DIAPER POLITICS? When did this happen?

I might be old hat to cloth diapering but I am very new to internet + cloth diapering.   Getting ready to sell my own wahm diapers means that I needed to find that online cloth community.   So I've started my own blog, been slowly finding others and its been fun.  I've also found a few cloth diaper boards.   I thought that would be fun....but not so very much.

The blogs have given me some idea that there are cloth politics but those boards showed it to me.  Being new to it I keep my mouth shut a fair bit.  Apparently on these boards each has their own flavor and views and any advice contrary to that is unwelcomed. 

The arguments tend to be around laundry (really,  talk about killing part of what can be enjoyable in using cloth).  So here (for cathartic release) is the opinions of an 18 yr cloth mama known as Mama Moss aka Beth Newell. 

Some fall short in solving ammonia / stink issues.  These ones blame how you use your washing machine.   Yep that can be the problem - sometimes.   But so can how often you change the diaper, how often you wash the diaper, you dirty diaper care and storage, fabric.  Basically all aspects of laundry. 

Some groups argue exclusively over detergents.  Back in the day when I started washing cloth diapers (18-13 yrs ago), I never heard of rules.  I also never heard of specific cloth diaper detergent.   So I used my regual detergent.  Of course not all detergents are created equal.  Know whats in your detergent and use something that's gonna wash but not leave behind unwanted stuff on your diapers.  enzymes, softeners, bightners, bleach. 

Some groups advocate barely any detergent.   Others advocate lots of detergent.   Neither is correct.  you need to wash it without having to rinse 6 times.  Which is a waste of water, a precious resource.  

Some advocate bleach.  Bleach is hard on the skin and breaks down fabrics and elastic.  It breaks down fabric in your clothes to.  It's a smaller issue in your clothes cuz you don't wash the same shirt every 2 days.  We do wash the same 20 diapers every 2 days. 

Homesteader washing:  How can people take issue with this?  Well apparently some can.  Now we all know I looked forward to boiling diapers regularly (over on occasion), but since I've added elastic to my prefolds it will remain a casual option.  I'll build a camp washer instead.  Why?  They work, just need the right meathod for the right diaper.  Don't believe they work?  Ask if grandma or great-gramdma had ammonia issues.  Home made detergent?  Of course it works, (see above grandma comments) .  Just need one that has good cleaning agents, not harmful or weak ones.  

Some promote laziness.  Yes you do need to wash often.  Yes you have to change often. And Yes you need to rinse off poop and rinse urine filled over night diapers.  Poop goes in the toilet .... by law.  It does not sit around your house in a diaper pail ands it does not go in your washing machine.  Come on, that's just the same common sense as changing a diaper.  the same common sense our grandparents had that in today's instant culture has disappeared and been caste as myth. 

Build up.  Yes its real.  Detergents of all kinds build up.  They build up in your hair from shampoo, in your dishwasher, in your shower stall, in your washing machine, in your clothes.   All these things even have specialty items for this very issue.  What makes it a bigger issue for your cloth diapers is (as I earlier said), your washing the same cloth diaper every 2 days.  Solutions?  Dont use to much, rinse if suds are present, add some vinegar to your rinse cycle or give a vinegar soak and stir before washing.  Know your water type (hard or soft).

Think Im wrong and all these sites and rules are correct?  Check out how ammonia tops these discussions.  How expert these people are in treating it (or stink as some prefer to call them).  I've never had ammonia. I've not got stripping experience.   I have clean laundry experience.   If the common wash routine your reading includes regular bleach use, or a wash routine that sounds like it takes forever or anything else out if the ordinary,  be assured that its a routine that is compensating for a problem.  

If someone is totally radical about an idea and wont allow other ideas then enjoy the community but ignore wash and care advise.  And use your common sense, ask questions, dont be bullied,  especially by the expert of 5 months,  or the expert who strips regularly it is treating non stop rash.  

