Mailbox Mondays 2/21/11 - Prepping Diapers & Stinky Pails!

 

Every Monday, I will answer reader submitted questions in my Mailbox Mondays post, and ask you to weigh in your opinions.

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.

Julie says:

Hi Maria!!

First off I just want to say I LOVE your blog! It was one of the first cloth diaper related blogs I came across when I was pregnant and looking into cloth diapers. I had a couple of questions for you.

First off, I started my cloth diaper stash with a big purchase so it was easy to just throw all of the items in the wash to prep them all together. Nowadays, I find myself buying one or two diapers or inserts at a time and I would hate to run a laundry load for just a couple of items. Do you have any suggestions for prepping just a couple of diapers or inserts at a time?

Also, my daughter was exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months, but now that she is almost 9 months and eating solids, I am finding that her diaper pail is getting MIGHTY stinky. I do try to spray the poopy diapers with my sprayer but that doesn't really seem to be helping. Any other suggestions?

Thanks so so much!

Sincerely,
Julie J.

I really appreciate hearing that you enjoy the blog, and find it helpful!  You really have no idea how warm & fuzzy that makes me feel!

If I get a new diaper that doesn't have special prepping instructions (if it's made of microfiber, microfleece, PUL etc.), I throw it in the wash with my other diapers once, then use it.  Things like organic cotton and hemp usually need to be washed at least three times before using, and will continue to gain absorbency for up to 10 washes. 

The problem is that they need to be washed separately, since the fibers contain natural oils that could be deposited onto your other diapers, and cause them to repel.  Check with the manufacturer/the product packaging, because some companies send natural fiber products partially prepped.  As annoying as it is, and wasteful as it seems, you really do need to wash them separately to protect your other diapers. 

I have heard of people boiling hemp prefolds/inserts to remove the oils faster, but I haven't tried that myself!  I would definitely suggest exercising caution if you try that, and I am not responsible for any burns or fires that may occur, eek!  "Ma'am, what were you doing when the fire started?"  "Errr, well, uhh...I was just...uhh...boiling my...hemp."

As far as your stinky pail goes, my first two suggestions would be to keep the pail open a crack, and to wash more often.  You'd think keeping the pail closed tightly would keep the smell in better, but I find that letting the air circulate means less stink.  Washing no more than every 2-3 days, and washing the liner each time helps quite a bit as well.  Wahmies pail liners have a swatch of fabric at the seam, where you can add a few drops of essential oil to help with the odor.  If yours doesn't have that feature, several WAHMs also make pail powder that you can use to eliminate odors and add scent.

How about you?  How do you prep new diapers when you only have 1 or 2?  How do you combat pail stink?

Mailbox Mondays 1/17/11 - Wet Bag/Pail Liners and Washing Natural Fibers

 

Every Monday (if I receive submissions, that is!) I will answer reader submitted questions in my Mailbox Mondays post. Questions don't have to be cloth diaper related, just email maria at change-diapers.com with "Mailbox Mondays" in the subject!

Tamara says:

I have a question! I meant to get it in in time for submission today, but alas, life got in the way. So.....Which side of the pail liner do you put toward the diapers? I have a planet wise pail liner, one side is the shiny PUL and the other side is the fabric. I've always put it in the pail so that the diapers are touching the shiny side. But, I had a friend of mine ask if that was right and it made me wonder..... I investigated and noticed that the tag is on the fabric side and I know that sometimes manufacturers recommend putting a drop of essential oil on the tag so then I was confused. Does that make sense? What do you do? Does it matter? Have I been doing it wrong this whole time?

Diapers do go on the shiny PUL side, so you are doing it correctly! 

Whamies Pail Liners have a patch of fabric at the seam for essential oils, but as far as I know, Planet Wise's tags are just for brand identification and laundering instructions.  If you're having trouble with smell, you might try keeping the pail open a crack.  It seems counterintuitive, but I find that air circulating actually helps with the smell.  Washing every 2-3 days at most helps of course too!

Hope this helps!


Stephanie says:

Hi Maria!

I was wondering if there was any rule of thumb about washing microfiber inserts with natural fibers. If so, do you have any recommendations?

Thanks! :)

--
Stephanie

When you get a new diaper or insert that is made from natural fibers, wash it separately to prep per the manufacturer's instructions.  For example: a hemp product may say to wash and dry it 2-3 times before use.  This will remove the natural oils and get it ready to use.  It will continue to gain absorbency up to 10 washes.

Once you have prepped it, there's no issue washing them with your microfiber products!

