How to Wash Cloth Diapers

Washing soiled diapers

Washing Lighthouse Kids Company Cloth Diapers are so easy!  Keep it simple and follow these easy instructions to get your cloth diapers clean every single time.  If you are a visual learner, scroll down for our library of washing videos.  

Step 1

• Pre-wash with cold water - no detergent.
• This step is simply used to remove any residue left on the diaper.  We recommend cold water because it is more environmentally friendly. 

Step 3

• 1 long/heavy duty cycle hot water (140F/60C) wash with detergent.

• 1 additional/final cold rinse to remove any left over detergent residue.

Step 4

• Dry on low in a tumble dryer, or hang to dry.

A few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

• If you have a regular sized washing machine, we recommend washing no more than 18 diapers at a time.
• Washing every 2-3 days is optimal, storing dirty diapers for longer may lead to mold and other problems, especially in humid climates.
• Lighthouse Kids Company does not have a preferred or recommended detergent, however we found that some of our customers have had luck with Tide, Tide Free and Clear, and Rockin' Green Dirty Diaper Laundry (this is a more natural alternative).
• We do not recommend the use of Borax, as it tends to be very harsh on the bamboo as well as the shell. 

What a typical day looks like when washing cloth diapers:

• Change baby for 1-2 days, spray cloth diapers or remove solids after baby poops.
• Once you have a wet bag full of soiled diapers they are ready to be washed.
• An easy way to wash is to start the cycle at night time and let it run, (pre-wash, hot wash with detergent and extra rinse).  In the morning, place diapers in the dryer!  

Washing cloth diapers for the first time:

Lighthouse Kids Company cloth diapers are very absorbent.  All inserts are made with 100% bamboo knit which means that it is considered a natural fiber diaper.  In order for the bamboo to reach 100% absorbency, all of the natural oils in the fabric needs to be washed out.  

• Lighthouse Kids Company cloth diapers reach full absorbency after 5 full wash cycles.
• You can still use the cloth diaper on baby after one wash, however, if there are any leaks, it is because the inserts have not reached full absorbency.
• Prepping (washing for the first time) your diapers is simple, just follow the instructions below, but reduce the detergent amount for the prep cycle. 
• Since the diapers are not soiled, there is no need to use lots of detergent, a little goes a long way.
• Drying and washing again also helps stretch the fabric.
• Once you start seeing the insert folding around the edges, not laying down perfectly flat that means your bamboo insert is more absorbent.
• This is not a problem, it actually means the oils have been removed from the fabric and the insert has reached maximum absorbency.  There is no need to iron, or flatten, it works perfectly!

Best Detergents to Wash Cloth Diapers With?

Over many years of research, our team has helped thousands of parents wash their cloth diapers successfully.  We have run into thousands (yes thousands!) of different issues pertaining to cloth diaper washing routines and detergents.  These are the top 5 detergents we recommend when cloth diapering.

1. Original Tide:  All in all, the best cloth diaper detergent.  Gets cloth diapers clean and fresh.  Drawback, if you use too much, you can have issues with repelling so make sure you are not overusing this detergent.  Also may not be great for kids with sensitivities to smells or that have eczema.
2. Tide Free and Clear:  A great option for washing cloth diapers if your baby has sensitive skin.  Does a wonderful job and is best for babies with sensitive skin.