Natural Diapers
Natural Diapers
Effectlively Cleaning Cloth Diapers
You know it is possible to help reduce the amount of Disposable Diaper waste in landfills by using cloth diapers, but you are nervous about how to wash them. This is a common concern being raised by many young mothers who were raised with disposable diapers. You may be surprised to know that cleaning cloth diapers is not as difficult or even as gross as you might imagine.
Cleaning cloth diapers formerly involved soaking, bleaching, pre-washing, and air-drying when my girls were little. In the past, this process was quite time consuming and full of work. Plastic pants have been replaced by pliable, washable, diaper covers and can still be used with the traditional plain prefolded diapers. Today's generation of cloth diapers are 100% better than the old style. There are many all-in-one cloth diaper systems to choose from. One such brand is Fuzzi Bunz Cloth diapers, which are diaper and cover in one piece, with an optional insert. Everything can be washed together, including the "wet bag" which is used to contain the wet diapers until laundry day.
Here are some simple steps to help you clean your soft, natural, cloth diapers.
If baby has solid waste, you can simply drop the stool into the toilet and flush it away. No swirling and wringing of the diaper is necessary. Store the wet and/or dirty diapers in a diaper pail or your wet bags until laundry time. There is no need for soaking anymore and you can leave them the way they are. Run the diapers first through a cool water rinse when you are ready to launder. The next step is to wash the diapers with detergent in a hot water wash. A lot of people feel that soap is better, as it leaves the diapers softer, but soap can also leave an oily residue, which means the diaper will not be as absorbent for your little darling's bottom. You can experiment with the amount of laundry detergent you use for all your washing needs, not just the cloth diapers. Frequently, manufacturers suggest you use more detergent than is required. Irritating deposits can be left on the cotton if too much detergent is used. One way to see if you can use less detergent is to use about half the recommended amount to see if it is effective for you, and adjust the amount from that point. Follow the hot wash with a cold rinse. Most machines these days automatically use a cold rinse, but check your settings to make sure.
If you're not sure how much detergent is too much, run the diapers through a second rinse. The rinse water should be clear. During the rinse cycle, if you notice suds, this indicates there was still some residue left in the diaper. Fabric softeners are not recommended for use with cloth diapers. Fabric softeners can reduce diaper efficacy because they leave a coating on the fabric which inhibits absorbancy. There is more chance of irriation and diaper rash and more need to change the baby if your diapers are lose absorbancy.
Cloth diapers can be air dried or dried in the dryer. Of course, everyone has a preference, and I do like the softness the dryer provides, but the sun provides natural disinfecting and bleaching. Check the washing instructions on your particular brand. Fuzzi Bunz diapers recommends using a low setting on the dryer, while some of the others say to use the hot.
It is possible for you to help preserve the environment by washing those soft natural diapers and keeping the disposables out of the landfills. And don't forget you can and put the baby in your favorite Ellaroo baby carrier and go enjoy your world naturally as well!
About the Author
Maria Cummings is devoted mom that works to help kids and families in the community. Manager of
Bustling Baby
, Maria loves to share her parenting experiences with new parents and assists parents in finding the best
Baby travel systems
for today's active parents.
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The Diaper Debate
There is no right or wrong diaper choice to use for your baby. It is a personal preference that should be decided by the parents. There are two main choices: cloth or disposable diapers. There are different types of cloth diapers and many different brands of disposable ones on the market. Using the right choice for your baby can be a trial and error process. You may notice that a certain brand causes a rash and in that case, you should change diapers. They are also priced differently and sometimes the most expensive is not always best and vice versa you shouldn’t buy a diaper just because it’s the least expensive choice at the store.
Many parents argue about whether cloth or disposable diapers are best for their babies. While deciding on which type to use, keep in mind that using a natural diaper ointment is always the best choice to prevent and cure diapers rash. Diaper ointment should always be used with every changing. There are advantages of both cloth and disposable ones. While the initial cost of cloth diapers can be expensive, the overall savings are greater than using disposable ones. When making the cloth purchase, buy at least 30 to 35 of each size your baby is wearing at the time. You can buy less, but you’ll have to do more loads of laundry to clean them. Disposable ones can be easier to use because you throw them away after each use. Some parents prefer the ease of this. They can be more convenient when you are out of your home because you can throw the diaper away wherever you change your baby.
If your baby moves a lot during a changing, disposable might be easier to use because of the tape-stick while cloth you have to use safety pins sometimes. Cloth is also known to cause less diapers rash. If you are concerned about the effect that diapers can have on the environment, then you should use cloth. Disposable diapers are supposed to be biodegradable, but it takes time. Cloth ones can be washed and reused which doesn’t affect the amount of waste going into our landfills. However, on the other side of the debate, parents argue that using cloth uses up too much water because you have to do loads of laundry almost every day. While the effects on our environment are an ongoing issue, your first concern should be which diaper will your baby be most comfortable wearing and which will cause little to no rash.
Parents should try different types of diapers for their babies, and they could also try using a combination. There can be the choice of combination of cloth and disposable. Use cloth at home and disposable when going out. The disposable ones are more convenient when not at home, however cloth when convenient, should be used do to the advantages they have. Some parents will find that cloth don’t irritate their baby's skin, while other parents will see no difference between cloth and disposable. Some parents will like the fact that disposable can be more convenient, and other parents won’t mind washing the cloth ones. It is a personal choice for the parent about which diaper they will decide to purchase.
About the Author
Melanie Nader is the founder of the Homestead Company which makes premium quality natural skin care products including eczema oil and diaper ointment made with the finest 100% natural ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.homesteadcompany.com.
