- Caring for your Prairie Tales pocket diaper couldn't be easier!
- Wet diapers can simply be tossed into a dry pail with their inserts shaken out.
- Solids are knocked into the toilet, and anything that doesn't easily shake off will wash out. No dunking, swishing, or scraping.
- Prewash and spin out in cold or warm water.
- Wash on hot with cold rinse. Only use a quarter of the recommended amount of detergent. Too much detergent can cause odor and build up issues. Do NOT use bleach, or fabric softners. Oxy Clean or other oxygen cleaners are safe to use.
- Tumble dry on low or hang dry. By using low heat, you will be extending the life of your elastic. We often dry our inserts in the dryer and hang the outer pocket diapers outside. The sun is great at "bleaching" out stains!
Diaper Problems? The ocassional blow-out or leak is bound to happen with any diaper system you use. A sick baby or forgotten diaper can be at the fore front of your issue. However, if you find you are having more troubles than the usual culprits, then it could be how you are caring for your diapers.
If you find that your diaper isn't as absorbent as it once was, it could simply be that your detergent has a fabric softner in it. Fabric softeners coat the fabric and repells liquid. Do not use softner sheets in your dryer or in the wash with your diapers. Do not use bleach or non-oxygen bleach on your diapers. Bleach damages the fabric and threads in the diapers, and it damages the waterproofing coating. If you have a baby that is a super soaker- try using a 'booster' or 'doubler'. Both words are common lingo for an extra insert your stuff into the diaper to add more absorbency. It can be another insert or even a washcloth or prefold. Check the fit of the diaper on your baby. Make sure the elastic at the legs and back fit snugly, without causing harsh red marks on the skin. Also, be sure that your diaper hasn't exceeded the normal life expectancy. Perhaps it is old and worn out and needs replacing.
Newborns often have the most problems with blowouts. This is simply because their digestive systems are immature and filled with a lot of gas. Gas forces bowel movements out with a stronger force. The elastic at the legs and back of our diapers are designed to help with this problem, and you may find that blow outs are a thing of the past!
We recommend you use a Dry Diaper Pail system with our diapers. Simply put, you toss dirty diapers into a pail that is dry- and NOT filled with water. We consider Wet Pail systems risky and dangerous, as there is the risk of accidental drowning to be considered. In addition.. who wants to accidentally spill poopy water? We use a cheap 8 gallon trash can with a flip lid and a diaper pail liner. The liner and diapers all go into the wash. The lid keeps smells at bay, and everyone is happy!
To cut down on smells between washings, there are several techniques you can employ. Keep your Dry diaper pail out of direct sunlight. Keep it away from heaters to prevent mildew and mold from growing. Wash your diapers regularly- on a cycle no longer than 2 to 3 days. Smells occur when there is a lot of poop left on the diaper. Breasfed babies and newborn bowel movement doesn't need to be removed from the diaper, but can simply go through the wash. Poop from older babies, that is more formed needs to be shaken out into the toilet. Many families keep a cheap stiff spatula on hand in the bathroom to scrape diapers. Wipe the spatula off on the diaper and leave it in the toilet brush holder. Others, prefer the diaper sprayer system that attaches behind your toilet to rinse solids off with.
For more information on what detergents are safe to use on your diapers and reviews on the detergents themselves, click on the detergent bottle below for a comprehensive chart!
Prairie Tales cloth baby diapers can only be used once, and then need to be washed. Which means, you can NOT take out a soiled or wet insert and put in a clean one. Then entire system- pocket diaper and insert need to both be washed before using again.
After your diapers have gone through a wash cycle, it is wise to adjust your washing machine to a second rinse cycle. Rinsing your diapers a second time will help insure that they are free from detergent residue. Babies have delicate skin, and if they have a skin reaction to the diaper, the culprit is almost always from detergent residue. Make sure you are rinsing out your diapers so no more bubbles appear in the rinse cycle. Also, make sure you are only using a 1/4 of the recommended amount of detergent. Increasing the water level can help, too!
If you are having a problem with odors, you can add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your wash. Vinegar actually helps soften hard water and can cut lingering odors. Vinegar can help your detergent work more effectively if you have hard water. Make sure you aren't using natural soaps in the wash, as they have oils in them and can cause problems with oil build up, and retain odors in cloth diapers.
You can use a few drops of Tea Tree Oil (please only use pure essential oils) in the wash! Tea Tree Oil has natural antibacterial properties! We recommend about 6 to 8 drops in your wash. Tea Tree oil, used sparingly, will not effect the performance of your cloth diapers.
So what is Tea Tree Oil? The oil comes from an Australian native tree called the Tea Tree. It is a small tree that looks much like a shrub, and has needle-like leaves. The Tea Tree has glands in its leaves, and when crushed, it produces pure essential oil. Modern technology actually now uses steam distillation of the leaves to extract the oil. This is an amazing essential oil, because the oil is active against all three categories of infectious organisms; bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These properties makes Tea Tree Oil a wonderful antiseptic and antibacteria. So what this means to you, is that this is a great essential oil to help clean your diapers with!
The Sun! The sun has been doing its 'thing' for a long time. Stubborn stains are no match for Mother Nature's oldest cleaning agent! By line drying your diapers- with the soft inner fabric facing the sun, you can naturally bleach out stains and disinfect your diapers. Want to know the best part? It's free, and energy efficient!