5 Useful Tips for Cleaning Cloth Diapers
Eco-conscious parents all over are using cloth diapers because of their myriad of benefits, including their reduced waste. Using cloth diapers means no more tossing away each diaper after it has been soiled, which is much more environmentally friendly. Many parents aren’t ready to make the switch because they have a lot of questions about cloth diapering. I’ve done my research and would like to share my tips.
While cloth diapers can be a pricey initial investment, they make sense over the long haul. You’ll save money when you consider how much you would spend for disposables during your child’s diaper-wearing years and they’re even cheaper if you use the same set for multiple children. Newer cloth diapers are breathable, but won’t result in leaking. Plus, there are tons of adorable colors and styles to outfit your little one’s behind.
When it comes to laundering your cloth diapers, it’s easy if you use the right detergent. Make sure you dump any solids from the diaper into the toilet and then toss the diaper into your diaper pail. Once the pail is full you’re ready to do a wash. Toss the diapers into the washing machine and do a rinse/wash first. Next you will add 2-3 tbsp of your detergent and do a wash cycle. Do a double rinse and then you’re done!
There are five variables that come into play when washing your cloth diapers:
1. The swish
Swish or agitation is a very important component of any good wash routine. The diapers need to move around in the washtub and also rub up against one another to scrub out the dirt. When you have too many diapers in a load, they rotate in a bunch. Not enough diapers and they end up swimming around. Load your machine to the halfway point so you get a good amount of swish.
2. Temperature
A basic cloth diaper wash routine consists of a rinse on cold, a wash on hot, and then another rinse on cold. Hot water will kill the bacteria in the diaper. Note that the best way to treat a stain is to rinse it out at the same temperature the stain was created. Rinse cold for ice cream stains and rinse warm for poop stains.
3. Your water
Water is what carries away soils and allows the detergent to do its job. However, water contains impurities like minerals that can bind with detergent and makes it difficult to get a good clean. You can compensate for the type of water you have by using a special detergent.
4. Time
The amount of time that your diapers are in the wash will also help determine your outcome. The chemicals in your detergent have different reaction times that can be affected by temperature and water quality so a longer wash cycle can get you better results. This allows the detergent to actually do its job as opposed to being flushed down the drain. Lengthen your wash cycle if you have hard water.
5. Detergent
Your detergent can help overcome issues like poor water quality and hardness. Start off with 1-3 tbs but adjust depending on the other four variables. Rockin’ Green laundry detergent is eco-friendly and never contains any harsh chemicals. It is perfect for baby’s extra sensitive skin. It works tough on dirt and stains while being gentle to the environment and your budget.
Help your family help the environment by using safe, hard-working eco-friendly products that you can feel good about using in your own home.
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Guest Blog by Kim Webb, CEO and Founder of Rockin' Green Soap
Finally it's cool to be GREEN! Rockin' Green is made for families that care about taking care of themselves and the Earth. As a mom Kim was fed up with the empty promises of "green" cleaning products that were not delivering what they promised... So she invented Rockin' Green! We can all do our part for the environment while doing something good for ourselves. All of our organic cleaning products are biodegradable, and gluten and vegan friendly. They don't contain phosphates, SLS, Parabens, or optical brighteners. All of our packaging is made from recycled materials.
Visit www.rockingreensoap.com for more information.
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