How to Dispose of Waste from a Cloth Diaper

The environmental benefits of using cloth diapers are undeniable (in some instances the carbon footprint is almost 40 percent lower compared to the use of disposable diapers!)  but many parents wondering about this sustainable choice worry about cleaning. After all, nobody is thrilled about having to deal with baby poop multiple times per day.

The simple truth is that cloth diaper washing is a lot easier and much less messy than many parents anticipate it to be.

Cleaning cloth diapers is all about following a couple of simple steps. The first and most important one is the removal of solid waste before the cloth diaper gets tossed into the washing machine.

Cloth Diapers: Why and How?

The term cloth diaper can refer to various products.  All the designs are washable and reusable. Most cloth diapers consist of a waterproof outer layer and an absorbent inner layer or an insert that can be taken out and washed.

The benefits of choosing cloth diapers over disposable nappies are numerous. The most important ones include:

• More affordable in the long run – if you air dry cloth diapers and take good care of them, a single pair should remain in good condition for up to three or four years
• More sustainable and environmentally friendly: a single-use diaper takes approximately 500 years to decompose!
• Numerous cute and comfortable designs to choose from
• Some cloth diaper designs allow the nappy to grow as your baby does
• More breathable, free from harsh chemicals
• Can lead to earlier and more effective potty training than disposable diapers

On the downside, cloth diapers must be changed more frequently than disposable ones. You’ll also have to get rid of solid waste before washing the diaper or insert.

The good news is that once you get in the habit of using cloth diapers, the entire waste disposal procedure is only going to take a few minutes.

Cleaning Cloth Diapers: Immediate Disposal Steps

To make things easier and more convenient, get in the habit of removing solid waste as soon as it’s produced.

Most sources suggest that parents who exclusively breastfeed can ignore this step. Breast milk poop is water soluble, which makes snappy changes and laundry a piece of cake.

Formula-fed babies and those who have started enjoying solids, however, will produce a different type of poop. In that instance, you’ll need to get rid of the solids before moving on to washing.

Shaking solid waste directly into the toilet will help you get rid of most of the poo. If you decide to wait even a few hours, you’ll regret the decision. As baby poop dries out and solidifies, it becomes much more difficult to clean.

Once you’ve gotten rid of solids, wash the diaper under running water or soak and scrub.

Those simple steps should get rid of most solid waste. Next, you’ll need to store your diapers until laundry day. A diaper pail or a designated wet bag will be required.  You’ll find lots of wet bags on the market, specially designed for the purpose. They’re made of waterproof materials and they have a sealed zipper to prevent leaks or unpleasant odor.

It’s a good idea to have at least two wet bags or a wet bag and a diaper pail. A spare wet bag is great for handling emergencies while you’re doing the laundry or in the event of your primary container needing some cleaning.

Note: It’s not a good idea to wash wet bags alongside soiled diapers. If you just tuck them all inside the washing machine, there’s a big risk of soiled diapers remaining stuck inside the bag. The cleaning results will be less than optimal this way.

The Best Solid Waste Disposal Methods

To get rid of poop from cloth diapers, you can employ one of several tested and effective methods:

• Using a Diaper Sprayer: Sometimes called a handheld bidet, this nifty little tool uses a high-pressure water spray to help for more effective solid waste removal. A diaper sprayer usually attaches to the toilet, eliminating the need for soaking. The pressurized water stream also removes a lot more waste than the other methods.
• Dunk and Swish Method: Placing a soiled diaper in the toilet bowl and swishing vigorously to remove the solid waste can also yield good results. some parents also opt for toilet flushing while holding the soiled diaper to benefit from a more powerful water stream. The method isn’t best for toilets with low water levels or low pressure. Also, some people don’t enjoy getting in there with their hands.
• The Scraping Method: As the name suggests, you use a spatula or another kind of tool to scrape poop from the disposable diaper. If you don’t have a spatula, toilet paper and wet wipes will also do. After doing the scraping method, you’ll need to rinse or soak your cloth diapers before putting them in the wet bag.

The Importance of Disposing Solid Waste in the Toilet

You may be wondering why baby poop has to go in the toilet.

First of all, this method is the most sanitary one. You don’t want to have to face the smell of feces in the trash bin. That approach to waste disposal is unsanitary and it can even create some health hazards.

Human feces are classified as biohazardous waste and their place isn’t in a landfill. There is always the potential of transmitting infectious diseases because poop can contain viruses and bacteria. That’s why shaking cloth diapers over the toilet is the most sanitary, healthiest choice for waste disposal.

How to Store Soiled Cloth Diapers Before Washing

We’ve already touched upon the use of wet bags and diaper pails but there are a few more tips that will help you optimize soiled diaper storage before laundry day.

As a general rule, aim to wash your diapers no later than two to three days after they’ve been scraped from solid waste. It’s also important to prevent the growth of mold and mildew on your diapers. Keeping wet diapers in a sealed bag for prolonged periods will create the perfect conditions for fungal growth. Whenever this happens, cloth diapers will have to be discarded. Stripping and bleaching will be insufficient to resolve the issue.

Follow a few simple rules when storing soiled cloth diapers:

• Line a pail or a bin you use for the purpose of reducing the risk of leaks
• Clean your storage containers each time you empty them
• Try odor-eliminating products to extend the lifespan of your containers
• Make sure the storage container isn’t exposed to high temperatures – moderate temperatures are essential to slow down bacterial growth
• Don’t store dirty diapers together with dirty clothes to prevent cross-contamination

That’s all you need to know about disposing of waste from cloth diapers. Investing in a few simple items like a diaper sprayer and a good wet bag will make the process as easy as an extra load or two of laundry per week.

While cloth diaper cleaning can seem scary and potentially very messy at first, you’ll soon find out that with the right products and technique, you’ll never even think twice about the procedure. And if you stick to the simple rules outlined in this guide, you’ll also get impeccably clean diapers each time.