Who's Washing Cloth Diapers by Hand?
There are more families washing cloth diapers by hand than you may think, and each family has their own reason for choosing to handwash their diapers. Some of the most common reasons families are washing cloth diapers by hand are:
- Vacationing in a hotel Most hotels don't offer laundry facilities, and those that do are either very expensive, not secure, or both. Using the hotel tub for washing cloth diapers is a popular alternative for many families.
- Camping My family isn't big into camping, but we've gone a few times and there have never been laundry facilities in the campgrounds where we stayed. I'm sure some campgrounds offer laundry facilities but like hotels, they're not secure either.
- Broken washer or dryer I don't think anyone realizes how much they depend on their washer and dryer until they break... of course ours died in the middle of a cloth diaper washing session. I was able to take the diapers to my parents instead of washing them by hand.
- Personal Preference Many families prefer washing their cloth diapers by hand because they feel it keeps them looking new longer.
- Diaper Emergency When you realize that you're about to run out of clean diapers it may be quicker to try washing a couple of cloth diapers by hand.
- Lack of laundry facilities Some families live in apartment buildings without laundry facilities, or on upper floors of buildings that have basement facilities. Often these familes choose to wash their cloth diapers by hand in between trips to the laundromat.
No matter the reason, washing cloth diapers by hand is done far more frequently and by more families than you may imagine! Read on to see how they do it.
Washing Cloth Diapers by Hand is Easy!
To be honest, we've never handwashed our diapers, so we went to the experts for information on washing cloth diapers by hand. We posted on several popular cloth diapering boards and asked lots of mamas for information on how they handwash their cloth diapers. We were surprised to learn that washing cloth diapers by hand isn't as hard or as yucky as it sounds!
Steps to Handwashing Cloth Diapers
No matter where or why you're washing your cloth diapers by hand, there are a number of steps you'll want to follow to be sure your diapers get clean.
- Step 1: Plug the sink or tub drain and add about 1/8 to 1/4 cup of detergent.
- Step 2: Add water as hot as you can stand, being sure to leave room for the cloth diapers to move freely.
- Step 3: Add the diapers and swish until they're all wet and soapy. At this point you could let them soak if you wish.
- Step 4: Knead the diapers with your hands like you're kneading bread for several minutes (rubber gloves makes this less icky).
- Step 5: Unplug the sink or tub and let the water drain out.
- Step 6: Rinse the diapers under hot or warm running water until the water is clear.
- Step 7: Wring out your diapers and place in the dryer or hang to dry.
