Washing instructions -- the "quick" version

• Rinse dirty diapers, store in dry wetbag

• Wash every other day

• Do prewash cycle (with our without vinegar)

• Wash on hot or "sanitary" cycle with 1-2 tbsp of detergent

• Do an extra rinse afterwards

• If having issues with smells do another quick wash cycle in cold with no detergent

The "long" version

I keep my soiled diapers in a dry bag.  You could use a covered diaper pail as well.  I do not recommend a wet pail.  I never recommend bleach, as it is a harsh chemical that will break down the fibers in the diaper and usually is not necessary.  I will first cover basic washing instructions and then some troubleshooting. 

Rinsing out diapers immediately after a diaper change...

Pre-rinsing may not be necessary.  For runny breast-fed baby poo, I normally just throw the whole diaper into the bag.  For solids, I will shake the poop off if at all possible.  Sometimes I will rinse (I have a hand-held bidet hooked to the toilet) if it is a sticky poo...I have rinsed in the bath tub too. 

Covers...

For regular PUL covers, I hang covers to dry between changes and use them multiple times before washing.  When it's wash day, I wash them right with the diapers.  Wool covers have a whole different approach that I do not cover here.

Washing...

I do a cold prewash in the washing machine.  Normally I do not add anything to the water for this cycle.  I do add vinegar to this prewash sometimes if my diapers have a particularly strong ammonia smell.  Sometimes I will fill the washer with more water than necessary to get a good rinse.

Before you begin, you may want to make an informed choice about which laundry detergent to use on your diapers.  I have found the information on this website to be invaluable:  PinStripes and PolkaDots Detergent Choices 

I wash a full cycle, heavy duty, on hot. (Or in a front-loading washer, I wash on sanitary).  I have been using Planet liquid detergent and have been very pleased with the results.  Another good alternative is Allen's Naturally.  I have also tried All Free & Clear with moderate success and Sportwash (though some of my customers have found that sportwash can cause a rash).  The most important thing about the laundry detergent is that you do not use too much.  I only use 1-2 tablespoons of the Planet.  If you have hard water, you may want to consider using a softener like Calgon.  If you have a water softener, be mindful of how much detergent you use so you don't use too much.

I do a extra rinse on cold after the wash cycle.  It's important to check during this cycle from time to time while it is agitating to see if there are suds.  If you see suds, you should rinse until the suds are gone. 

I always dry in the dryer.  But I live in frozen MN...hehe.  

Hang dry your crushed panne diapers and covers to help keep them soft and prevent lint build-up.  It is important, however, to dry them in the dryer about 1-2x per month to help maintain the PUL.

Troubleshooting

The biggest problems I have encountered using cloth diapers are smells, repelling fleece, and wicking.  I usually don't worry about stains, because they're diapers after all!  But I have heard that laying them to dry in the sun is helpful. 

Smells...

If your diapers are stinking after a normal wash, then there may be several reasons.  Ammonia buildup is one common trigger, and soap buildup is another trigger.   There are three ways to strip a diaper, and stripping may help if your fleece seems to be "repelling" (urine runs off the fleece instead of passing through it and absorbing in the diaper or soaker—this problem is very common in pocket diapers). 

1/4 cup baking soda in the wash without detergent THEN 1/4 cup vinegar in the first rinse to restore ph.  (you may use a laundry ball to add the vinegar instead of trying to "catch" the cycle

or

1 full capful sportwash in the hot wash and rinse, rinse, rinse until there are no suds

or

"a good squirt" of blue dawn dishwashing liquid in the hot wash, then rinse, rinse, rinse!  This has been the best solution for my microfiber towels and diapers with fleece in them!

If you continue to have smell issues frequently and you use microfiber inserts, consider switching to a natural fiber like cotton or hemp.

Repelling fleece...

If your diapers don't seem like they're letting urine pass through the fleece and onto the absorbent part of the diaper beneath, your fleece may be repelling.  I have found that the dawn (blue!!!) works absolutely the best in this situation, and it's so easy to do. Follow the instructions above same as dealing with smells.

Wicking...

Pocket diapers are the worst for wicking from time to time.  When a diaper wicks, it's important to find out why.  Almost always the problem for us is either absorbency or the length of time the diaper has been on the child.  If the inside soaker is totally saturated, then you need to add more absorbency or change more frequently.  If the inside soaker is not soaked, then still consider how long it has been wet.  Check for repelling fleece (is the diaper leaking at the sides where there is nothing to absorb?).  You may consider treating with Camp Dry or another waterproofing spray, however I have found that this is usually not necessary.  Use it as a last resort.