Day 5

Forecast: high of 84, low of 57 degrees

Today’s #flatschallenge2021 prompt: how do you wash cloth diapers?

Before I had a baby I didn’t know a lot about baby poo. Now I know a lot about breastfed baby poo. It looks like sunshine and has a mildly sweet smell to it. I expected it to be super gross, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it’s not gross at all in our experience. Our babe has only had breast milk so far, so diapers have been pretty easy. Apparently things change once they start eating solids. I’m hoping there‘s a chance that just maybe we can be potty trained by the time the poop gets weird. So far the potty training is going well, and the babe is using the potty for poo 100% of the time. We use two methods to clean diapers, machine and by hand.

1. Machine

Put 1/4 cup Biokleen laundry powder in the drum of the machine

Add flats, should be loose and airy (I unfold them as soon as they come off the babe with a shake of the hand)

Wash on hot/sanitize

Put in dryer or line dry

Fold & put in diaper bag

So far as long as we’re not packing the drum too full one wash does just fine with flats, there is just one layer of cloth. Baby skin is super sensitive so it’s important not to use too much detergent, and to be sure it’s a gentle one that doesn’t bother their skin.

2. By Hand

Fill a large basin or bucket with hot water and a Tablespoon of detergent

Add cloth & soak.

Using a #mobilewasher from #lehmans (basically a rigid plunger with holes), agitate the cloth. We’ve also used a regular plunger and it doesn’t work as well.

For stains rub the cloth against itself or a washboard and brush

Wring

Set dirty water aside for the flower garden, refill with clean water, agitate

Wring

Rinse each cloth (ideally under running water), wringing out as you go

Hang to dry

Water the flowers and fruit trees

Fold into origami and put on a shelf, ready to go on babe!