Using cloth diapers is really easy, the only kind of tricky part is washing them. Here we have accumulated all the necessary information that we have learned through cloth diapering our 4 kids and helping countless other parents wash their diapers effectively!

PREPPING NEW DIAPERS: Please wash and dry all new diapers at least once with detergent to remove any manufacturing residues. If you have cotton, hemp or bamboo Inserts or diapers, these need a little extra love. Give them at least 4 washes and dries before using them. They will plump up and become more absorbent.

A REGULAR ROUTINE: Feel free to do a cold rinse if you want to keep stains from setting or want to remove any access poop. Otherwise start with a HOT wash with detergent, then a HOT rinse. For us, the best rinse we could find was to do a "quick wash" on our washer on hot, and just not add detergent. Machine dry or hang dry.

DETERGENT: Remember to use an appropriate amount of soap. If you use tide and put in a full scoop for diapers that don't even reach the half way mark on your washer, then use 1/4 to 1/2 scoop. If you are using natural detergents that come with a small tablespoon size scoop, then more is needed. For a load that is half of our washer, use 2-3 scoops.

POOP: Once diapers are dirty, just toss them in your wetbag, and wash when you are ready. If baby is primarily breast or bottle feed, poop will be runny, so no need to try to "rinse" that off before washing. Once baby starts solids, parents usually add a bio liner to help with the removal of poop, or they purchase a diaper sprayer. Some go old school and just toss the poop in the toilet! Do what works for you. Try to wash every 2-4 days. If you go longer, say a week, you will need to do more washing to get them clean!