Washing and Drying

 

• ​You can use mainstream detergents like Omo, Skip, Bio Classic etc on your nappies as long as it does not contain softener.

• Detergents do not cause build up, soap does. They may leave residues but these are harmless and will wash out. 

• Residue is something that is left behind. If residues built up then all our clothes would be gunky too. Detergent is designed and formulated to wash out.

• Don’t be afraid of using enough detergent - rather get clean nappies and do an extra rinse vs having smelly nappies. 

• A tablespoon of detergent won't clean anything! Especially not dirty poopy bacteria filled - nappies!

• You don't get poopy clothes from washing cloth nappies in your machine. Solid poop ends up in the toilet, not in the washing machine. 

• You can safely wash all nappies (yes also PUL) at up to 60C (be aware that this might void the warranty of some brands). 

• You can also wash your nappies in cold water and they will still come out clean. You just need to use more detergent (+ 10%).

• Natural softeners are okay to use on natural fibres but no Stasoft and Comfort. You do not need softeners on synthetic fibers.

• You can safely use bleach on cloth nappies provided it has been diluted properly. Although it is possible that using bleach will mean your warranty is no longer valid. Note - we do not recommend regular use of bleach, this should only be used in the rare instance that you need to strip. 

• Steri-nappy is not going to destroy your nappies.....SOAKING in anything for an extended period (few hours or longer) will.

• A few drops of tea tree oil is not effective to sterilise your nappies. You need about 30 drops per litre of water.

• You can safely tumble dry your nappies on low - yes even the PUL. Just don't tumble dry on high heat.

​

Stripping

​

• Nappies do not need to be stripped on a regular basis. With proper wash routine, you never need to strip (with the exception of buying secondhand nappies). If you get stink issues often, it means your wash routine needs tweaking.

• If you constantly need to strip, carefully check your wash routine (and reach out to us on our Facebook group!) beause your nappies are not getting cleaned properly.

• Also refer to the information on Stripping in the “Washing Your Cloth” section

 

Time and Effort

​

• Washing nappies does NOT take hours of extra time! Really, the machine does it. Refer to our detailed breakdown on Cloth Chores.

• Yes, you can cloth diaper when working full-time.​ In fact most cloth parents work full-time!

​

Leaks

​

• Be realistic! A day cloth nappy is not supposed to be on the bum for 6 hours! Not even a disposable should be on for that long. For hygienic reasons it is recommended to change cloth and disposables every 2-3 hours during the day or with a toddler as soon as they pee.

• Night nappies need lots of layers to last the whole night leakfree. And yes, this means extra bulk. But we promise your baby doesn't mind the bulk. ;-) 
   

​

Rash

​

• Cloth nappied kids are actually less prone to rashes vs kids wearing disposable nappies. This is because cloth is more breathable than plastic.

 

Cost

​

• It does not cost more in the long run after electricity, detergent and water is taken into account. In fact, you can save a lot of money! See a breakdown of the costs in the “New to Cloth” section​

​

Environment

​

• The biggest myth is that cloth diapers aren't saving the environment because of all the detergent, energy and water used to wash them. Manufacturing disposables costs a lot more in terms of water and energy than washing cloth! Disposables also use up more natural resources (wood pulp) and contribute to chemicals sitting in our landfills for centuries.

• Nothing we do has zero impact on the environment, but we can choose the options with less impact.

• For more info see our Environmental impact page. 

 

 

Types of Cloth Diapers

 

• You do not need to have an entire stash of just one type of nappy. Also, there is no such thing as the 'best' nappy (type or brand). All types and most brands work really well, it all depends on personal preference and your baby's build. Cloth nappies are made to fit different shapes and sizes.

• One-size-fits-all is a misnomer. It should be one-size-fits-most. One size nappies generally don't fit newborns. All one-size nappies aren't created equal either - some are bigger, some are smaller.

• Cloth diapering is as expensive or inexpensive as you decide to make it. You do not HAVE to buy expensive diapers. Nothing wrong with plain terry squares and covers. On the flip side, there is nothing wrong with expensive and beautiful nappies either. There is a cloth nappy for every budget!

• You don't need to buy a full stash before you start cloth diapering. Start with one or two and buy more as you go along.

​