How to Strip Cloth Diapers

So, last week I wrote about Owen’s awful yeast rash. He wore disposables for about 2 weeks while I stripped my diapers and we waited for his rash to heal. Everything I’ve read suggests waiting 5 days after the last symptom disappears before using cloth again (to prevent anything from getting back into the cloth). So TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT- we are finally going to start using cloth again tonight and I AM BEYOND HAPPY.

We use a combination of prefolds/covers and BumGenius 3.0/4.0/Freetime (speaking of the Freetime, it’s an amazing diaper and I plan on reviewing it here soon). BumGenius recommends using bleach when necessary, so I felt comfortable doing so. Some diaper manufacturers do not allow bleach and it will void the warranty so please check with your own diaper manufacturer before following my process for stripping cloth diapers. Prefolds are just cotton, so you can use bleach on them, no problem. Again, check manufacturers recommendations for your covers. I wasn’t too worried about ruining my covers (they are Thirsties) and just went ahead and washed them with everything else.

Also, I currently use a front loader, however I used a top loader until last year and would use much the same process for either machine.

How to Strip Cloth Diapers and Get Rid of a Yeast Infection

1^st wash:

Throw a load of diapers into the machine.

Apply 5 drops of Original Dawn (the BLUE stuff) directly to the load.

Fill bleach cup with ½ c bleach.

Set machine on HOT with extra water.

2^nd wash (this is to ensure diapers have no bleach or detergent left in them):

No detergent, soap, or bleach.

Set machine to HOT with up to 3 extra rinses (2 is probably enough, I like 3 to make sure).

Then they go into the dryer.

It took me about 3 loads to get it all washed but they smell really nice and clean now and nothing was ruined by the bleach either.

Can’t wait to be back to the cloth diapers after we get home tonight. The disposables are so so so gross and I am so so so done with them.