*Thank you to Persil ProClean for sponsoring and inspiring today's post. As always, all opinions and reviews are my own.
As some of you may have seen in prior posts or on Instagram, we have been using cloth diapers for Gracie since she was six months old! We absolutely love using them, but I'm afraid to admit, that it's taken around a year to perfect our wash routine. I'm sure you can imagine how sensitive, and potentially messy a cloth diaper routine can get, so it's important to have a good method set in place.
One of the things I've learned is that part of a good cloth diaper wash method is having a powerful detergent! Cloth diapers are exposed to all kinds of crazy germs and smells. Some moms have to deal with things like yeast and mold if they aren't careful and have a good, preventative wash routine in place. For this reason, I am pretty religious about making sure I do these three things.
HOW I GET OUR CLOTH DIAPERS CLEAN
1. Wash cloth diapers at least twice a week.
Depending on your stash size, you may want to wash more frequently, but at this point we get a away with twice a week. When our dirty diaper bin is full, we wash, whether or not we've used the whole stash. It honestly keeps the whole house smelling better, haha.
2. Utilize an exceptional detergent.
In the beginning, I tried several detergents. I even tried to make my own at home once; that was a disaster. I just could not figure out how to make Gracie's cloth to stop smelling bad. Then I figured it out...there are just some things you must succumb to, one of those is the power of a good detergent. Persil ProClean has a 2-in-1 pro-lift cleaning power that I think really aids in getting those diapers squeaky clean. I haven't had any smell issues since I started using it! I picked it up for a great price (using this $2 off coupon) at Walmart.
3. Know your washer settings; they are different for everyone.
For someone who has never used cloth before, it's so overwhelming when you go to wash them for the first time. I found this chart from Fluff University to be very helpful. It allows you to look up the model of your washing machine and adjust the settings accordingly. We do a pre-wash with a 1/2 cap of Persil ProClean 2-in-1 detergent, and then a main wash with one capful of the same detergent! It's proven to work very well for us, and the diapers are now smelling super fresh, thankfully.
OUTFIT DETAILS:
Do you use cloth diapers? I'd definitely recommend this Persil ProClean if you're on the hunt for one that gets them smelling fresh and clean! There's also a new Pro10 formula coming soon and it features TEN dimensions of clean! How great does that sound for cloth? Here's a $2 off coupon to pick one up at your nearest Walmart store. Happy washing!
Did you know that the average baby will use 6,000 disposable diapers from birth to potty training?! You probably read in this post a bit about why I decided to switch over to cloth diapers. I get tons of questions about why I cloth diaper, and why I should convince a new mom to start, so I wrote about it below! There's also a Q&A at the end of this post with questions from real mamas in my Mom Tribe (my super exclusive mommy group on Facebook!) Click here to join!
Using cloth reduces your carbon footprint (and your baby's too!)
I'm a teacher, so I am all about learning by example. I want Grace to know the reasons I decided to cloth diaper versus using disposables. The best way for her to see how much I care about our Earth and the environment is for me to show how I tried to live sustainably. Maybe she'll use cloth on her babies someday to keep the tradition, who knows? But what it really comes down to is when you cloth diaper, human waste is going where it's supposed to... not in a landfill.
I've expressed my desire to reduce the chemical exposure for me and Grace too. Disposable diapers have tons of chemicals in them, including dioxins, TBT, and Sodium Polyacrylate (those little crystals you seen in the diapers when they're left on too long). Sodium Polyacrylate is what freaks me out most... they removed it from tampons due to toxic shock concerns, however the effects of this chemical have not yet been researched when it comes babies. This is so frustrating to me.
Cloth is easier than disposables.
This is an opinion thing, but in my post about how to wash cloth diapers I go through my process of how I wash and dry them. It probably takes me a total of 5-10 minutes of work three times a week... the washer does everything for me! Yes, the #2 diapers can be a bit messy, but most of the time they are not that bad. These are so much cleaner and we don't have a trash can or dumpster of stinky, chemical-y disposables each week! Seriously, the mix of waste with chemicals is so disturbing.
You really do. Here's a bit of a personal breakdown for you. We were spending around $40-$50 a month on disposables before we switched over. That's around $1800 for three years of diapers. We paid around $500-$600 for our cloth diaper stash of around 40. We get to reuse these year after year and don't have any monthly diaper expenses other than our water bill, which has literally no significant change! (My hubby can vouch for this...he was impressed!)
