Our Cloth Diaper Routine

 (Full Stash Shot)

Arwen is now 8 months old. For the most part she's been in cloth since we brought her home from the NICU. We had one pretty bad rash that was due to moisture and a bad washing routine and we had to use disposables until that was all worked out.
I'm confident enough now to show you what works for us! This includes supplies, washing routine and storage.

First off, we use mainly BumGenius brand pocket diapers (with a couple China cheapies and WAHM brand thrown in there). We have 32 diapers in our rotation. Brand new they come with microfiber inserts. We used those for about a month and a half before switching to our old Kawaii prefolds we used during the newborn stage and now use them as inserts. For us personally they had a bad problem holding on to stink and we had a pretty bad ammonia problem until the switch. We also use cloth wipes and a wipe solution made with water and Dr. Bronners Lavender Castile Soap in a spray bottle.

For our washing routine we take the dirty diapers in the wet bag (I'll get to those in a minute!) and add to the washer and do a cold prewash. After the prewash is finished, we add a little more than 2 TBSP detergent. We use mainly Tide Original Powder but Charlie's Soap works well for us too. We wash every other day to every 2 days depending on how busy we are.

From there we do one hot wash, followed by 2 cold rinses to ensure the detergent is rinsed out to avoid build up.

After they are done washing, the prefolds/inserts go into the dryer and the wetbags and diaper covers are hung up to dry (See photo below)to protect the elastic and PUL (waterproof) liner.

The wet bags are always washed in the load with the diapers. We have 2 full sized (large) wet bags from Planet Wise we rotate, so while the dirty one is being washed and dried the clean one is used for the new soiled diapers. Our cloth wipe wetbag is  Planet Wise as well, which gives us the option to wet them before we leave the house or leave them dry and take the spray bottle. We also have 2 travel wet bags for the diaper bag that are smaller from Charlie Banana.

Here are the large ones. The clean one hangs behind the one currently used for dirty diapers until wash time. (Holds about 20 diapers)

 Charlie Banana Travel wet bags (Holds about 6 diapers)


Drying time takes about 3-4 hours indoors. Obviously not for the prefolds but the hanging covers. After everything is dry we have to stuff the prefolds back into the pocket diapers.

 

I'm a little OCD and like to fold and stack everything before I stuff! LOL

 

I find it's easier and faster to stuff if everything is organized first.

Finished just as the baby woke up!

For storage we do two things. Since Arwen bedshares with us, we have small 3 drawer dresser in our room. The top drawer is for her diapers and bottom 2 for her clothes. I just throw the wipes up on top by her stack of blankets and carriers. :D

Lastly we keep a few diapers,wipes and spray bottle in the living room by her toys. 

As a bonus

A HUGE help to us was the "diaper sprayer" my Brother-In-Law installed for us. 

I'm not sure what all it took to hook up but it's just a kitchen sprayer and we hang it on the towel rack behind our toilet!

So yeah! That's pretty much it! If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask!