I hope to give you an overview of what cloth diapering looks like for us day-to-day.
Although it looks mostly the same each day, there are days when diapers stack up on the changing table, poop never gets flushed, and diapers get forgotten in the washer.
However, below is what it’s “supposed” to look like each day. 🙂
What I am working with…
We have assortment of diapers – bumGenius, FuzziBunz, and Kawaii. They are all one-size pocket diapers, which I adore! We have 18 in rotation right now, which means I wash every other day. I can go every third day, but I don’t like letting them sit that long. Just a preference.
Where I keep my clean diapers …
I like to keep my diapers stuffed and stacked in the top drawer of our changing table.
Here, why don’t I just show you …
Where I keep my dirty diapers …
Once I have changed Samuel’s diaper, I sit him in the floor of his room while I take the dirty diaper across the hall into the bathroom. We keep our diaper pail in the bathroom beside the toilet.
If it’s poop, I dump the contents into the toilet and flush. Since I use cloth wipes, I will sometimes use the wipe to knock the poop off if it’s being particularly ornery. I do not dip or rinse in any way. Whatever doesn’t come off gets dropped in the pail and left for the washing machine to take care of. That’s what I pay her for.
Then, regardless of how it’s soiled, I remove the inserts, and put down my laundry tabs if it’s a hook and loop system. I toss everything into my pail including my cloth wipes.
Don’t forget to wash your hands.
Note:I found that keeping my pail in the bathroom is easiest for us. When I kept it in Samuel’s room, I had to walk the poop to the toilet, back to his room to put the diaper in the pail, then back to the bathroom to wash up. This seemed silly to me. So I just moved the pail to save a little time.
How I wash my diapers…
On wash day, I grab my pail and take it to the laundry room. I dump the contents into the washing machine. Easy-peasy!
I start with a quick cold rinse. Then, I do my first wash on hot cycle with an extra rinse. I use Charlie’s Soap 
How I dry my diapers…
In the warmer months, we hang everything out to dry on the clothesline. I absolutely love line dried diapers! Plus, I’ve noticed that it keeps “the smell” at bay.
In the cooler months when we have less sunlight, I stick all my diapers in the dryer on low heat. It’s not my preferred method for drying, especially with finicking hook and loop diapers. I would rather hang them on a drying rack and let them air dry. However, that takes much longer since my laundry room is out in the garage without heat. So, right now, I dry on the lowest setting for the shortest time possible. {Update: My laundry room is now in the basement with a fireplace. I usually put them on the drying rack beside the fire to dry.}
How I stuff my diapers …
I usually bring my diapers in from the dryer after Samuel’s just woken up from a nap. We’ll sit and talk and giggle while I stuff the diapers in his bedroom floor.
Here’s how I stuff my diapers.
And I think that about covers it (no pun intended, get it?)!
Cloth Diaper Wipes Baby Wash Recipe
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 drops of lavender essential oil (or scent of your choice)
- 3 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree) Oil
- 2 T castille soap
1. Combine all ingredients in a pint size mason jar. Give it a shake.
2. Pour into a small spray bottle and refill as needed.
Do you have any questions, or see something that I do that’s down right silly? I would love to hear from you in the comments.
Check out all of our cloth diaper posts below:
Cost of Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers
Cloth Diapering – What Do You Do When…?
Cloth Diapers: How to Use Prefolds with Covers and One-Size Pocket Diapers
Cloth Diapers: 5 Tips to Get You Started
Trouble Shooting Cloth Diapers – 5 Real Life Cloth Diaper Problems and What I Do to Resolve Them
This post contains my affiliate links. See my full disclosure policy here.
Anonymous
October 27, 2011 at 8:20 amMy routine is very similar, although I keep the diaper pail in the laundry room. I used to line dry mine all the time… until we were invaded by stink bugs! They get into all the crooks and crevices of the diapers, so I gave up on that. Nothing like sticking your finger into a diaper and touching a massive bug (shudders)!
Leigh Ann
October 27, 2011 at 3:40 pmI would keep mine in the laundry room if it were actually in my house and not in the garage. That makes the most sense in my opinion. I would love to have a nice walk-in laundry room with a deep sink for washing my hands and the occasional item that needs hand washed (although those are outlawed in my house …).