Cloth diapers way cuter than disposables.
You know I'm a fashion lover, so when I find a cute diaper that matches Grace's outfit (or my outfit) I get super excited it! Charlie Banana has so many cute prints for boys and girls! Plus, they hold their value - cloth is reusable and re-sellable! You can sell them on the Facebook Buy, Sell, Trade pages!
I decided to start using cloth when Grace turned four months old. I had been using disposable diapers for a while and wasn't happy with them for a number of reasons. I loved the idea of reducing my carbon footprint, and with a few diaper rashes, and the discomfort I saw from the rough, papery diapers, I decided it was time to make the switch. PLUS, the prints are absolutely darling!
What are your favorite kinds of cloth diapers?
I use Charlie Banana almost exclusively. These are pocket diapers and I prefer them because I can tailor the absorbency (amount of inserts) based on the need! I also have used organic prefolds (although they are a bit messier to wash) and I use flour sack towels or hemp inserts with pockets at night with my Charlie Banana covers.
The easiest way to start cloth is to buy a stash of 3-5 or so, then use them for one to two days and see how you like it. Do tons of research too! Fluff Love University is one of my favorite resources!
Favorite overnight diapers?
We use a Charlie Banana cover and a flour sack towel (folded origami style) with one insert in pocket overnight and it's proven to work out really well. I also have hemp inserts that we use for long trips or overnight. These are so much more foolproof than the flour sack towels/aka daddy friendly!
What are your favorite newborn diapers?
I love the Charlie Banana newborn diapers - they are adjustable for different sizes, and the newborn ones are so tiny! On May 18th, Charlie Banana is doing a sale on their newborn packs of two! They are 20% off with code XSmall20.
What do you do with them when you're out and about?
Great question! Here's a link to a post I wrote called "Cloth On The Go" :)
All the acronyms... what do they mean? I'm curious about inserts, and the types of different diapers?
AI2: All-in-Twos. An AI2 diaper has a set of snaps that attach the absorbent layer (like an insert) to the inside of the diaper.
AIO: All-in-Ones. An AIO diaper consists of only one piece. These are a bit more foolproof, but take FOREVER to dry, so I'm not a huge fan.
CD: cloth diapers.
Diaper Cover: When using a pre-fold, flat, or fitted diaper you may want to use a diaper cover to keep wetness contained. Covers are usually made of plastic, vinyl, waterproof polyester material, fleece or wool. Diaper covers are budget friendly and work great for many families. Diaper covers may be one-sized or sized. The most popular brands are Thirsties and Flip diaper covers.
Fitted: A fabric diaper with no waterproof layer is a fitted diaper. Fitted diapers are usually cotton (or other natural fiber like hemp or bamboo) that goes on your baby with snaps. A fitted diaper requires a diaper cover to contain wetness and is great for nights, naps, or heavy wetters. The Charlie Banana covers work well as a cover!
Flat: A flat diaper refers to a large flat piece (usually a single layer) of fabric (usually cotton, hemp, or other natural fiber) that can be folded and used as an insert in a cloth diaper.
Insert: Inserts are the absorbent part of the cloth diaper. They are usually rectangular-shaped and fit inside a pocket diaper, cover, or shell. The most popular material is a microfiber/microterry material (a synthetic). Inserts may also be hemp, bamboo, organic cotton, or minky. Microfiber/microterry should not be placed directly next to your baby’s skin (instead it may be placed inside a pocket).
One-Size: Used to refer to a diaper that fits most babies from birth through potty training. A one-size diaper can be adjusted to fit different shapes and sizes of babies from 7lbs to 40lbs and more. To adjust most one-size diapers use snaps or elastic and can easily adjust to fit your growing baby at any size.
Pocket: these have a pocket opening between the outer shell layer and the inner layer that touches baby’s skin. You can place the absorbent material (insert) inside this pocket opening. Pocket diapers are the #1 choice style for cloth diapering families.
Pre-fold: rectangular pieces of cloth that have a thicker middle layer. These also require a cover.
PUL: PUL stands for polyurethane laminate. PUL is the waterproof material used to make outer shells of many popular brands of diapers and diaper covers. PUL requires a chemical bond to attach to the back of fabrics. It can feel shiny or sticky.
Stash: A collection of cloth diapers.
Stripping: A way to remove built-up residue from cloth diapers.(source)
What's up with wool for overnights? Is it worth the hassle?