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,

I've been a very good girl this year.  I won't elaborate since you see me when I'm not sleeping and you know when I'm awake rocking someone or tucking someone else in!  As such, I am going to go crazy with my wish list.  Hee hee.

First and foremost, I would like more diapers, so I don't have to wash twice per day anymore!

I have one Blueberry Minky one size diaper in blue latte, but there are so many other styles and patterns I'd like to try!  The Blueberry One-Size Minky Bamboo Velour has a bamboo/organic cotton inner instead of microfleece.  Then there's the Blueberry One Size Bamboo Velour Diaper.  Lastly, there's the Blueberry Deluxe One Size Diaper in snaps and hook & loop.  Microfleece wicks moisture away from baby's skin, but it is man made, and some babies can be sensitive to it.

Some come in snaps only and others come in snaps or hook and loop (velcro applix).  Generally speaking, I prefer velcro for ease of diapering and adjustability, but Blueberry's velcro is apparently super strength!  I have such a hard time getting the tabs off of the laundry tabs, I think the laundry tabs may just rip right off.  However, I would not complain if Santa brought velcro!

The prints I love are:

Blue on Chocolate

Blue/Yellow Dots

Lemon Lime

Blue Pop

Sage on Chocolate

Mint Patties

Winter Sage

My favorites are Sage on Chocolate and Lemon Lime.  I try to choose gender neutral prints but I gravitate towards cute boy stuff!  I don't think any of these are too boyish for a girl, but I'm sure if we ever cloth diaper a girl, I will want to buy all the cute, pink & ruffly cloth diapers too.   Eek now I'm feeling kind of guilty for not CDing my daughter.

I love the monkey print velcro diaper I have.  I would love to try one with snaps, as well as other prints in the velcro.

The monkey print on the left is what I have and love.  My daughter loves it too, she doesn't want me to change her brother when he's wearing it!  The peace bears print on the right is the one I'd most love to have!
 
I think the blue hibscus is adorable and would be great for a boy or a girl.

Of course, I'm a sucker for a cute print, so I like them all!

I am really anxious to try Rumparooz.  My favorites are the Lil Monster and kangaroos, but all of the colors and prints are cute!

There are also several accessories I'd love to have

I am definitely wishing for a BumGenius Diaper Sprayer.  We've just started solids and I'm scared.  Heh.  I was scared of some of my daughter's solid food eating dipes, and she wore sposies!

I have a single, small Planet Wise wet bag, but I am coveting several more types.

Why Planet Wise?  First off, they are PVC free and lead free.  Did you know most zippers are painted with lead containing paint?  Scary!  The bags come in awesome prints and are incredibly functional.  They have a locking zipper and hidden/sealed seams for no wicking.  They can be washed & dried with your diapers, though I hang mine dry, as I also do with my PUL diapers.  You can even use the wet/dry bags or large wet bags as a hanging diaper pail. 

Planet Wise is family owned and has very family friendly employee practices.  Not only do their products replace their disposable counterparts, their packaging is recycled/recycleable, and uses soy based ink.  When your children are no longer in diapers, you can use the bags to transport wet bathing suits, dirty laundry, even use them to separate shoes or toiletries from the rest of your suitcase when traveling.  I'm guilty of using plastic bags for all of these things!

The wet/dry bag would be excellent for storing multiple diapers when we are going to be away from home for more than a few hours.

I like the Geometric Studio

Black Curly Q

and aqua swirl.

I'd also like some medium wet bags for the diaper bag, and a couple of large wet bags to use for after rinsing dirty diapers.  The small bag fits two dirty one-size pockets, but it's a little snug.  The mediums would be a little easier for more than 1 I think. 

I like the blue vista

Black Curly Q

and aqua swirl

I'd also love to have the cloth wipes/pouch and a small squirt bottle for wipes solution in the diaper bag.  I love that you can actually pre-moisten the wipes to take with you, and the bag won't leak or wick!

This is a little off topic but they have this little mini wet dry bag.  How awesome is that.  Very discreet for using mama cloth when out and about.  I've heard ladies say they use small wet bags in their bathrooms as well.

I haven't decided if I want to use a diaper pail or not, but I wouldn't mind a large liner to try out.  I'm interested in one with a drawstring so I can see if it would work in the Diaper Dekor pails I have.

I would like some Thayer's Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel to use in my wipes solution.  It is extra soothing to little bums, and can help preserve wipes solution as well.

I'd also like another tube of Grandma El's diaper rash remedy to keep upstairs.

We don't have a chimney, and Santa probably doesn't like Almond Milk, so I'll hang onto this wish list just in case I win the lottery.  :-D  You know, so I don't have to waste any time deciding what to spend the money on.  Hee hee.

All images used with permission.