Cloth Diapering 101...I need help

Alright ladies....I thought I understood everything, and now I feel even more confused about everything than when i started reading lol.  I would sooooo appreciate a kind of mini lesson on cloth diaper care.  I know I want the Nubunz one-size pocket diapers, however here are my q's:

1.  What do I do with the diapers before using them (please be detailed)?

2.  Is storing the dirty and wet diapers in a large kitchen trash pail with some baking soda sprinkled on top okay for storage if I wash every other day?  I would obviously remove all solids in the toilet before storing in the trash pail.

3.  Someone gave a recipe on here for homemade detergents, but would like to hear some other recipes as well (please share if you have one)

4.   How often do you strip your diapers and inserts?  How do you do this (please be as detailed as possible)?

5.   If it's winter and I can't hang dry my diapers outside, I'll probably hang dry them in my house....however then the sun can't help with stain removal.  Any advice on how to do this in the winter months?

6.  Feel free to add any other tips/advice you've found helpful when it comes to CD'ing :)

TIA!!!!!!!!!

babyonthebrain:

Alright ladies....I thought I understood everything, and now I feel even more confused about everything than when i started reading lol.  I would sooooo appreciate a kind of mini lesson on cloth diaper care.  I know I want the Nubunz one-size pocket diapers, however here are my q's:

1.  What do I do with the diapers before using them (please be detailed)?  When you get them in the mail, wash them once and they are ready to wear!

2.  Is storing the dirty and wet diapers in a large kitchen trash pail with some baking soda sprinkled on top okay for storage if I wash every other day?  I would obviously remove all solids in the toilet before storing in the trash pail  I spray all my poo diapers off and place them in the pail.  The wet ones go directly in the pail.  I don' t use baking soda or anything else, and I wash every other day.

3.  Someone gave a recipe on here for homemade detergents, but would like to hear some other recipes as well (please share if you have one) I don't have any recipes, I use regular Tide HE powder. 

4.   How often do you strip your diapers and inserts?  How do you do this (please be as detailed as possible)?  I've only stripped my diapers once, ever in the 5 1/2 years of cloth diapering I have done.

5.   If it's winter and I can't hang dry my diapers outside, I'll probably hang dry them in my house....however then the sun can't help with stain removal.  Any advice on how to do this in the winter months?  I find that if I spray my diapers off, I don't have many stains.  If I have one, it's not very noticable.. so I don't worry about it.  But you can sun out stains if you put the diapers by a sunny window.  It works through the glass Or you can just lay them in the sun outside for about an hour and then dry them in the dryer.  

6.  Feel free to add any other tips/advice you've found helpful when it comes to CD'ing :)  Cloth diapering is addicting!  Seriously... You always want to try different types of diapers.  And there are tons of diapers out there, so lots of $$$.  If I could do it all over again, I would pick one type of diaper and stick with it.  But I am always buying more diapers, that I really don't need.  Oh well, it could be worse!

TIA!!!!!!!!!

 ThreeLittleCubs - hot, warm or cool water for first wash?  And there after what water temp? Thanks a bunch for your info. 

UPDATE: What about drying?  If I put them in the dryer instead of line drying, what setting is best?  Low?

ANy other replies much appreciated!! :)

I do a cold rinse first and add a couple of drops of tea tree oil (at the recommendation of my local cloth diaper store guru, to get rid of smell), then I do a hot wash with 1 teaspoon of Allen's detergent, and a cold rinse.

My baby is still exclusively breastfed, and I don't rinse off the poop at all. I just pull the insert out of the pocket and throw both parts into a kitchen size trash container lined with a wet bag. I wash Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I just take the wet bag down to the washer, dump everything in, and then throw the bag in too. I hang the diapers on a drying rack (outside when weather permits), and put the inserts in the dryer. When the inserts get badly stained I put them out in the sun, but honestly the stains aren't doing any harm.

babyonthebrain:

 ThreeLittleCubs - hot, warm or cool water for first wash?  And there after what water temp? Thanks a bunch for your info.

 

ANy other replies much appreciated!! :)

For the first wash.. I would wash in hot with an extra rinse.  

Then after they are used...  cold rinse or cold prewash, hot wash, 2 rinses.  

 WOAH! Really??  That seems like a heck of a lot of water use...I'm beginning to think it's not cheaper than disposables, but is still better for baby.

 It would still be cheaper than disposables.  You might not need that extra rinse.  You can try with only the one rinse and see how your baby does.  If she/he gets rashes or irritated, you will have to add the extra rinse.  

The prewash helps rinse the poo/pee away so the wash can get them clean.  It also helps so the diapers don't stain as much.

1.  What do I do with the diapers before using them (please be detailed)?

wash them 1 time and they are ready just keep in mind that some diapers mwy not reach maixmum absorbancy until after a few washes but thats ok and i usually add a good squirt of dawn soap to help get out manufacturing chemicals and such

2.  Is storing the dirty and wet diapers in a large kitchen trash pail with some baking soda sprinkled on top okay for storage if I wash every other day?  I would obviously remove all solids in the toilet before storing in the trash pail.

i store mine in a kitchen trash can with a pail liner in it. instead of baking soda use an old sock with baking soda inside  and tea tree oil  only a few drops and tie the sock or use a rubber band to close it and make sure to put this in the can and not the pail liner bc my dh accidentaly did that 1 time and i put the sock in the wash 2 so i couldnt figure out why the water was so soapy until i found the sock when i was folding diapers 

3.  Someone gave a recipe on here for homemade detergents, but would like to hear some other recipes as well (please share if you have one)

i had used my own homemade detergent for a while and to be honest it leaves alot of soap behind i was stripping my diapers every other wash i now use the same detergent as i do with reg. laundrt just tide free and clear it works great 

4.   How often do you strip your diapers and inserts?  How do you do this (please be as detailed as possible)? i dont have 2 strip but maybe 1 time a month i add dawn to every wash anyways but i would not recomend u do this unless u do want to rinse a few times

5.   If it's winter and I can't hang dry my diapers outside, I'll probably hang dry them in my house....however then the sun can't help with stain removal.  Any advice on how to do this in the winter months?

i have a hanging rack and if i have time i do hang dry my diapers even if its inside anytime they dont have to go in the dryer is good it prolongs the life of your diapers

6.  Feel free to add any other tips/advice you've found helpful when it comes to CD'ing :)

my advice is if u are already using cloth diapers you should use cloth wipes as well im amazed at how much money we have saved just not buying wipes