Did you know Smartipants Diapers recommends washing your diapers every 3 days? 3 days should be
the maximum you go without laundering your cloth. After 3 days your diapers can become a breeding
ground for bacteria.
Warmer days are approaching, which means higher temps inside those diaper pails. Bacteria thrive in
warm, moist areas. This is especially important in humid climates. Humid climates are more at risk of
their diapers growing mold if not laundered correctly. Along with the bacteria and mold risk, going
longer than 3 days between washes can increase the chances of your diapers developing a stink [a
stink that remains after being washed, no one wants that!]. This is because of the bacteria inside your
diapers.
If you do happen to go longer than 3 days between a wash, or find your diapers develop a stink, I
recommend disinfecting them.
How to Disinfect Your Diapers
To disinfect cloth diapers, I suggest doing a few hot washes [as hot as your washer will allow- check your water heater to see if you can turn it up] with as much water as possible in the washer. Only the first
wash will need detergent included. The rest can be plain water, or any additives recommended by the
link below. In my opinion the best bacteria killer is the sun. Sun dry those diapers to sanitize them. If
you decide to use the dryer, be sure that after the cycle is done that those diapers are completely dry.
Do not let them sit damp as this increases your chance of mold/mildew growing.
If sunning isn’t an option or if you’re dealing with mildew/mold stains, please refer to this site for help.
They provide many options for killing mildew and bacteria safely on cloth and removing the nasty stains
they leave behind.
Also, please be aware that more humid climates may need to do more frequent washes. Watch your
pail and be the judge of if 3 days is ok or if more frequent washes are needed. Wet pails are also not
recommended since in warm temperatures it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
Contributed by: Alex
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