Many moms and dads cringe at the thought of having to wash reusable cloth diapers. This is the reason why many would rather buy disposable diapers so that they can get rid of them immediately once they get soiled. However, disposable diapers create major environmental problems because they are non-biodegradable and they could also release substances that may harm the environment. The great demand for such products also increases their production, thereby amplifying the diaper industry’s total resource usage and carbon footprint. On the contrary, washing reusable cloth diapers is not as hard as other people seem to think. You can save a lot of money and help the environment at the same time by choosing this option over disposable diapers.

To wash your baby’s reusable cloth diapers, follow these steps:

Step 1 – Soiled diaper storage. There are two accepted methods of soiled diaper storage. First is the wet pail technique in which diapers are presoaked in a diaper pail filled with water. This is less popular nowadays because of issues with bad smell and because water-filled buckets present a drowning hazard in homes with small children. The dry pail method is preferred by more parents because soiled diapers are simply stored in a dry pail and deodorized with essential oils or baking soda. Make sure to dispose any excess mess into the toilet before storing soiled diapers in the pail.

Step 2 – Wash with a full load. To save water, make sure to wash several diapers at a time. Washing machines can hold around 10 to 15 reusable cloth diapers at a time. Load the soiled diapers into your machine and try to check how many it can hold. Remember to fasten all Velcro straps in place to prevent the diapers from tangling during the washing.

Step 3 – The detergent. Make sure to use only safe and natural detergents like BabyGanics’ Loads of Love Laundry Detergent, which does not contain toxic or irritating ingredients that may harm your baby and the environment.

Step 4 – The wash. Let your washing machine run a hot wash and cold rinse cycle. The hot wash will help to kill bacteria and to de-stain the diapers. You can even add half a cup of baking soda to the wash to help remove stains without having to rely on harsh bleach and cleaning agents.

Step 5 – Dry properly. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendation before loading your diapers into the tumble dryer as some brands may not be suitable to machine drying. Other reusable cloth diapers are better dried on a line during a sunny day. Either way, the heat coming from the sun or the dryer can help sanitize the diapers. This is important so that your baby will not suffer from skin irritations.