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Diaper Care

At New & Green, we always send you instructions on how to pre-wash, store and wash your diapers. You will have your instructions in your inbox before your diapers arrive at your front door!

Your diapers and covers will need to prepped before you use them. All diapers and covers require at least one wash prior to their use. Diapers and other items made from natural fibers (cotton, bamboo and hemp) should be pre-washed separately from other diapers (especially pockets) as their natural oils that will come out in the wash may coat other diapers and cause leaking issues. Bamboo and Hemp diapers/inserts can be used after pre-washing a few times but will reach their best ability to absorb wetness after approximately 10 washes. Diapers made of synthetic materials and PUL/Fleece/Wool covers only require one wash before you can use them effectively.

Remember that wool needs handwashing.

Pre-washing instructions: Wash on HOT with 1/4 to 1/3 of recommended amount of detergent. Do extra rinse. Dry in dryer. Repeat as described above.

Storing diapers: We recommend a dry pail system. This is basically a diaper pail or garbage pail with a tight fitting lid, lined with a pail liner or tote (Bummis Totes or Monkey Doodlez Pail Liners work well). When diapers are wet, simply throw them into the pail. If using a pocket diaper, shake out the insert into the pail and then throw the shell in. If babies are exclusively breastfed, poopy diapers can just get thrown in the pail like peed on diapers. If your baby is taking formula or solid foods, try to knock the solids into the toilet and then throw diaper into pail. Don't worry the washing machine will do the work! No more dunking or swishing (unless you want to of course). Two easy ways to deal with sticky poop is to use a flushable liner called a Bio-Soft Liner or to rinse off your diapers using a Diaper Sprayer. This sprayer attaches onto your toilet plumbing so that you can easily spray off the poop into the toilet.

Laundry Day:

1. Take tote or liner out of pail and dump diapers, inserts, covers and wipes into washer. Throw in laundry bag as well.
2. Do cold rinse or soak cycle with NO detergent – ensure that the diapers are allowed to soak for 10-20 minutes.
   
3. Do HOT wash with 1/2 the amount of recommended detergent for top loaders, 1/4 amount of detergent for front loaders/HE machines. Do extra rinse.
4. Dry in dryer or line dry.

Recommended Detergents by our Diaper and Cover manufacturers:

• Nature Clean Powder Version - available locally at Save on Foods Natural foods section
• Allen's Naturally – www.allensnaturally.ca
• Tide (Regular - not Free)
  
• Sunlight
• Cheer
• Country Save – in Canada at London Drugs
  

The following detergents are to be AVOIDED because they contain soap, oils or additives that will coat the fibers of your diapers causing detergent buildup and can lead to moisture repelling, wicking of moisture, possible leaking and stinky diapers.

• Dr. Bronner’s Soap
• 7th Generation
• Bio-Kleen (some versions)
• Ivory Snow
• Dreft
• Any ALL free detergents.

AVOID detergents with whiteners and brighteners and enzymes. Enzymes are great for biological staining but if they are not completely rinsed out, the enzymes can start to work on your baby's bottom when your baby pees. And the result can be a very sore rash.

AVOID fabric softeners as will leave residue and AVOID bleach as it is harsh on fabric and baby's skin. Oxygen Bleach is okay to use on occasion.

Diaper cream can also build up on your pocket diapers and cause these issues. If you need to use a cream, use a liner (cotton or fleece) to prevent the cream from touching the diaper.

If you have issues with repelling, stinky diapers when they are peed on or wicking of moisture, it is most likely an issue with detergent buildup.

Try the following as recommended by the some of the major diaper manufacturers:

1. If the residue is not too extensive, it can often be resolved by doing 2-3 HOTwater rinses with no detergent, then throwing the diapers, inserts and covers in the dryer.
2. If this does not resolve the issue, a more intense “stripping” may be necessary. Repeat the following process twice:

• Run your covers and diapers through a wash with only hot water (if allowed by manufacturer’s washing instructions).
• Run a second wash using 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar in this second wash.
• 1/2 cup vinegar again in first rinse cycle.
• Run a second rinse cycle with plain hot water.
• Dry diapers, inserts and covers in dryer.