How to Use Cloth Diapers

What Are Cloth Diapers and How Do They Work?

A disposable diaper has two jobs: absorb moisture and keep it contained. It does this by wrapping a chemical absorbent core inside a plastic shell. You use it once and throw it away.

A cloth diaper does the same two jobs with the same two parts. Something absorbent on the inside. Something waterproof on the outside. The only difference is that you are using natural fabrics that can be washed and reused hundreds of times instead of sent to a landfill after a single use.

That is the whole concept. Every cloth diaper system is just a different way of combining those two layers.

The absorbent layer is the diaper itself. It sits against your baby's skin and soaks up moisture. This can be a fitted diaper (pre-shaped with snaps, like what we make at Babee Greens), a prefold (a rectangular cloth you fold and fasten), a flat (a single square you fold into shape), or an all-in-one (absorbent and waterproof layers sewn together). Each has trade-offs in convenience, dry time, and cost, but they all serve the same purpose.

The waterproof layer is the cover. It goes over the absorbent diaper to keep moisture from reaching your baby's clothes. Most brands use PUL or TPU covers, which are synthetic plastic-based materials. At Babee Greens, we use wool and cashmere covers instead. Wool is naturally breathable, antibacterial, and water-resistant when treated with lanolin. It does not trap heat. It does not need to be washed after every use. And it keeps air circulating around your baby's skin, which helps prevent diaper rash. This is one of the biggest things that sets our system apart.

Doublers and liners are optional add-ons. Doublers are strips of absorbent fabric you place inside the diaper for extra protection during naps, nighttime, or long outings. Liners sit on top of the diaper to catch solids and make cleanup easier once your baby starts eating solid foods.

 

Why Parents Choose Cloth

People come to cloth diapering for different reasons, but a few come up again and again.

• Cost. A full stash of cloth diapers costs between $300 and $800 depending on the system you choose. Disposables cost $2,000 to $2,500 over a typical diapering period. Cloth diapers can also be reused for future children or resold, extending their value even further.
• Health. Disposable diapers contain synthetic chemicals, fragrances, and dyes that sit against your baby's skin all day. Cloth diapers made from natural fibers like organic cotton, hemp, and wool eliminate that exposure entirely. Many parents find that diaper rash decreases or disappears after switching to cloth.
• Environmental impact. The average baby goes through more than 2,000 disposable diapers in their first year alone. Each one takes an estimated 500 years to decompose in a landfill. Cloth diapers dramatically reduce that waste.
• Earlier potty training. Children in cloth can feel wetness against their skin, which builds awareness of their body's signals. Many parents report that cloth-diapered children show interest in potty training earlier than those in disposables.

 

How to Get Started with Cloth Diapers

Getting set up is easier than most parents expect. The key decisions come down to which diaper style fits your lifestyle, how many you need for your washing schedule, and which accessories will make your routine smoother.

We put together a complete walkthrough covering what to buy, how many you need at each stage, and how to build a stash that fits your budget. If you are just beginning your research, start there.

Read our full Getting Started guide.

 

How to Change a Cloth Diaper

Once you have done it a few times, changing a cloth diaper takes no longer than changing a disposable. Here is the process step by step.

1. Prepare your changing area

Lay out a clean fitted diaper and wool cover on your changing surface. Have your wipes, any diaper cream, and a wet bag or pail nearby so everything is within reach before you start.

2. Remove the dirty diaper

Lay your baby down and remove their clothing to access the diaper. Unsnap the wool cover and set it aside. If the cover is not soiled, it can be aired out and reused at the next change. Wool covers only need to be washed every week or two.

Unsnap the fitted diaper and pull the front down away from your baby's stomach. Use a cloth wipe or disposable wipe to clean your baby's skin. Apply diaper cream if needed.

3. Handle solids

How you handle a soiled diaper depends on your baby's diet.

Breast milk or formula only: Stool at this stage is water-soluble. You can place the diaper directly into your pail without rinsing or scraping. It will wash out completely in the laundry.

After solid foods begin: Shake or scrape solids into the toilet before storing the diaper. A diaper sprayer, which attaches to your toilet's water line, makes this quick and hands-free. You can also use a reusable cloth liner that catches solids and lifts right out.

4. Put on the fresh diaper

Slide the clean fitted diaper under your baby so the back edge lines up with their waist. Use the belly button as your guide. Pull the front of the diaper up between their legs and snap at the waist. It should be snug but not tight. You should be able to fit two fingers between the diaper and your baby's belly.

5. Check the fit

This is the most important step for preventing leaks. Run your finger along each leg opening and make sure the elastic sits in the crease of the thigh. Tuck any fabric that is poking out back inside the elastic. Exposed fabric acts like a wick and pulls moisture onto clothing.

For a detailed guide to getting the right fit at every size and stage, see our post on how cloth diapers should fit.

6. Add the cover and dress your baby

Pull the wool cover on over the fitted diaper and snap it at the waist. The cover should fully contain the diaper underneath with no absorbent fabric visible at the legs or waist. Dress your baby and you are done.

Storing dirty diapers between washes

Store dirty diapers dry in a pail with a lid or a hanging wet bag. No soaking or pre-treating is needed. Leaving the lid slightly open or using a breathable wet bag allows airflow, which reduces odor between washes. Keep the pail out of reach of curious toddlers and older siblings.

