Think you want to cloth diaper? Even if you are like us and just do it part-time you are going to need some supplies in addition to the diapers themselves. Here are what we found most helpful…
1) GroVia Cloth Wipes
Not everyone who chooses to use cloth diapers also chooses to use cloth wipes. Some people are more freaked out by cloth wipes than cloth diapers and I have absolutely no idea why. I would use cloth wipes even if we didn’t cloth diaper. We use the GroVia cloth wipes and are in love. They are made of thick and durable yet super soft baby terry, and they clean about a thousand times better than disposable wipes. These wipes fit perfectly in our wipes warmer
when folded in half. I simply stick them in, and then pour some water mixed with a little bit of MG’s baby body wash on them. Every time I go to pull one out it is warm and wet and MG seems to prefer them to disposable as well. Only one of these can handle even the messiest diaper. I also use them to clean off her face and fat rolls throughout the day so that they don’t start to collect gunk and so she doesn’t always smell like spit up. What really surprised me was how well these clean off in the wash! I looked around for cloth wipes on Etsy and from several companies before purchasing the GroVia ones and found these to be some of the best priced cloth wipes. I would suggest getting two packs of these to start so that you have some clean ones around at all times. I could see these wipes being used for many other things – drying baby between diaper changes, burp clothes, washcloths, dish towels, napkins, replacements for paper towels, and etc.
when folded in half. I simply stick them in, and then pour some water mixed with a little bit of MG’s baby body wash on them. Every time I go to pull one out it is warm and wet and MG seems to prefer them to disposable as well. Only one of these can handle even the messiest diaper. I also use them to clean off her face and fat rolls throughout the day so that they don’t start to collect gunk and so she doesn’t always smell like spit up. What really surprised me was how well these clean off in the wash! I looked around for cloth wipes on Etsy and from several companies before purchasing the GroVia ones and found these to be some of the best priced cloth wipes. I would suggest getting two packs of these to start so that you have some clean ones around at all times. I could see these wipes being used for many other things – drying baby between diaper changes, burp clothes, washcloths, dish towels, napkins, replacements for paper towels, and etc.2) Dry Pail Liner/Wet Bag
One of the most important accessories for cloth diapering is a pail liner. The best pail liners you can get are these from Planet Wise
. They are compatible with almost any diaper pail, and have an elastic top so they will fit around the top of your pail and not fall in when you push the diapers down. This way you can still use your diaper pail and have the odor locked in and still use cloth diapers. When you go to wash your diapers, you throw everything, liner, inserts and diapers, into your machine.
. They are compatible with almost any diaper pail, and have an elastic top so they will fit around the top of your pail and not fall in when you push the diapers down. This way you can still use your diaper pail and have the odor locked in and still use cloth diapers. When you go to wash your diapers, you throw everything, liner, inserts and diapers, into your machine.Some people choose not to use a diaper pail at all and instead just use a wet bag. Most wet backs lock in odor and have a zipper closure and a handle, making it easy just to pick up the bag and carry it to your machine. Smaller wet bags can be thrown in your diaper bag if you plan on using cloth diapers when on the go. I have found though that using our pail with a cloth liner works much better for masking the unpleasant diaper smells in our nursery. Plus, it is still easy for me to take downstairs when I need to do laundry.
When we first started cloth diapering with only about 6 diapers this wet bag made by Poshteriors worked perfectly for throwing dirty diapers into. It is machine washable so I throw it in the wash with the diapers and inserts. It hangs well on the doorknob, and is the most darling cupcake print. It is not too large, so now that I need something bigger for the diapers I keep it in my diaper bag. It amazes me how well the bag covers unpleasant smells (although not as well as a pail), and the PUL lining keeps all the wetness inside the bag. Even if not cloth diapering this bag would work well for storing wet clothes after trips to the beach and pool
3. Detergent and Drying Rack
Now, there is no rule that you have to use any type of special detergent for cloth diapering. In fact, my friends differ on what works best. There are detergents made specifically for cloth diapering, but those really aren’t necessary. We use All Free and Clear
and so far it has worked for us. For the most part all the stains come out in the wash, which still astounds me. I line dry the diaper shells (not the inserts) using a drying rack I purchased from Target that is almost identical to this one
. If there are any stains on the diapers after the wash, I move that drying rack into the sun and put stained items on there. Just an hour or so in the sun and stains magically disappear. Still haven’t figured out how that works but I sure am glad that it does!
and so far it has worked for us. For the most part all the stains come out in the wash, which still astounds me. I line dry the diaper shells (not the inserts) using a drying rack I purchased from Target that is almost identical to this one. If there are any stains on the diapers after the wash, I move that drying rack into the sun and put stained items on there. Just an hour or so in the sun and stains magically disappear. Still haven’t figured out how that works but I sure am glad that it does!
We used cloth wipes when Joshua was still exclusively breast fed, but once he started solids and we had to rinse his diapers and wipes before putting them in the wet bag, it got too obnoxious and gross to rinse all the wipes every time. I probably could still use them, but for me it's too much of a pain.
We also used All Free and Clear for a while, but started to have issues with buildup and diaper stink after a few months. We switched to Tide Original Powder and that worked great, but now I use a homemade detergent and it works even better. 🙂
I'm wondering how it will work when MG starts solids, I'm sure it will be interesting and more challenging! Where did you find the homemade detergent recipe?