8 things you should never do when cloth diapering
All of you who have researched cloth diapers will know that there are so many opinions floating around out there. Some swear by one method, others despise it. The truth is, there is no one right way of cloth diapering. However, there are some no-no’s that most people seem to agree on!
#1 Don’t place microfibre directly against the baby’s skin
Whilst microfibre is a great fabric due to its ability to absorb liquid really quickly, if placed in direct contact with the baby, it can draw away moisture from the baby’s skin and can leave it dry and itchy. The solution is to stuff microfibre inserts into pocket nappies or else place a fleece liner on top of the microfibre as a barrier between the insert and the baby’s skin.
#2 Don’t be scared to fit the diaper firmly
Leaks are often the result of a poor fit. Make sure you are putting the diaper on the right way and don’t be scared to tighten it. As long as you can run a finger along the baby’s thighs and waist then you’re good! If you have a gap, liquid will have time to leak before it has time to be absorbed.
#3 Don’t forget to do a cold rinse before the main wash
This will wash out all the pee and poo and prepares the nappies for the main wash. You don’t want your main wash to contain very dirty poopy water!
#4 Don’t complicate your washing routine
Washing cloth diapers is like washing any other laundry. It should be simple and straightforward. You just need to figure out the amount of laundry detergent to use depending on how many diapers you are washing and the hardness of the water. When washing cloth diapers, choose a long wash setting at 40/60 degrees for a good deep wash.
#5 Don’t use fabric softeners
Fabric softeners do their job by forming a layer on top of the fabric that will eventually start repelling liquid. In order to help your nappies stay soft, shake them before hanging in order to loosen the fabric fibres so that they aren’t too compressed when they dry. If needed, you can occasionally tumble dry them on a low setting. This will help them feel softer.
#6 Don’t expose to too much sun
Line drying diapers is a great way of drying them however don’t overdo the time you leave them out in the sun, especially during our hot Maltese summers. Over drying and high temperature might break the PUL material and loosen up the elastic over time. If you’re not sure when you’re going to be able to go and take your nappies off the line, especially in summer, then you might be better off hanging them somewhere shaded or indoors with a good amount of ventilation.
#7 Don’t strip your diapers frequently
If you have an effective wash routine, then you shouldn’t need to strip your diapers. Only do a strip if absolutely necessarily as this is harsh on the fabrics.
#8 Don’t go too long without washing your diapers
Washing every 3 days or more frequently is recommended to prevent your nappies from having enough time to start stinking, staining, etc.
Most importantly of all, experiment! If you never try you’ll never know!