Reusable cloth diapers are great for saving money and reducing waste in landfills, but how do you clean them when it’s laundry day? While cleaning cloth diapers may sound a little gross at first, they’re completely sanitary and washing them is a breeze. Whether you just started using cloth diapers or only need a reminder on how to clean them, we’ll help you through it! Keep reading for everything you’ll need to know about washing cloth diapers so they’re safe and ready to use.

Things You Should Know

  • First, rinse your cloth diapers in a cold water cycle without any detergent to prevent stains from setting in.
  • Then, wash the cloth diapers in a hot water cycle with mild detergent. Run an extra rinse cycle to remove any detergent residue.
  • Hang your diapers up to dry. If the tag says they’re dryer-safe, you can put them on a low-heat tumble cycle.
  • ​​Wash cloth diapers every 2–3 days so odors and stains don’t set in.
1

Scrape any solid waste into the toilet.

  1. Flush the waste so it doesn’t get into your washer. After you change a cloth diaper, you can toss wet ones right into your wash, but poopy diapers need a little extra attention. Use toilet paper to wipe as much of the solid waste into the toilet. Once you get rid of all the solid waste in the diapers, it’s sanitary to wash the cloth diapers in your washer.[1]
    • Alternatively, rinse the waste into the toilet with a diaper sprayer for a more thorough clean.
    • If you don’t plan on washing your cloth diapers right away, store them into a diaper pail until you’re ready to do a load. Rinsing them with water or adding a dash of baking soda to the pail will help get rid of odors until wash day.
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3

Wash cloth diapers in a hot water cycle with mild detergent.

  1. Hot water and detergent kill the bacteria left on your diapers. As soon as the cold rinse cycle finishes up, add mild laundry detergent made for sensitive skin to the load. Only use the recommended amount of detergent for your laundry load since the excess can irritate your baby’s skin. Set your washer to a full hot water cycle and let it run through.[4]
    • Clean your diapers separate from any other laundry just to keep your clothes sanitary.
    • Avoid using fabric softeners or any anti-static products since they could give your baby a diaper rash.
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4

Run a final rinse cycle.

5

Hang the cloth diapers to air-dry.

7

Strip cloth diapers when they have buildup.

About This Article

Denise Stern
Co-authored by:
Parenting Specialist
This article was co-authored by Denise Stern and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Denise Stern is a Parenting Specialist and the CEO of Let Mommy Sleep, the country’s leading Baby Nurse and Postpartum Care service. Denise specializes in providing nurturing care to newborns and evidence-based education to their parents. She holds a BA in Public Relations from North Carolina State University. Denise was the US Chamber of Commerce Leading Woman-Owned Business in 2013, a Washington FAMILY Magazine Mother of the Year in 2016, and on the elite White House Summit for Working Families hosted by the President and First Lady Obama in 2014. Let Mommy Sleep is the only company of its kind that holds a local government contract to teach newborn and postpartum care. This article has been viewed 1,155 times.
2 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: February 20, 2023
Views: 1,155
Categories: Baby Clothes
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