Know your diaper and fabric.  Different styles and fabrics will require different wash solutions.   I use all cotton prefolds.  My fabric is natural and basic.  It will wash according to older meathods.  My diaper is of basic construction and relatively flat (just a bit of gathering at the leg), so yes it will wash, rinse and dry easily.   I don't have an 8-11 layer thick diaper.  Again it will wash, rinse and dry easier.  So yes a flats, prefold and basic fitted's mama will have a much easier go of it.  To be honest if you have constant issues with your fleece, microfiber, minky, pocket, AIO etc diaper, then my advice is switch to cotton or hemp basic diaper for a clean all natural option.  Im not saying other styles and fabrics are bad, just more complicated.....well there is one fabric I will call bad (read on)....

Microfiber:  As I mentioned before it was designed for cleaning and traps bacteria - by design!   This to me is not a good sounding diaper option.  In fact I will call this a bad diaper option.  Having issues, switch to a fabric not designed to hold bacteria. 

It may sound like there is a lot to learn out there.  Yes to some degree there is.  But its mostly basic common sense.  Also the KISS principal holds true. (that's "S" for simple, no "L" for lazy).  Simple diapers and fabrics with simple laundry and care solutions works simply.    

Can You CD Without Ammonia? - I believe so

Can Ammonia Be Avoided?
I believe it can.  I have cloth diapered 5 babies in the last 18 yrs and about to CD baby #6.  I have never had ammonia.  Either I'm lucky or it is avoidable.   I dont tend to be lucky except in cards and board games (to my family's dismay lol). 

3 Rules to avoid ammonia :
1. I only use natural fabrics.  No micro fiber, no minky, Velour or fleece (except on the outside and seperate as a cover).  Cotton is natural and its know to have less ammonia issues.  Hemp is generally natural also.  Bamboo is chemically processed and after learning this im interested in what happens to the few prototypes I made with a bamboo core before learning this.  I'll update for sure.  I suspect it wont have the issues of micro fiber and others. 

2. Regular Laundry!  And I mean that in ever sense of the word.  Wash often!  And fill your machine as you would any load if laundry (as in dont over or under fill).  Why not underfill?  More room to agitate?  Sure, but it also means a less concentrated wash.  It just doesn't work.  Dont skimp on detergent.  Washing often 2-3 days means your diapers are not sitting in urine longer then needed.  Keep your diaper pail clean and dry.  If its holding water, review your system. 

3. Change that diaper!! I can't stress this enough.  Babies are not supposed to be sitting in their own piss no matter how dry that diaper feels.  If baby pees, change baby!  Its just hygienic.   This keeps ammonia from building up at the very first step.

What about overnight?
Ok so I get you wont be waking a sleeping baby to change them.  But I do change an overnight sleeper part way through.  Also I soak and rinse that night time diaper first thing.  Then I wring it out and hang it over the shower rod.  Why?  Cuz I dont want a soaking wet diaper in my dry pail. 

I hope this helps.  I dont have expert stripping advice (obviously), but I can help you prevent future issues.  I dont promise my change and wash routine to help all diapers cuz if they aren't natural I think thaye part of the problem.  Good Luck all!!

Laundry, Laundry, Laundry

LAUNDRY! 

Thats what everyone is really worried about with cloth isn't it?  Im going to discuss the "chore" of laundry as well as ways to do cloth diaper laundry. 

First I've never understood the distress of doing laundry.  Yeah it can take 1hr-1 1/2hrs per load start to finish but really in that time you spend like 10-15 min actually doing something.   The rest your waiting on a machine (unless hand washing).  To me this is the greatest chore!  When I had home laundry or apartment building laundry it was great.  Laundry mat....well getting it there can be a bit of a chore (unless you drive, then don't complain).  I walk to the laundry mat (with a granny cart lol).  But hey, I'm out of the house for 2 hrs working my butt off for 15 min, reading, playing on Facebook or grabbing Tim's (to people outside Canada that's coffee and a donut).  Sounds like a sweet chore to me.  Now putting away laundry....ok not as big a fan lol. 
LESSON1: It's all how you look at it. 

^^ the real work horse lol^^
Ok so hopefully that helps you look at one household chore a little better. Its the sit and chilax chore

Next: laundry detergent:
Ignore the cloth diaper manufacturing instructions and do not spend money on special laundry soap. Also do not buy special detergent for baby clothes either. Its all a big capitalist scam! Your baby clothes and diapers will wash fine in regular laundry detergent, a Bio soap will be more gentle on the fabrics though. 1/2 tide with 1/2 white vinegar is a popular choice. I also like 1/3 Swish, 2/3 laundry detergent , then white vinegarin the rinse cycle. Swish a cleaner of all things (laundry, mop bucket, in a spray bottle like fabreeze, just anywhere in your house).

