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How To Remove Cloth Diaper StainsHate cloth diaper stains? Imagine this: your highly anticipated package of fluffy diapers arrives in the mail. You put into the washer right away so they can be prepped and ready to wear. As soon as they are washed and dried you wrap your soft and beautiful fluff on your baby's bum. Just as you are admiring the cuteness of your dipe and how you made such an awesome score, the unthinkable happens. Your precious angel makes a stinky in your precious diaper. Why!?! This has happened to me many times before. As with most cloth diapering moms, I eagerly check the mail every day waiting for my new prize. Sometimes I don't even prep a diaper because I'm so excited to get it onto my baby. And it always happens. Maybe not with the first wearing, but always by the second. What is it with babies pooping in new diapers? I think our babes must love new diapers as much as us mamas do - or at least love to poop in them. It must be the soft fluff that relaxes them into a bowel movement. So now that your darling has pooped in your new fluff, the first thing on your mind is "oh no! It will stain!" Fear not, mamas. I have some easy solutions for you. Whether you want to prepare diapers before-hand, after they poop or even after there is a stain, there is always a way to save your diapers and keep them looking, and smelling, nice and clean.
Using A Diaper Sprayer The diaper sprayer is one of my favorite inventions right now. It has really helped reduce the amount of cloth diaper stains I have had to deal with. A diaper sprayer is a very convenient tool that you hook up to the tank of your toilet. You can adjust the water pressure so that the spray can either be light or heavy. The neat thing about a diaper sprayer is that it can also double as a bidet. Kinda nifty I think. Diaper sprayers can cost anywhere from $30 - $40 and you can find them at many cloth diaper store. I really recommend The Potty Pail diaper sprayer though. There is really something to be said about having a well made sprayer. I have learned the hard way that cheap sprayers can leak - a lot! It's important to have a sprayer with brass fittings and not made of all plastic! The Potty Pail Sprayer is well made and it has a nice strong spray. Well worth it! Diaper sprayers are very easy to use and very easy to install. You can use them on a fresh dirty diaper or one that has had to sit for awhile. Simply hold your diaper near the inside of the toilet bowl, and carefully spray the affected area until it’s free of anything to thick or chunky. If it doesn’t come off very easily, adjust the water pressure to get things loose, or use the sprayer with a combination of dunking. Just watch for splashing - it can get very messy if you have the water pressure too high. You will also want to keep a wet bag or something of that nature in the bathroom to keep your wet diapers in at least temporarily. Or something to help you transport it to where your diaper pail is, at least if you are using fitteds ot prefolds. Or of course you can use a Potty Pail. These things are awesome! I can't say enough about them. They are not a necessity, but I can't tell you how much easier The Potty Pail System has made cleaning off diapers! It contains all the mess, still lets me get a diaper cleaned up nicely and I don't have to deal with cloth diaper stains.
Diaper Liners Diaper liners are a popular choice for those moms that don't want to deal with spraying or soaking their diapers. These are great for preventing cloth diaper stains. I do not use them personally, but I have heard from many who love them. Diaper liners can be either reusable or disposable. Don't get a liner confused with a doubler. A liner is used for the sole purpose of lining the diaper to help make removing poop easier, while a doubler is for increasing absorbency. Diaper liners are thin and often allow moisture to pass through, but do hold the waste. Disposable liners usually come in large quantities and are usually flushable and bio-degradable. Once your baby has soiled the diaper, you simple remove the liner and flush. No cloth diaper stains! Reusable liners are usually made from cotton. Once your baby has soiled the diaper, simply remove the liner and either spray it or throw it into your diaper pail for washing. Liners can be found at most cloth diapering stores online and will run about $7 for a pack of disposables and reusable liners are about $3 each.
Sunning Out Stains I have heard many times on forums that the sun can help remove cloth diaper stains, but until I tried it, I never really thought it could work. Well let me tell you, it does! The sun is like a miracle stain remover! It can get stains out of your diapers, as well as your clothes. So how do you use the sun to get rid of cloth diaper stains? It’s very simple. You lay out your diaper (or whatever) in the morning in a spot where you know the sun will shine for most of the day. You can either lay it flat or drap it over the back of a chair. You can lay it out wet or dry. Make sure all the stained areas are exposed to the sun. Then leave it there for the day. You will usually come back at the end of the day to find a completely stain free item. And it even works for microfiber. I have had diapers and inserts that were so stained it just looked gross, only to sun them out and have them looking almost new again. The winter months are a little harder to sun things out, but it still works. Believe it or not, you can still sun your cloth diaper stains out even if you can’t actually see the sun. On winter days, I just do the same thing I normally do, but it might take longer than a day. And just make sure you bring your things in when it rains. If after a day you don’t at least see some improvement on the stain, then that means that the sun most likely will not do the trick.
Bac-Out I don't normally recommend any additives to cloth diaper laundry, but I and many other mamas have had much success with Bi-O-Kleen Bac-Out. It is really great for helping combat cloth diaper stains. Bac-Out is a wonderful product that is made with natural live enzymes that is great for getting stains and odors out of your diapers. You can squirt some in your pre-rinse during your wash routine and soak your diapers in it before washing. I like to soak them for about a half an hour or up to an hour, depending on how bad things are. Then just wash as usual. Just remember that Bac-Out is concentrated, so a little goes a long way! If you have a small load, you will need less Bac-Out. IF you use too much, you will end up with build-up in your diapers, so be careful! And Bac-Out is NOT recommended for use on PUL. It will cause it to separate. Another way you can use Bac-Out is in a spray bottle with a 1/2 and 1/2 mix of water. Because Bac-Out is concentrated, you can use less in the mixture if you like. You use this mix to spray directly onto poopy diapers before you put them into your diaper pail. I have also seen, but have not tried, the Bac-Out foaming action sprayer. It looks really awesome! Bac-Out can be purchased at some cloth diapering or natural baby stores online, or you can get it at drugstore.com. I believe you can also find it at natural food stores in your city. A large bottle is about $9.00 unless you find it one sale. Out Darn Spot! With these tips and tricks, you should be able to keep your fluffies nice for a long time. I know they have worked well for me and many other mamas! If you have any other tips or tricks on how to remove cloth diaper stains you want to see listed, to just let me know!
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