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Every Monday I will answer user submitted questions. They don’t have to be about cloth diapering! I’ll always answer questions via email, but if you would like your question to be answered in a Mailbox Mondays post, send an email with the subject “Mailbox Mondays” to Maria at change-diapers dot com.

Please note: My intent is to get a queue of questions for the next several months, so it may be some time before your submission is posted. If you would like me to email my response so you don’t have to wait until your question is posted, let me know!

Carrie Says:

Maria,



What are your thoughts on the detergent debate? I’ve been reading some manufacturers (like rumparooz) saying use detergents like tide, because they have enzymes, and what seems like most everyone else saying no to tide and other conventional detergents.

Carrie

This is a bit of a hot button issue for me; as I’ve mentioned before, detergent was the sole reason I waited so long to start cloth diapering my son.  There were no “5 star” detergents available to me locally, and it would have been far to expensive to have one shipped. 

The different “cloth diaper detergent charts” had seemingly conflicting information, and every diaper company had their own ideas.  If your stash consisted of all one brand, it would be simpler, but I don’t recommend putting all your “eggs” in one “basket” when it comes to cloth diapers.

So, here’s my take:  What good is a “safe” detergent if your diapers stink and/or aren’t getting clean?  Use trial and error to find a detergent that works for you, and stick with it.  Obviously stay away from detergents with fabric softeners and optical brighteners, which can build up on your diapers.  If a detergent isn’t working for you, if you have buildup or stink, strip and try again.

But what about warranties?  I don’t really know, that’s a personal decision.  For me, I will use the detergent that gets my diapers clean without damaging them or irritating my son’s skin.  If a company decides not to honor their warranty because I used Tide or didn’t use Tide, shame on them.  Stink isn’t covered under diaper warranties, so what good are warranted diapers washed in “safe” detergent that you can’t use?

Ashley says:

What are the most useful type of training pant? The ones on most cloth diaper sites are so expensive, I’m not sure if they’re worth the buy.

Thanks, I never see much input on blogs about training, just diapers.

-Ashley
 
I am still several months away from potty training/learning, but rest assured I’ll be reviewing trainers soon enough!
 
From what I remember from potty training my daughter (she is 5 1/2 now!) we initially just needed a diaper that we could pull up and down to try to go potty, but she was basically still in diapers.  My plan with my son for that stage is to use any side snapping diapers I have (which isn’t too many!) as pull up type diapers.
 
Next was that in-between stage where she wasn’t really ready for undies yet, but she didn’t always need a diaper either.  That’s where the trainers come in.  The Little Beetle Learner is definitely on my “to-try” list.  They are absorbent, but are made from organic cotton, so baby will feel wetness.  They snap off to make accident clean up easy.  I love the idea of a pocket trainer (like the Happy Heinys pocket trainer), where you can use them with as much or as little stuffing as you need based on “where they are” in the learning process. 
 
Encouraging my daughter to use the potty full time wasn’t too bad, but I’m hearing that boys take longer and are more stubborn, so we shall see!

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