Washing Cloth Diapers
Want the too long;didn’t read version? Here’s the cliffs notes:
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Shelley says::
I was wondering, what is the best diaper bag for cloth diapers? How about for 2 in cloth? My current (JJ Cole brand) bag is falling apart, but with a new baby on the way, I’d rather not spend $150 on a high-end one! Thanks!
Shelley
Hi Shelley! I stopped carrying a diaper bag after my first child. I have a slightly large purse that’s big enough for hand wipes and a few other things. One side was big enough for a couple disposable diapers & a wipes pouch, but when I switched to cloth 2 1/2 years ago, I needed something new!
So, I actually use my purse for the necessities I need to drag around, then I use a Planet Wise wet/dry bag for diapers. I leave it in the car, unless I think I will be somewhere long enough to need to change a diaper. I can fit a good 6ish diapers in it, so it’s great for 1 child, but I might need to think about a new solution if my older son doesn’t potty train soon, since I have a second in diapers now too!
If you need to bring things all together for a babysitter, daycare, or you just find it more convenient to have everything together, most diaper bags won’t work. Especially not for cloth diapers for two children! In fact, it seems that a large tote bag, messenger bag or backpack will work better than a traditional diaper bag.
I love how this diaper bag from Land’s End expands. It has an area for wet items, mesh pockets to keep you organized, and a front pocket for your stuff like keys & wallet. Best of all, it’s $40, far less than a lot of bags! I haven’t used one, but if I needed a diaper bag (like for a trip when a bunch of bags wouldn’t be practical) I think this one would be great for cloth!
I’ve heard Skip Hop mentioned, and their diaper bags look quite large! Diaper Dude has some really nice, large bags, though some are rather pricey!
If you’re looking for something to mostly hold diapers, and maybe just 1 or two things for you, the Planet Wise swim/diaper bag is awesome.
Since I haven’t actually used a traditional diaper bag for cloth diapers, I’m going to defer to my readers.
Do you have a great, cloth diaper friendly diaper bag? If you don’t use a diaper bag, what do you use?
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Looking for cloth diaper help? Ever week, on Monday, I’ll answer a user submitted question.
Questions don’t have to be cloth diaper related, just email maria at change-diapers.com with “Mailbox Mondays” in the subject, or fill out my contact form for readers, which you will always be able to find on my Contact Page.
This (or similar) is a common question:
Which diapers are the easiest for the daycare providers?
Daycares would be most likely to accept a pre-stuffed pocket diaper or AIO with velcro since they are most similar to disposables. That said, there are daycares that accept prefolds & covers. I’d suggest bringing one to show them, since when you say “cloth diapers” they may be thinking pins & plastic pants!
Check out the RDA/RDIA’s database of cloth diaper friendly daycares, and be sure to add yours if they accept them! They have lots of fantastic information on using cloth in daycare (PDF.)
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We love Planet Wise products, including the wipes & wipe pouch. I’ve been using a wet/dry bag and the wipes pouch (with a travel size spray bottle of wipes solution) as my “diaper bag” for about 2 years. We’ve been talking about getting a second wet/dry bag and wipes pouch for a while since we have 2 in diapers and go opposite directions sometimes. When I took my baby to his 1 month checkup and hubby took the other kids to a play, we realized we really needed to get another set!
When I bought my original wipes pouch, it came as a set of the pouch & 10 wipes for $18.99, available in pink or blue. Now they are sold separately with the pouches in 12 prints for $10.99 each, and wipes in 8 color combos for $12.99 per 10 pack. This increases the price for a set to $23.98; a $4.99 increase. I was curious what the extra $5 got you aside from new colors/prints.
The new wipe pouch is slightly longer, and has a snap. It seems that this is to keep wet wipes away from the zipper to prevent leaking or wicking. This isn’t a useful feature for me since I don’t pre-moisten my wipes. I prefer not to since I don’t use my travel wipes that often and don’t want them to get musty (or have to figure out how many I need & moisten them before we go out every time, then wash everything when we get home.)
This is the third thing I’ve chosen in an owl print lately. It’s weird. It seems like owls are a “thing” now days, and while I’m not particularly into owls, the colors have been most appealing to me over other new/available prints. I’d choose the lime cocoa bean print in a hot second if it was available, but it’s not.
The pouches have the same PUL inner, though the new PUL is a bright color vs. brown. Wipes are exactly the same size after washing. They are the same, simple, single ply flannel. They feel pretty soft at first, but don’t stay that way.
I’d prefer to have the wipes in all one color or print, but they are only available in color combinations intended to match the pouch prints.
I think $1.29 is very expensive for a single layer, flannel wipe. However, the thin wipes mean you can fit a stack of 10 in the pouch easily. If you made your own wipes, it would be much more affordable since you can buy the pouches separately. $10.99 is pretty expensive for a little wet bag as well, but it’s more compact and waterproof than a plastic travel case, and my travel spray bottle fits inside perfectly too!
What do you use when you’re cloth diapering on the go?
FTC compliance: I purchased these items at normal retail prices. I was not asked to write, nor was I compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.
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Need cloth diaper advice? Each Monday, I’ll answer a user submitted question.
Questions don’t have to be cloth diaper related, just email maria at change-diapers.com with “Mailbox Mondays” in the subject, or fill out my contact form for readers, which you will always be able to find on my Contact Page.
Carrie says:
Here’s question for you:
I’ll be moving in a few short weeks to a house that has a water softener, which we will use. I have a front load washer and very hard water in my current house, and settled on a routine with Rockin’ Green Hard Rock and a couple of rinses, which generally works most of the time.
Any suggestions for switching to softened water? Any guesses as to whether my older diapers that have been in rotation for 2+ years will improve (less smell, softer, more absorbent that currently).
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Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. 
