Care and Laundering
Chic Cheeks Diapers kits render the finest pocket or AIO (all in one) cloth diapers on the market. (They're half the price and easy to make.) You also get an added bonus of the option to customize your insert, liner and snap colors.
Our diapers were specially designed by a mom. With Chic Cheeks Diapers you will not end up with soiled parts in your hook and loop or stuck under extra flaps of fabric after washing ever again. We also designed our cloth diaper to be leaner between the legs to provide greater comfort to your baby.
Washing cloth diapers is simple and quickly blends into your daily life. It’s so easy that we take our clothdiapers on vacation to destinations with a washing machine. You may need to play with what formula works best for your water and washer.
Laundering Cloth Diapers:
Make sure you have fastened your laundry tabs. The hook side of the Touch Tape can damage the other fabrics during the wash cycle if it is left exposed. You should leave your snaps snapped
to size. Please prewash all soaker pad cloths and finished cloth diapers separately before use.
You will want to choose a laundry detergent that is free of perfumes and dyes. This is because these additives tend to build up in the diaper and soaker pad and make them less capable of quick absorption and unable to hold as much moisture. Less is more when it comes to the addition of laundry detergent. You should use about ½ of the amount of detergent recommended for the smallest load if you have a regular washer. With HE (High Energy) machines, you should use about ¼ of the amount of HE detergent prescribed for the smallest load.
The Diaper Jungle provides a good list and analysis of laundry detergents for cloth diapers here.
Oxygen bleach (like OXY Clean) is okay to use but can be tough on fabrics if it’s used too frequently. Borax is also a safe booster to use with cloth diapers. Baking soda is also safe to use with cloth diapers. However, I would not recommed any of these additives on a regular basis. Never use fabric softener or dryer sheets. These products actually cause the fabrics to repel moisture. If fabric softener or dryer sheets are accidently used, you should rewash your diapers.
Ideally you should wash your diapers in cold water with a hot rinse. An extra rinse is always a good idea as detergent buildup can cause fabrics to repel water which leads to leaks.
Soiled diapers should have large debris removed immediately after changing the diaper. Wet diapers can simply be set aside until it is time to launder them. You do not need to soak soiled or wet diapers. The fabrics we use for our cloth diaper kits are highly stain resistant. If stains persist, you have a few options. You can ignore the stains because the diaper is clean; it will probably come out in the next wash cycle. You can set the diaper aside and wash again with your next load. Alternately, you can sun the inside of diaper; the power of the sun for removing stains is simply amazing.
It is not recommended to let soiled or wet cloth diapers sit for ore than two days. It’s a good habit to wash them at least every other day even if you have enough diapers to last longer. You should not soak them. A dry pail is preferable for the fabrics used in these kits. If smell does become a problem, you can use baking soda, a top on the pail, or a scented disc. You should also be aware it is good to rotate your diaper supply so that all diapers receive even ware.
Stripping Cloth Diapers:
You may need to strip your cloth diapers occasionally. The frequency will depend on the hardness of your water, the detergent you use, and how well your machine rinses detergent residue. After some time, you may notice that your diapers may have a lingering urine smell or smell stale immediately after they’re wet. You may also notice decreased absorption or leakage. If washing and repeated rinsing hasn’t helped, these are all indicators it may be time to strip your cloth diapers.
To strip, run your diapers through a normal quick cycle with minimal laundry detergent. Once cycle is complete add approx. ½ cup of bleach (depending on the size of the well in your machine, the concentration of the bleach, the size of the load, etc.) and about a tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing detergent. Please check that you are able to use Dawn in your machine because it does cause suds. [I am not too scientific about this process. I usually just squeeze a circle or two of the detergent and fill the bleach well ½ of the way full. I do have an HE machine but the drum seems to be large enough to handle the suds with no problem.] Wash with hot water. You will notice you diapers are fresh, clean and sanitized.
It should be noted that chlorine bleach is not good for cloth diapers. It should be used as a last resort and not be used frequently. Bleach can damage elastic and all fabrics, especially the fabrics used for cloth diapers.
[video of washing cloth diapers]
Drying Cloth Diapers:
Ideally, cloth diapers should be dried on a line. The sun helps to sanitize and remove stains. This is one of the reasons Chic Cheeks Diapers provides soaker pads that require folding. Our flat soakers dry in a fraction of the time that it takes for layered soaker pads to dry. It is easier on the fabrics, your energy bill, and the environment to air dry. However, if you don’t have a place to dry your diapers or don’t have the time, you can dry them in a dryer. All the fabrics used in Chic Cheeks Diapers kits are dryer safe. The dryer can also help to sanitize the diapers.
*Chic Cheeks Diapers cannot be held responsible for your washing machine or the results of laundering because detergents and water conditions play a role.
