You need to prep your cloth diapers! What is prepping? Well, your cloth diapers have been on a fantastic journey before they ever reached your mailbox or doorstep. Prepping or preparing your diapers will help you have a better first experience with cloth diapering.
Just like when you arrive home after a long road trip, a good shower is in order! Your cloth diapers have probably been through a lot and like anything that comes near your precious baby, you want to make sure it's clean. All cloth diapers should be washed at least once before putting them on your little one to remove any dust or debris from manufacturing or shipping. Some types of fabrics need a few extra washes to be fully absorbent.
The first step to preparing your cloth diapers is to make sure you have a laundry detergent that is free of enzymes, scents and brighteners that is safe for cloth diapers. For more information on cloth diaper safe detergents, we have a PDF file of recommended detergents or you can read our previous blog post about detergents to learn more about what ingredients to avoid. Or choose any detergent from our natural laundry category. We've prescreened these detergents to make it easier for you.
The next step in preparing your cloth diapers is to determine whether they are made of natural or synthetic fibers. Stay dry, fleece, polyester, suedecloth and microfiber are all synthetic fabrics. Hemp, cotton and wool are natural fibers.
bumGenius 4.0, Freetime and Newborn cloth diapers, Flip Stay Dry inserts and all Flip and Econobum covers are made from synthetic fibers. For these covers and inserts you only need to wash your covers and inserts once before the first use. Line dry the covers. bumGenius and Flip inserts can be tumbled dry on a medium heat setting.
bumGenius Elemental diapers, Flip Organic inserts, Flip Potty Trainer Pads, Econobum inserts and all Hemp Babies products are natural fibers. Items with natural fibers contain natural oils that need to be removed before they will be fully absorbent. This is why we recommend washing natural fibers 5 to 7 times in hot water with a little bit of detergent, drying between each wash cycle. If you do not fully prep these diapers, you may experience leaks, as they will not be fully absorbent.
For any wool products, we recommend hand washing in lukewarm water with wool wash and line drying.
If you have further questions about preparing your cloth diapers or need assistance in determining what type of fabric your cloth diapers are made from, give us a call at 1-888-332-2243 and we'd be glad to help.
The first step to preparing your cloth diapers is to make sure you have a laundry detergent that is free of enzymes, scents and brighteners that is safe for cloth diapers. For more information on cloth diaper safe detergents, we have a PDF file of recommended detergents or you can read our previous blog post about detergents to learn more about what ingredients to avoid. Or choose any detergent from our natural laundry category. We've prescreened these detergents to make it easier for you.
The next step in preparing your cloth diapers is to determine whether they are made of natural or synthetic fibers. Stay dry, fleece, polyester, suedecloth and microfiber are all synthetic fabrics. Hemp, cotton and wool are natural fibers.
bumGenius 4.0, Freetime and Newborn cloth diapers, Flip Stay Dry inserts and all Flip and Econobum covers are made from synthetic fibers. For these covers and inserts you only need to wash your covers and inserts once before the first use. Line dry the covers. bumGenius and Flip inserts can be tumbled dry on a medium heat setting.
bumGenius Elemental diapers, Flip Organic inserts, Flip Potty Trainer Pads, Econobum inserts and all Hemp Babies products are natural fibers. Items with natural fibers contain natural oils that need to be removed before they will be fully absorbent. This is why we recommend washing natural fibers 5 to 7 times in hot water with a little bit of detergent, drying between each wash cycle. If you do not fully prep these diapers, you may experience leaks, as they will not be fully absorbent.
For any wool products, we recommend hand washing in lukewarm water with wool wash and line drying.
If you have further questions about preparing your cloth diapers or need assistance in determining what type of fabric your cloth diapers are made from, give us a call at 1-888-332-2243 and we'd be glad to help.
Have you had any experience using Bac-Out stain and odor eliminator on cloth diapers? It says it is safe for cloth diapering, and lots of people have tried it and loved it, but it does contain enzymes. Also, have you used any homemade laundry detergents? Can you recommend any recipes? I have a recipe containing washing soda, oxyclean, and borax that says it's safe on cloth diapers. But from reading your post, the oxyclean "whiteners" worry me. Any thoughts? Thanks so much!
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