Can You Use Diaper Rash Cream with Cloth Diapers?

There is nothing as soft as a baby’s bum, but what happens when that little bum becomes irritated? 

Some babies have a natural sensitivity to wetness, and depending on the severity of that sensitivity, they may need a cream barrier with each diaper change.  

The first place we turn to is cloth diaper rash creams.  But if you are cloth diapering, it can be hard to tell which creams are ok to use with cloth. The true problem with diaper creams is that what makes them work is exactly what makes them hard to use with cloth diapers, they are a barrier to wetness. On the baby’s skin, creams allow the skin heal, but if it soaks into the inserts, it can cause stains and barriers that that can be hard to wash out. 

Diaper Rash Creams Hack

The reality is, there may not aways be an option to use a cloth diaper safe cream.  If that is the case, you can always use a barrier between the cloth diaper cream and the diaper, like a biodegradable liner.  If you are on a budget, you can always purchase fleece at Walmart or your local fabric store and cut fleece liners. The beauty is you don't have to sew or surge the fleece, you can just cut and use. 

Pro-tip:  If you do use liners and they contain traces of diaper rash cream, make sure to wash them separately from your regular cloth diaper laundry, this way, the oils from the creams don't affect your cloth diapers.

Safe Rash Creams for Cloth Diapers List

So how can you tell which diaper rash creams are safe?  Here is a comprehensive list of the most common cloth diaper creams and whether or not they are cloth diaper safe.  If you do not see your diaper rash cream listed, please let us know and we can update the list.

Legend

• Diaper Rash Cream: Official name of product.
• Is it cloth diaper safe? Yes or no.  Use with caution means that it can cause issues is you're using it continuously, or if your washing routine is not adequate.  If you need help with your cloth diaper washing routine, please check our videos on how to wash cloth diapers here.
• Notes: Check the notes for personalized info on the creams listed below.

Other things that you can do to soothe a rash is to let your baby go bare-bottomed for a while. Let their skin air out a little bit with nothing touching it.  A few hours of diaper free time can do wonders for irritated skin.

It is also important to find what exactly is causing diaper rashes before you treat it.  This may help you figure out a solution that may not involve creams.  

• Teething:  When a baby is teething they produce an abundance of saliva.  You will notice excess drool, wet shirts, and fussiness when your baby is teething but that excess saliva is also ingested and can lead to diaper rash.  Changing your baby more frequently can help.  
• Illness and medication:  If your baby has been sick or on certain medications (especially antibiotics) they may be more prone to diaper rashes; including yeast rashes.  You’ll want to consult with your family doctor if you think it may be a yeast rash.  
• New foods, acidic foods, or diet allergies:  When you introduce new foods for the first time, your baby's system may not be happy with the changes.   This may result in a diaper rash.  Acidic foods such as tomato based foods, as well as berries may also lead to diaper rash.  
• Wet and soiled diapers:  Sitting in a wet or dirty diaper, even for a short period can result in diaper rashes.  Make sure you are using the stay dry layer on your Lighthouse Kids cloth diapers to help wick the moisture away from their skin and keep them dry.  
• Ammonia Buildup:  Ammonia may be the cause of your diaper rash.  You are most likely to experience ammonia in an older child and/or if your diapers aren’t getting clean enough due to buildup.  Click here for more information on Ammonia and Cloth Diapers.
• Fabric or detergent sensitivities:  Some babies may be sensitive to certain fabrics or detergents.  Your baby may be sensitive to fleece, microfleece, or suedecloth lining in diapers.  Enzymes are found in some detergents may also cause sensitivities in infants and young children.  Discontinue the use of these fabrics and/or detergents to see if the rash goes away.

Having a child who is prone to diaper rashes can be scary and frustrating, but there is no need to panic.  Once you have a great routine down, you will find the diaper cream that works for you!