of cloth diapers. Calgon can also be used for stripping diapers, especially for areas with especially hard water.  Just wash clean diapers 3-4 times with hot water and Calgon (no detergent).  As always, be sure to rinse thoroughly!

Detergent residue and/or Bacteria Buildup
If hard water isn't the problem then it is likely due to detergent residue and/or bacteria remaining in the diapers/inserts. If you suspect detergent residue is the problem then you can try running your clean diapers through several (4-6) hot water wash cycles with no detergent or additives. If you suspect residual bacteria is the problem you may wish to try using 2 tablespoons of Bac-Out in the wash water or spraying your wet/soiled diapers with Bac-Out before putting them in the diaper pail.  Drying your diapers in the sun will help naturally disinfect them and remove stains. As a last resort, you may wish to try bleaching the absorbent inserts (not the pocket diapers or covers) by adding 2 tablespoons of bleach to a hot wash cycle. 

Stripping Diapers
If you notice your diapers are leaking or repelling quite often or there are horrible smells the moment they become wet --then it's time for a good stripping!  We recommend several (4-6) hot water washes (no detergent) which will get rid of most detergent buildup/residues.  This is the safest stripping method available for all types of cloth diapers. You can also try RLR laundry treatment once a month to prevent and get rid of residue.

My Diapers are LEAKING!  HELP!

The 3 most common reasons why diapers leak:
1) Insufficient absorbency
2) Incorrect size
3) Detergent residue buildup 

If you're using a Free and Clear or commercial detergent (including commercial HE detergents) then it is highly likely your diapers have a build-up of residues which is causing your diapers to leak/repel. Using fabric softener or oily/petroleum based diaper cream without a liner may also cause your diapers to completely repel as well. Cloth diaper-friendly detergents will reduce your chances of detergent residue build-up and are free from enzymes, dyes, fragrances and fabric softeners, which can cause excessive wear and tear on your diapers

What about diaper rash?

We always recommend consulting with your pediatrician to determine whether the rash requires any medical treatment.

Studies have shown approximately 5% of cloth diapered babies experience diaper rash issues as opposed to 50%+ amongst the disposable diapered babies.

Why the difference? 
Disposable diapers are made from plastics, not paper like many people mistakenly believe (even chlorine-free diapers are also made from plastic polymers). Plastic does not allow the skin to breathe properly and causes heat retention which can ultimately lead to rashes.

There are several things that could be causing a diaper rash, so it's hard to tell you what the best option is but here are some things you can try.

If the rash is caused by friction, chafing, or fabric sensitivity, then a softer, natural fiber fabric may help. Bamboo is a useful fabric for sensitive skin because it is very soft and non-irritating. Babies with allergies to other fabrics or synthetic fabric can usually tolerate bamboo. Putting a "moisture barrier" cream on the baby is helpful too. A very thin layer of Lansinoh rubbed in well at least 10 minutes prior to putting on a clean diaper should not affect the diaper absorbency. Sweetsation Therapy Organic Bum Bum Balm and Chub Stick are compatible with cloth diapers.

Some skin reactions such as eczema, psoriasis and yeast infections may require consultation with a physician. If the rash is caused by yeast (a raised red rash that is warm to the touch and does not respond to diaper cream) you may need to treat the rash with an antifungal, like nystatin or gentian violet, and expose your baby's bottom to air as much as possible, then disinfect your diapers with hot water washing, lots of rinses, and high heat drying. Laying your diapers in the sun is an excellent way to rid them of bacteria naturally and it helps whiten, brighten and remove stains. Tea tree oil (1/2 tsp in the wash water) is helpful and you can try a small quantity of bleach as a last resort.  Try to avoid sugar, fruit, juice and starchy foods that can feed the yeast in your diet and your baby's diet (yeast in mom = yeast in baby). Make sure your diapers are totally dry without a trace of dampness before they go on the baby.  Since yeast thrives in warm and moist areas it's especially important to change your baby regularly.

If the rash is because the diapers are not getting clean, you may need to alter your wash routine a bit. Try putting your nose right down in a clean diaper and smelling it. The diaper shouldn't smell like anything, not even detergent. If it smells bad, you can try using Bac-Out in the wash. If the diaper smells perfumey, there could be detergent residue and you need to wash your diapers in hot water without detergent several times until there are no bubbles in the wash water. You can also try RLR laundry treatment to get rid of residue. If there is detergent buildup on your diapers your child may be reacting to the buildup or he may truly have a sensitivity to the particular detergent. We suggest washing the diapers several times in hot water with no detergents or additives to ensure the diapers are free from detergent residues to see if that resolves the issue. If a true allergy to the detergent is suspected then we recommended discontinuing use of the product.

Diaper Creams, Medicated Ointments and Powders 
Be sure to choose diaper creams and ointments that are cloth diaper-friendly and/or use a liner.

How many diapers will I need?

Washing every other day, you will need: 

• Newborn to 4 months: 24 - 36 diapers 
• Infant (4 to 10 months): 16 - 20 diapers 
• Toddler (10 months to potty training): 12 - 16 diapers

Information compiled from www.lulusinthefluff.com and www.otterblotters.com websites 4/2010

Disclaimer: Otter Babies and Lulu's In The Fluff cannot be held liable for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from the use of the information provided. This is for informational purposes only and every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of the information provided herein.