Homemade Laundry Soap:
There are many recipes for this. I like cheap and simple so here it is:
Equal parts:
•borax
•washing soda
Mix together dry and add 1/2 cup as dry laundry powder to machine or tub. You can still add vinegar
*To Make Washing Soda: simply put baking soda in a large pan or cookie sheet (evenly) and bake at 400°F for about 20 min stirring occasionally. It will turn from powdery to grainy. You will notice the change as you stir.
You can buy washing soda but for some reason it costs more and is harder to find.

LESSON 2: special laundry soap is a capitalist scam, as is buying washing soda when you can just bake baking soda. (PS, Im also a Native rights activist but I'll try not to let that pop into the blog to much unless it's helpful to cloth diapering)

Washing Cloth

So you have a diaper pail or wet bag full of cloth diaper laundry that has built up over the last 2-3 days.
* do not let go longer then this or ammonia will build up, and its kinda gross to have it sitting there, building up.

The diapers should all be seperate from liners (nothing stuck together), and they should be free of all debris (poop and disposable liners). Also if using Velcro diapers stick Velcro together before washing so it lasts longer
*covers such as PUL that cannot be washed on hottest settings should be sorted into seperate wet bag at change time. Otherwise you need to pull these out now.

Now turn machine to hot or medium heat setting, add detergent mixture of your choice. Let machine fill a little and add diapers and cloth liners. One regular cycle on is all it takes. if soap is left behind rinse with vinegar.

When the washing is done it all goes in the dryer or hung to dry. Now there are a few options to cut down on cost (either in your electric bill or at the laundry mat) amf still give the softness of a dryer.
1. Dry partially then hang to dry, iron to soften.
2. Hang to dry then iron or throw in dryer for 10 min to fluff.
Its that simple.

STAIN REMOVAL
Poop stains? Do Not Bleach! Bleach breaks fabric fibers and over time you end up with worn out diapers with little holes. Its also rough on babies skin. So what do cloth mama's do? Well most hang in the sun and let the UV rays from the sun bleach them out.
**What do I do?
I lay them on the grass in the sun. The grass/UV combo works wonders and you get the UV direct onto the diaper. It works great and I totally swear by it. What about in the winter? Boil it. Using disposable liners greatly cuts down on poop stains, but when that explosive poop hits, well then you need these simple techniques. If your diaper has elastics (and my hybrids do), dont boils regularly as it wears on the elastic.
LESSON 3: Bleach bad; Nature good.
HOMESTEADER STYLE
Boiling Laundry
I have not done this yet except to get out a tough poop stain during the winter (so we are talking 1-3 diapers not a whole load). I am however very interested in this. I just need to track down a very large stock pot. It's simple. Boil water, add tiny amount or laundry soap (tiny, boiling requires less soap!), add clothes and stir. Drain, let diapers cool down over edge of pot (pick up with tongs so as not to burn your hands) and then rinse. *Do not rinse before cooling or you will shrink the diapers and liners!!
You dont need a scrub board as the boiling and stirring does the work. (Stir with a wood spoon or you'll risk burning yourself) This is why I'm interested as a home laundry meathod. If I had to scrub I would not be game. My arms could not handle the work and with a baby who would have the time? I realize boiling a few diapers is different then a whole load, but if I find that big stock pot, I'll let yous all know. *edit* Sunset I went with my hybrid design I wont be doing this method regularly as it's hard in the elastics*

Alright, so diaper laundry isn't as bad or as expensive as it might seem. It doesn't require special products either. It does require doing laundry more often if you have a small family. If you have a large family then chances are you already do laundry every 2-3 days (at least), anyways.

Know Your Diaper!! If your using an AIO or a diaper with a water proof/water repellent layer inside the diaper *please* carefully read the laundry instructions. Often these cannot go on a hot water setting or be boiled. Snaps are also an issue on hottest settings, as is elastic (which can loose its elasticity).