I actually do not have experience with this as we have never had issues with leaks overnight, but check out this post here about wool & cloth. I do love my hemp inserts for overnights though! They soak up so much.
Is it really cheaper than disposables?
Here's a bit of a personal breakdown for you. We were spending around $40-$50 a month on disposables before we switched over. That's around $1800 for three years of diapers. We paid around $500-$600 for our cloth diaper stash of around 40. We get to reuse these year after year.
Let me know if you have any other questions! Leave a comment below and I will reply.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!
GIVEAWAY TIME!
So, I want to practice what I preach... this means finding a way to help you try out cloth! Charlie Banana and I have teamed up to gift one of my readers with a three pack of Charlie Banana diapers! It comes with three covers, and six inserts! Perfect for trying out cloth for a day! Here's how to enter:
Hi beautiful friends! HAPPY EARTH DAY! I'm back again, sharing my tips for cloth diapering with Charlie Banana! I love this post that Charlie Banana shared on their Facebook page today. I stated this in my last post about cloth diapering, but one of the main reasons we decided to use cloth on Grace was to reduce our carbon footprint on the Earth. Every single one of us is responsible for doing our best to preserve the planet! Reduce, reuse, recycle, my friends! Mother Earth thanks you. <3
One of the things I had to really adjust after going green, and deciding to cloth diaper was how dressed Grace. Here are some things I changed...
HOW TO DRESS YOUR BABY FOR CLOTH
Tip #1 - buy pants that are 1-2 sizes bigger. The shorts above are 18 months, and Grace is only 11 months old, yet they fit her perfectly! I know that seems silly, but Grace's pants never fit after we started up with cloth, so we went shopping and purchased a few more pants/shorts for her in the sizes that actually fit with her diapers.
Tip #2 - Use the pockets as a swim cover!Charlie Banana makes some super cute swim covers, if your'e in the market, but I've also used the pockets without an insert as a swim cover, and it's been great for the Summer months!
Tip #3 - This one is for girls! You can use your diaper as a cute "under dress" cover rather than the silly bloomer things that come with the outfit you purchase. I love that Charlie Banana has super cute prints and colors so you can make sure that every diaper accents an outfit! Since you aren't going to be using disposables, there's no need to hide the ugly, white, papery diaper under a babe's dress! The bloomers are just another thing to get in the way during diaper changes!
CLOTH ON THE GO:
In my experience and conversations, there are A TON of people who are terrified of cloth diapering for one tiny reason... they don't want to use them out and about. My friends, allow me to introduce to you to this gamechanger.... THE WET BAG!
It's so simple. A wet bag is a small, lined, cloth bag that you use to store dirty diapers in until you get home and can either rinse them out, or put them in your larger wet bag at home! It can hold 3-4 diapers at a time, and is also great for storing wet clothes! If baby was at swim lessons, you can put their swimsuit in there as well. It holds in all moisture, odors, etc, and is pretty much the best invention ever! I have several wet bags in my car! I promise you, cloth diapering isn't as scary as it sounds when you are out enjoying the world.
Just always be sure to carry around extra diapers in your diaper bag (I have the inserts already put in for times like this!) so you aren't ever stuck without a diaper to put on your babe! (This could obviously happen with disposables too!)
I hope that you guys have learned some new info about cloth diapering after reading this post! I was soooo terrified to start researching it since some think it's rather intense, but I honestly love not contributing to a landfill, and reusing these gorgeous, cozy diapers each day on my babe's bum!
Please leave any questions you have in the comments, and I will be sure answer them in my next post! Also, don't forget to follow Charlie Banana on Instagram, and on like them on Facebook to get some info on their latest, cute prints!
xoxo.
*This post contains Charlie Banana products sent to me free of charge to help with this post, however, as always, all opinions and content are my own!
Hi friends! In celebration of Earth day coming up later this month, I've partnered with Charlie Banana to share how I use cloth! Now, there is a TON of information out there about going green, and using cloth diapers, so please know that this is my experience and someone else may have a completely different experience based on their routine/products they use! Read on to learn more about my cloth!
I decided to start using cloth when Grace turned four months old. I had been using disposable diapers for a while and wasn't happy with them for a number of reasons. I loved the idea of reducing my carbon footprint, and with a few diaper rashes, and the discomfort I saw from the rough, papery diapers, I decided it was time to make the switch. PLUS, the prints are absolutely darling!