We had a few stink bug appearances. I agree …shudders!
Stacy Makes Cents
October 27, 2011 at 9:25 amGreat post! I have a few AIOs, but we prefer fitteds with covers. They just seemed to work better for our lifestyle. 🙂
I love your photo of the dipes drying in the sun!
Leigh Ann
October 27, 2011 at 3:38 pmI’ve never used fitteds. I really didn’t know what they were until recently. I like the concept a lot though.
We’ve tried AIOs, but have had ZERO success with them. Well, ok, maybe not zero. But I’ve had more catastrophes with them than any other diaper, lol. I think it has everything to do with how my little one is shaped than anything else.
Glad you liked the photo. It was a fun day 🙂
Rachel @ day2day joys
October 27, 2011 at 11:11 amI learned a lot from you! We didn’t do cloth diapering! Now, however, if we have any more kids I would love to! I love your baby wash spray! Will do that too! (Now, to work on my husband about more kids…. any suggestions, lol)
Leigh Ann
October 27, 2011 at 3:36 pmSo glad you found the post helpful, Rachel!
Not so sure I have tips on more kids … my husband always tells me to tell other wives to pray. So I guess that’s the answer! Pray, pray, pray! God can change his heart 🙂
Nikki
October 27, 2011 at 12:11 pmLove it! Thanks for the videos! We love Kawaii Pockets (and other pockets too) they are just so easy! My problem is my daughter is too big for them if there is more than one insert so for nap times they don’t work (just prefolds with covers). Thanks for participating in the series! BTW love the monkey 🙂
Leigh Ann
October 27, 2011 at 3:35 pmSamuel is an itty bitty thing so 2 inserts aren’t a problem for us. He’s a super heavy wetter so we have to TRIPLE up at night. It’s crazy. But it works.
Mindy @ The Purposed Heart
October 27, 2011 at 12:16 pmI loved reading about your routine, Leigh Ann. We use pocket diapers also, and we love them! I definitely prefer to line dry as well – the sun does amazing things for keeping the stains and the stinks away! Great job on the videos too.
Leigh Ann
October 27, 2011 at 3:34 pmMindy, you’re too sweet! I definitely agree about the sun. I love fall, but I miss the blazing sun for my diapers! 😛
SCL
February 8, 2012 at 10:35 pmI love this recipe! Just wondering if it should read “2 cups warm water” as you say to mix it in a pint sized mason jar.
Lauren
September 28, 2015 at 3:05 pmOil on wipes?
I am a soon to be mom that plans on doing cloth diapers and cloth wipes. Through my research I have found many people saying not to use any OIL on the wipes or diapers because it causes them to be less absorbent. Any truth to this? I am seeing many conflicting posts. Thanks in advance!
Leigh Ann Dutton
September 30, 2015 at 3:21 pmI never had any trouble and I used this through two babies. 🙂
Laura
January 15, 2016 at 5:32 pmHi newbie over here 🙂
Did u buy your wipes or make them?
They seem really expensive to buy so was hoping to make them but don’t really no how to :/
Hollyce
February 1, 2016 at 11:10 amI’m just finding this post, too! I did end up but there’s a consensus among my mom friends who use cloth that you can absolutely make them! Many like to cut up flannel/flannelette receiving blankets which you could find at a resale/thrift shop like Once Upon a Child or St. Vincent de Paul or just buy the fabric and cut with an option to serge edges. I bought flannel, cotton, hemp/cotton, poly velour and I absolutely prefer flannel and hemp/cotton over everything else! They’re all fine and useful since I just use the non-preferred ones to remove my eye makeup or to give baths or wash little faces 🙂 We started cloth with #3 & 4 and we’re on #7 now.
Jessica
February 27, 2018 at 1:38 amI know this was published years ago but I still have a question about the wipe cleaning solution: how long does it keep in that mason jar? Also in your option would adding Vitmin E oil be beneficial?
Leigh Ann Dutton
February 27, 2018 at 7:33 amI do think Vitamin E oil would be beneficial. That’s a great idea! I wouldn’t keep the solution for more than a day or two before switching it out. But that’s just me. There might be a better scientifc answer 🙂