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Cloth Diaper Laundering Instructions

Thanks for choosing Country Save to keep your baby's cloth diapers and your family's laundry clean! One Bum at a Time! is pleased to be working with Kris to promote the Country Save cleaning products and I am more than happy to provide some laundering instructions for your use.

Before we start, there are just a few things to remember - Country Save is highly concentrated and in fact, you will not need to use even a full scoop when using it with your cloth. In fact, we have found that with a maximum load of approximately 24 diapers, all you will need is half a scoop. That's right - not even a full scoop! Although the box says that it will give you 80 top-loader loads from a 10 lb box, you can now double that – you can get 160 loads in 10 lb box! For HE washers, this means you might be able to get 300 washes from each box! Another thing to remember is that with HE washers, you need even less detergent - please read your HE washer recommendations and experiment as all washers are different. If you are finding that you are having odor issues after drying your diapers, cut back on the amount of detergent until the odor disappears. Lastly, when washing diapers and diaper covers with hook and loop closures, make sure you attach them together to avoid all of your laundry from sticking together in the dryer! And regarding inserts of pocket diapers or attached soakers, it is best to separate and remove these before washing.

OK! Now here are the basics to keeping your cloth diapers residue-free and thus bacteria free:

If your baby is exclusively breast-fed or your baby has not started solids yet, all you need to do is throw your diapers into your diaper pail (dry is preferred since having a wet pail is not only unhygienic and messy come washing day, but also a drowning hazard for small children). No need to dunk or swish or even use your diaper sprayer!

Removing solids. When solid food is started, you will need to dump baby's poop into the toilet - yes, I know this doesn't sound like fun but if you check any package of disposable diapers, it is required that you do the same for disposables! The easiest way to do this is by holding both ends of your diaper and jiggling it a bit until he poop falls off - if this doesn't work, try dunking it in the toilet bowl and it should come right off. If this sounds scary to you, go ahead and purchase a diaper sprayer (they can be purchased through One Bum at a Time! or other retailers). Diaper sprayers attach to your toilet and are easy to install and use and you won't have to touch baby poop!

Once the poop is off of your diaper, just pop into your diaper pail until wash day! If the diaper is an especially nice one and you don't want any stains, go ahead and keep your washer filled with cold water and a small amount of Country Save and it will soak until wash day!

Washing. Washing cloth diapers (and cloth wipes) is easy peasy! Once you have done a cold soak (you can do this for as little as an hour or as long as overnight if you wish - some say that the longer you soak however the more stains you get but this has not been my experience), turn the dial to the hot wash, add your diapers (for the cleanest diapers do not overload your washer - a maximum of 24 diapers is about right) and add 1/2 a scoop of Country Save. I do an extra rinse to ensure all detergent is rinsed out thoroughly, but this is not absolutely necessary as Country Save is 100% soluble meaning that it rinses out completely leaving no residue!

Drying. Whether you have a dryer or hang your diapers to dry on a line, it is your choice! The only rule is do not use dryer sheets! They are filled with chemicals that are not only irritating and possibly toxic, but also add residue to your diapers, making them prone to leaking, wicking and stinking. Also, if static cling bothers you, best to use Static Eliminator dryer sheets - they are reusable and due to a patented technology using copper, it keeps your clothes static free but also free of toxins and chemicals! (For information about or to purchase the Static Eliminator, please visit One Bum at a Time!)

Stripping. What is stripping? I highly recommend that when you first start using Country Save that you strip all of your diapers first. This means to strip your diapers of all previous residues from other detergents and start with t a fresh slate. How to do this: Fill your washer with the hottest water possible - some turn up their water heaters but this can be dangerous to baby. Also, please do not heat up the water too hot when stripping and or washing any products with PUL - polyurethane laminate - as it may damage it. If in doubt, read manufacturer's directions. I often boil water on my stove and carefully add it to an already filling hot wash. The add a few drops - and I mean no more than a pinky nail's worth, with Country Save dish detergent (or other detergent if you do not have any on hand). After washing, rinse a second time and while it is in the middle of the cycle, open the washer and look for any bubbles in the water - this means your stripping is working and the bubbles are the residue breaking up. Keep rinsing (sometimes it takes 5 or 6 times depending on your previous detergents) until the rinse water runs clear. With top loaders, do the same except for opening the door!

For questions not answered here, please see the section "FAQ/Ask our Cloth Diaper Expert" or email Tara at tara@onebumatatime.com.

Compiled by Tara Gowland of One Bum at a Time!