Why not just wash the diapers the way one washes everything else? I suppose one could look at diaper washing this way, but the life of the diapers might be shortened along with the absorbency. Since diapers, unlike clothing, are holding in liquid and solids, it is good to take good care of them.
Never use detergent with dyes or perfumes. Bleach will take away strength from the cloth fibers. Don't use rash creams that are not cloth diaper approved because oils and creams can coat diapers causing them to leak. These are just a few things to think about.
Picking out a soap for cloth diapers is easy. It may seem like a hassle to consider buying laundry soap over the internet, so if you just want to buy something from the grocery store when you are out shopping, consider Tide free and clear. This is the basic go to soap I see recommended for cloth diapers. I have been using Allen's Naturally for a few years now and I also started using The Honest Company laundry soap on my diapers. Both of these soaps have worked great. For a special treat I have bought Rockin Green soap because it smells amazing, can strip the diapers of odors, and has different mixes depending on what type of water one is dealing with. I live somewhere with hard water and found hard rock soap to be great for my diapers. There are many brands of cloth diaper soaps. Try to pick something that is simple. I am only giving a few suggestions.
I usually put my diapers on a cold soak cycle before washing them. This gets rid of everything on the diapers. Then I add soap and put my diapers on a hot wash/ cold rinse cycle. Often it is worth it to rinse the diapers again. If there are any bubble in the wash, rinse again. Diapers are absorbent and too much soap can lead to rashes. If there are always bubbles use a little less soap. Then to making drying take a little less time consider an extra spin cycle to get rid of excess moisture. Don't expect diapers to dry super fast unless you live somewhere hot and dry. In WA I have left my diapers out to drip dry all night and they are still wet. I takes me about 2 hours to dry my diapers on medium heat.
If you buy AIO (all in one) diapers, one cannot dry the diapers on high heat. If you buy fitted diapers and covers one can dry the diapers on high heat and then add the covers in at the end for about 15 minutes on medium heat. High heat will eventually damage the PUL on the diaper (with PUL attached) or diaper cover.
When one first purchase AIO diapers or Fitted diapers, wash 3-5 times to make sure diapers are most absorbent. Hemp/Cotton, will shrink a little bit, but should not change the size of your diapers much.
If your diapers start to smell, then it is time to strip them. One can use Rockin Green soap (they have instructions) or consider oxygen bleach in the soak cycle. One can soak diapers for a few hours. Try not to soak AIO diapers too long though.
Stains are part of a diaper's life. One can put diapers out in the sun right after washing them to try and get rid of stains. Some people even add a little lemon water. With hemp/cotton, stains will absorb into the fabric a bit more than with fleece.
When baby is not eating solid food, on can just wash the diapers, but once the poop is mixed with food, put in the the toilet. Get a diaper sprayer or just scrape it into the toilet.
Remember, diapers are in investment and worth taking good care of. Good luck.
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