Types of Cloth Diapers
I'm not going to get super into explaining this, only because there are several different types/brands of cloth. If you are interested in learning more about the types of cloth diapers, be sure to visit my cloth diapering bible, Fluff University! There are tons of helpful videos, and they explain, in depth, the types of cloth diapers. They also have an index of diaper brands! Super helpful stuff, but for all intensive purposes, I use Charlie Banana pocket diapers almost exclusively! I love how the brand holds up (I've been using them for 6+ months) and I really like the variety of prints. I can also use one or two inserts depending on the time of day and absorbent I need them to be!
Storing Cloth Diapers
I like to store my cloth diapers in one place so that I have a central location for diaper changes! My covers and microfiber inserts (and flour sack towels - more on those in a sec!) are in the same drawer of Grace's dresser. Some like to stuff their diapers before storing, but I personally like to tailor each cover/insert to the time of day/frequency of Grace using them. [I.E. in the morning, she will go through more diapers/inserts, and in the evenings, I can only use one insert!] I also use the flour sack towels at night with a diaper cover, since they are more absorbent!
I'll get more into the types of inserts you can use with pocket diapers later on - maybe in the next post? The white (pad looking) inserts are the microfiber ones and those go inside the covers, and the white and tan colored towels are flour sack towels, and pre-folds, both which I use with my Charlie Banana covers.
Dirty Diapers
When I have a dirty cloth diaper, I do one of two things! If it's just a wet one, I take out the inserts, and put both it and the pocket diaper covers into the wet bag/white basket you see pictured above! I have the Charlie Banana wet bag, and I love that it hides all of the smells! If the diaper is a #2 diaper, I simply take out the inserts and put them in the wet bag, then use the handy sprayer (that attaches to the toilet) to spray off any remnants! It's super quick/simple, and not as big of a deal as you may think ;)
How To Wash Cloth Diapers
How often - You generally want to have 20-25 diapers per baby, and this should give you a good 2-3 days between washes! I have about 35 diapers and usually wash every 4 days!
Pre-Wash - The pre-wash cycle gets the diapers ready to be cleaned. I usually do a hot wash, but that's because sometimes I use a plant-based detergent. I do the 6 minute cycle for my pre-wash with one cap full of detergent.
Main Wash - I wash my diapers on hot for this setting too. Every washer is different, so be sure to check out Fluff University and find your exact type of washer [HE or Non-HE, and the brand] and it will tell you what your prewash/wash settings should be! I use the 18 minute setting and use about a cap and a half full of detergent + a 1/4 cup of Borax. See below on Borax for hot/soft water!
NO Rinses - Don't do an extra rinse afterward! Some do, but I've been told that it wears the diapers out a lot quicker!
Drying - I hang dry my covers on hangers or a drying rack (make sure to hang them hot dog style so that you don't wear out the elastics!) You can also hang them on a clothesline! I dry my inserts and
Hard Water, Soft Water and Detergent
If you are a lucky duck and have soft water in your house, then all you need to do is find a good detergent to wash your diapers in! If you have hard water, then be sure to use Borax with your detergent (I put in 1/4 cup of Borax) in the main wash. I don't use any in the prewash! Be sure to check out the Fluff Love Detergent Indexto verify that your detergent is safe for your cloth! I typically use the Charlie Banana detergent, or a Seventh Generation plant-based detergent.
Dirty Diapers
When I have a dirty cloth diaper, I do one of two things! If it's just a wet one, I take out the inserts, and put both it and the pocket diaper covers into the wet bag/white basket you see pictured above! I have the Charlie Banana wet bag, and I love that it hides all of the smells! If the diaper is a #2 diaper, I simply take out the inserts and put them in the wet bag, then use the handy sprayer (that attaches to the toilet) to spray off any remnants! It's super quick/simple, and not as big of a deal as you may think ;)
I hope that you guys have learned some new info about cloth diapering after reading this post! I was soooo terrified to start researching it since some think it's rather intense, but I honestly love not contributing to a landfill *rolls eyes* and reusing these gorgeous, cozy diapers each day on my babe's bum!
Please leave any questions you have in the comments, and I will be sure answer them in my next post or on my Snapchat Cloth Diaper Q&A coming up this weekend! (LivinginColorL). Also, don't forget to follow Charlie Banana on Instagram, and on like them on Facebook to get some info on their latest, cute prints!
*This post contains Charlie Banana products sent to me free of charge to help with this post, however, as always, all opinions and content are my own!
