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FAQ
5. What is meant by stripping cloth diapers? When do I need to strip my diapers? How do I strip my diapers?
1. What are the different types of cloth diapers (i.e. fitteds, pockets, hybrids, aio, prefolds, etc)
- All in One (AIO): AIO diapers consist of a waterproof outer shell and an attached inner layer for absorbency. These tend to be very easy diapers to use as you do not need to stuff them or add an outer cover and they are very trim. The soaker will either be sewn right into the diaper or attached with a snap. AIO diapers may also have a pocket, allowing additional doublers to be added for extra absorbency. AIO diapers fasten with either snaps or velcro otherwise know as a hook and loop closure.
- All in Two (AI2): The AI2 diaper consists of a waterproof shell and a soaker or insert which is either placed in the shell or snapped in. Typically when doing a diaper change with an AI2, you only need to change the soaker and you can reuse the shell unless it is dirty. These diapers typically dry faster, as the soaker is completely detached during drying. These are generally a one size diaper.
- Pocket Cloth Diapers: These are diapers that have an outer water proof layer and an inner layer which is typically made out of fleece or suede material to wick away moisture. There is a pocket in either the front or the back in which you stuff them with an insert for absorption. Most pocket diapers come with 1-2 inserts but additional inserts can be added for extra absorbency. Pocket diapers do not require an additional cover.
- Hybrid Cloth Diapers: These diapers offer a very flexible option for parents, as they consist of a waterproof cover and either a reusable cloth insert or a biodegradable disposable insert. Hybrids are generally one size, and do not require an additional cover. They are similar to an AI2 in that when you do a diaper change you can typically reuse the shell.
- Fitted Cloth Diapers: These are diapers that are made of many layers of absorbent material. These diapers still require you to use a cover for for them to be waterproof as they do not have a waterproof shell on the outside. They are typically made out of cotton, velour, bamboo or hemp. Many parents who use fitted diapers enjoy allowing baby to go without a cover while at home. If you aren’t using a cover you can tell when your child has wet as the outside of the diaper will be damp and you can change them right away which will help to reduce diaper rash and irritation. Some fitted diapers may have a snap closure and others require the use of a pin or a snappi. .
- Prefolds: Prefolds are a wonderfully durable and relatively inexpensive option. They are often described as 4x6x4 or 4x8x4. This refers to the number of layers in the prefold, meaning that the outer 2 sections have 4 layers and the inner has either 6 or 8. More layers do not always mean more absorbency though, this can also be affected by the weight of the fabric used. Most prefolds are made from either bleached or unbleached cotton, but some may also contain hemp or bamboo for extra absorbency. Prefolds can be either folded into thirds and laid in a cover, or they can be closed with either pins or a snappi. Generally only 2 sizes of prefolds are required for the entire time from birth to potty learning, those are infant (newborn-15lbs) and premium (15-30lbs). Prefolds do require an additional cover to be waterproof.
How many cloth diapers you need really depends on how often you want to do laundry. If you want to do laundry every other day you would typically need about 2.5 times the number of diaper changes you have in a day in order to have diapers to use while you are doing laundry. For example, if you change your baby 10 times in one day you would need approximately 10 x 2.5 = 25 diapers in order to do laundry every other day. When diapering our children we used between 10 - 15 diapers a day for newborns and between 6 and 10 per day as a toddler to give you an idea of how many diaper changes you might be doing if you are just getting started or are pregnant with your first child.
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Clue #2: The next clue is on a product page where the owner of this product worked with NASA to design these to be used at the space station! |
Cloth diapers are much easier than most people think. Cloth diapers have come a long way from when our parents were using cloth and the only option they had were to use pins and prefolds. This is still a great option today and many people love prefolds however there are now diapers with snaps and even velcro to make cloth diapering easier. There are also cloth diapers that are waterproof so you don't have to worry about your child leaking onto their clothing and such. When you are first starting out with cloth diapers it can be a little overwhelming. There are many different types of diapers and many different brands and people aren't sure what detergent they can use and what about all that laundry?! These are just a few of the concerns people have when starting. We can help you with all of this. You can check out our laundry page which describes the basic routine for laundry. We both use this same routine. There is also a bit of information in there about detergents that you can use. You can find lots of information on this page about questions that you have. If you have any other questions, feel free to use our contact us page and send us a question. We would be happy to work through any questions you have.
Cloth Diapers are great for many reasons. They are much better for the environment, they are more cost effective and they are healthier for your child. Did you know that disposable diapers sit in landfills for 300 - 500 years and each child goes through about $2000.00 - $3000.00 in diapers from birth to potty learning? That is a lot of money sitting in landfills! You can cloth diaper your child for as little as about 50.00 if you want to buy 2 dozen prefolds and pins or snappis. You could do it for 75.00 if you add a few covers to put over your prefolds. Even if you want a very large stash consisting of several types of diapers, a diaper sprayer, cloth diaper safe creams and a couple wet bags, you would still only spend around 500.00 which is a 1500 savings over disposables and the best part is you can reuse these diapers on multiple children. Not only are they environmentally friendly and less expensive they are also safer for your child. Disposable diapers have various chemicals in them making it so your child doesn't feel the wetness but all of these chemicals have risks to your child associated with them. Cloth diapers have no chemicals in them and are much safer for your child.
5. What is meant by stripping cloth diapers? When do I need to strip my diapers? How do I strip my diapers?
- Stripping is a method used to remove any buildup from your diapers.
- You typically don't need to strip your diapers unless they start smelling stinky. After you wash them, they should come out smelling nice and fresh. If they are starting to smell bad or smell like ammonia, you may need to strip them. A lot of times they end up having detergent buildup in them which causes the stinkies.
- Our favorite method for stripping is to use RLR. We sell RLR by the packet and both of us love it! You should start with clean diapers when stripping. You can fill your sink, washtub or bathtub with warm or hot water, dump a packed of RLR in and add your diapers. I typically soaked about 15 or so diapers/packet of RLR. While they are soaking you can swish them around every once in a while. I like to let mine soak over night. After they have soaked, you can put them in your washing machine and the key to striping is to rinse until all of the suds are out. If you look in your wash machine during the rinse and you still see soap suds in means you need to rinse more! The RLR is removing all of the detergent and other buildup you may get in your diapers/inserts. There are other methods for stripping as well however this is the method we highly suggest and both have had great success using RLR. **Please note that certain manufacturers do not support the use of RLR. These companies include bumGenius and Fuzzibunz. Some people have found that they have repelling issues after using RLR.
Yes you can definitely use cloth diapers at night. It may take you a few tries to figure out the night time solution that works best for you. Hemp inserts are very trim and can hold a lot of urine. They work great as an over night doubler. A lot of people find success using a hemp inserts along with whatever other insert you are using in your diapers. If you need help working through this, shoot us an email or post on our facebook wall and we can give you suggestions.
You will first need to figure out how many diapers you will need which is discussed above. Once you figure that out you can decide which diaper or diapers you want to try or think would work best for you. The different types of diapers which is also discussed above. Along with diapers, you will also need a wet bag to put your dirty diapers in until you are ready to do laundry. Wet Bags are great because they keep the smell within the bag until you do laundry. There are other things you may like to buy as well such as cloth diaper safe creams in case your child gets a rash, cloth wipes and detergent to wash them with.
*Some of the info on this page was taken from the Cloth Diaper Association website.
*Some of the info on this page was taken from the Cloth Diaper Association website.