Plan to wash every two to three days. Going longer than three days can cause ammonia buildup that is harder to wash out and can irritate your baby's skin.

 

How to Wash and Care for Cloth Diapers

Caring for cloth diapers is easy to learn. Each part of the system has slightly different needs, but the routines are simple once you have done them a few times.

Prepping new diapers

Natural fibers contain oils that reduce absorbency until they have been washed out. Before first use, wash your new diapers at least five times in hot water. You only need detergent in one of those five cycles. Absorbency will continue to improve with each wash after that.

Full prepping and washing instructions

Washing soiled diapers

Keep your home smelling fresh by washing diapers every two to three days. Several factors affect your wash routine, including your water hardness, diaper materials, and your baby's age and diet. Here is the general process:

1. Remove any doublers or liners from the diapers.

2. Run a prewash cycle on warm with a small amount of detergent.

3. Run a full wash cycle on hot with the recommended amount of detergent on your machine's heavy-duty setting.

4. Follow with a cold rinse to remove residual detergent.

5. Dry on high heat for 60 to 90 minutes, or line dry in the sun. UV rays naturally remove stains and sanitize fabric.

Use a detergent that is free of fragrances, enzymes, fabric softeners, and optical brighteners, which coat fibers and reduce absorbency over time. Our Washing Greens detergent was formulated specifically for natural fiber diapers.

Full washing instructions

Caring for wool covers

Wool covers require gentler, less frequent care than the diapers themselves. Between uses, simply air them out. Lanolin naturally neutralizes urine, so if the cover does not smell once it has dried, it is clean enough to use again.

When a wool cover does need washing, hand wash in lukewarm water with a wool-safe soap. Never use hot water, which shrinks and felts wool. Gently press out excess water without wringing or twisting, then lay flat to air dry. Never machine dry wool.

How to wash wool diaper covers

Lanolizing

Lanolin is the natural wax that gives wool its water resistance. Over time and with washing, wool loses lanolin and becomes more absorbent than you want a cover to be. Lanolizing restores that protective layer by soaking the wool in a lanolin-infused bath. It takes about five minutes of hands-on time and only needs to happen every few weeks, or whenever you notice the cover is absorbing through rather than repelling.

How to lanolize wool and cashmere

Stripping

If your diapers develop a persistent ammonia or barnyard smell, or if absorbency drops despite proper washing, mineral or detergent buildup may be the cause. Stripping is a deep-cleaning reset that removes that buildup. It is not part of your regular routine and should only be done when you notice a clear problem.

How to strip your cloth diapers

 

What Cloth Diapering Looks Like Over Time

The first week involves a small learning curve as you figure out snap settings, fit, and your routine. After that, most parents say it feels as natural as using disposables.

Laundry settles into a rhythm quickly. Most families run a load every two to three days, usually before bed or first thing in the morning. It becomes background, not a burden.

The financial payoff grows the longer you use cloth. After the initial investment, your ongoing cost is just water, energy, and detergent. If you reuse your stash for a second child, the savings roughly double. Many families also recoup a portion of their investment by reselling diapers when they are finished. Well-made cloth diapers from quality natural fibers hold up through years of use and hold their resale value.

Your baby's skin may improve. Many parents notice diaper rash becomes less frequent or stops entirely after switching to cloth, particularly with breathable wool covers that allow air circulation.

And the longer you do it, the simpler it gets. Older babies need fewer changes per day. Solid food stools are easier to handle than you expect. The routine you build in the first few weeks carries you all the way through to potty training.

Cloth diapering does not have to be all or nothing, either. Many families use cloth at home and disposables for travel, daycare, or when grandparents are watching the baby. The environmental and financial benefits add up regardless of whether you are using cloth 100% of the time.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cloth diapers do I need?

For newborns, 20 to 24 diapers and 4 to 6 covers is a comfortable stash when washing every two to three days. Older babies need fewer changes, so 14 to 18 diapers and 3 to 4 covers is usually enough. Our starter kits are built around these quantities.

How often do you wash cloth diapers?

Every two to three days. Waiting longer can lead to odor and ammonia buildup. Most parents run a load before bed or first thing in the morning. See our full washing guide for the recommended routine.

Do cloth diapers leak?

Any diaper can leak, cloth or disposable. With cloth, leaks are almost always a fit issue rather than a material issue. Make sure the leg elastic sits in the crease of the thigh with no fabric poking out, and that the diaper is snug but not tight at the waist. Our guide on how cloth diapers should fit covers this in detail.

Can you use cloth diapers at daycare?

Yes. Many daycares are open to cloth, especially with fitted diapers that go on and come off just like disposables. Provide a wet bag for dirty diapers and a few pre-assembled diaper and cover combos so the process is easy for caregivers.

Do you need special detergent for cloth diapers?

You do not need a specialty product, but you do need to avoid detergents with fabric softeners, fragrances, or optical brighteners, which coat fibers and reduce absorbency. Our Washing Greens detergent was made specifically for natural fiber cloth diapers.

Ready to Get Started?

Our starter kits are the easiest way to begin. Each kit includes fitted diapers, covers, doublers, and care products, bundled at a savings over buying individually.

Have questions? We are real people who make these diapers by hand in Asheville, North Carolina. Contact us anytime.