Top 5 Cloth Nappies Mistakes

Welcome to the world of cloth nappies! There is so much information on what you should or shouldn’t do with your cloth nappies. Well, we thought a quick go-to list of the DON’Ts would be very handy.

So, here are our top 5 cloth nappy mistakes:

1. Don’t leave the day nappy on for more than 2 hours. Night time nappies are different because we all want our babies to sleep through the night. Daytime nappies should be changed every 2 hours or as soon as the nappy is soiled. This rule is for all nappies (disposables or cloth nappies) as a dirty nappy is the quickest route to rashes, skin irritation and bacteria build up. Which leads me to my next tip.
2. Don’t wash once a week. Dirty nappies are a wonderful place for bacteria to grow and develop. This can be in the nappy or how you are storing them. It is important to have a good wash routine to ensure your nappies stay healthy and mould free. Remember mould loves warm, dark, sealed and moist environments. We highly recommend washing every second day (depending on the size of your washing machine and the number of nappies you are using). To ensure you have a good wash routine and are using the best products, please check out com for all the tips and tricks. They even have printable wash routine documents; you can find that here. If you are using a recommend wash routine and mould appears, there may be another cause.
3. Don’t underestimate the size of your stash. As the saying goes “Many hands make light work.” This can also be applied to nappies! A one-size-fits-most nappy has a lot of work to do if it is going to be used from newborn to toilet training, so be kind to it, and you will be rewarded with a nappy that will go the distance. It is important to have a large enough stash that you can wash every second day, allow for drying time and allow them to have a little break. I mean, nappies cop it all; from poonamies to acidic wee, hot washes and tumble drying! I always have a full day’s worth of nappies extra (well that is what I tell my hubby anyway, hehe). It helps take the pressure off you, if the washing didn’t get done today or if you can’t get them dry. Besides, how cute are all the new patterns? It is easy to build up your stash when you are only grabbing one or two here and there.
4. Don’t use cream without a liner. Sometimes you just have to use cream on your baby’s bottom, or some people have it as part of their nappy routine; both are fine as long as you use a liner (reusable or not, it doesn’t matter). Not using a liner means that the cream will build up on your nappy and will in time repel urine (not good!). This then causes the nappy to lose absorbency and leak in places it wouldn’t and shouldn’t.
5. Don’t put your nappies through a strip wash too often. A strip wash is a very harsh wash cleansing the nappy and removing all its build up. This is recommended for all second-hand nappies and more information on how to do a strip wash can be located on the Clean Cloth Nappy However, as this is a harsh process, it is important that it is only completed sparingly as it will cause damage to the elastic and PUL over time. Under no circumstances should you use a soaking solution (such as Napisan) as this will damage the elastics, deteriorate the booster fabric, void the warranty of most modern cloth nappies and the residue may irritate your baby’s skin.

It is important to have a cloth routine that works for your family. Above are tips on what you should not do with your cloth nappies, however, if you are concerned, confused or have questions, please Contact Us at Critters Creations. We can arrange a time for you to come around (South Australia only) or a video call so we can help you with any questions you have.

Happy nappies!

Nicole, Critters Creations.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our other blogs, like Cloth Nappies … Where do I start?