9 tips for successful use of cloth diapers

tips to use cloth diapers

We love Modern Cloth Diapers – they keep your baby happy, and they keep thousands of disposable diapers out of landfills, helping reduce air pollution and protect our planet. Modern Cloth Diapers are however a relatively new in India, and as part of our series, we’ve put together a list of useful tips to use cloth diapers, and continue successfully!

  1. Begin at two months: While you can start with Modern Cloth Diapers from the moment your baby is born (they’re available in all sizes), in my personal view, 2 months is the right time. You’ve settled in with your baby’s routine by then, and your baby is 4 kg+, which means he or she can now fit into a one size diaper which will last till your baby is 2.5 yrs old. Your requirement for cloth diapers will go down after that, and you can invest in a larger sizes based on your child’s need.
  2. Start Small: Buy 2 All in One diapers and 2 Pocket Diapers. All in One’s come with a lining, are soft and comfortable, and basically require little or no extra work from your side. With Pocket Diapers you can try out different linings. It’s the simplest way to get started. For a whole year you need 14-15 diapers at most, and the first Four, will keep you going for at least a couple of months. Learn more about the different types of Modern Cloth Diapers, here.
  3. Focus on the fit: If your cloth diaper leaks within an hour of use, it clearly means there is a problem with the fit, and that you haven’t used the right size of diapers. To get the correct size, always snap to lower or bigger size using row buttons, and then stuff the insert and tighten up the waist. As a thumb rule, the waist should be tight enough so that only one finger can go inside the cloth diaper, and the bum area should be snapped in such a way that there should be no gap between the diaper elastic and the baby’s thighs. If the diaper fits well, the diaper will not leak. Take a look at the video below to see how to do this with an All In One Diaper.
  4. Adopt a simple laundry routine: Cloth diapers don’t need special care to keep them in good shape for long. All you need is a good laundry routine. Always ensure your diapers are pre-rinsed under cold water, and then washed with a bleach and softener free laundry detergent. Commonly available Surf Excel or Tide Plus work just fine. Avoid Dettol, Comfort, Ezee, other fabric conditioners or bleaches, since these are harsh and can ruin your diapers. A simple machine wash and good sun drying is all that cloth diapers ask for!
  5. Do a hot water soak once a month: If you ever feel that your diapers and inserts are smelling of pee even after detergent wash – just immerse them them in very hot (but not boiling) water and let them soak till the water cools down. The rinse and dry, and they will feel fresh again. In fact, they’ll absorb better too! In fact, create a routine of soak your cloth diaper stash in hot water once every month, as part of their regular maintenance.
  6. Use eco-friendly liners: One of the biggest draws of disposable diapers is that they are absolutely no mess – even when a baby poops (unless of course there’s an accident). You can just wrap it up and throw it away. Well there’s a simple way of managing that with Modern Cloth Diapers too. Use nappy liners from a major brand like Mee Mee or Pigeon which are disposable, biodegradable and therefore eco-friendly. The nappy liners are designed to let liquid pass through, but not solids – so when your baby poops, all you need to do is take the nappy liner and either flush it away, or throw it in the bin. No heavy duty cleaning, no diaper staining, and you can be eco-friendly. These liners are available online and at most baby shops priced at approximately Rs. 300 for 100 sheets. Also available are liners made of fleece fabric, which are washable and reusable. Poopy diapers would never trouble you any more if you use nappy liners along.
  7. Get a Wet Bag: Use a wet bag to store your used diapers, at home or while travelling. Another option is to store them in an open diaper pail, near a window. This would help you prevent pee smell of diapers spreading inside the rooms. Wetbags are zipper bags made of polyester, and block all the smell inside. Since we want to avoid buying polyester or plastic, here’s a quick video that you can use to make your own! If not, then just go ahead and buy one!
  8. Give your diapers lots of sun: Poop stains showing up on diaper covers? Poop stains over microfleece and microsuede diapers may not go away in one wash. But fret not, all it needs is good sunshine to fade away the marks. Sunshine is the best disinfectant for cloth diapers. It removes smells, lightens up stains and bring freshness to the diapers and inserts.
  9. Mix and match: Do not get bogged down by the variety of cloth diapers available these days. Identify the purposes for which you are seeking cloth diapers, and you would get diapering solutions accordingly. For example, if you looking to use cloth diapers for nights only, always use hemp insert inside the diaper so it lasts all night. If you are looking for more convenience, choose all-in-one diapers over pocket diapers. There are many options available these days, so best is to try 2-3 different varieties while building your stash of modern cloth diapers.

Get started, that’s the only way of doing it! If you have any questions or need help, post a comment and we’ll get back to you!

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28 thoughts on “9 tips for successful use of cloth diapers”

  1. Madhura August 14, 2016

    r cloth diaper work as same as regular pampers or momy pko diapers??

  2. Aditi
    Aditi August 19, 2016

    Yes madhura, they work similarly

  3. Bhavika August 23, 2016

    Really liked it very much. Can I knw d cost of it. Is it cum in combos or to buy single? Pls let me knw as interested in buying. R dey available in nearby baby shops in South mum

  4. Priya August 29, 2016

    I want to know as how can i buy those diapers

    • Garima Punia September 1, 2016

      Hi Priya, these diapers are available easily online on Amazon or other shopping sites and also in some stores. If you prefer to buy these from a store let us know which city you live in and we will let you know where you can get them.

  5. Pratibha August 29, 2016

    I want to order this plz do let me knw no.

    • Garima Punia September 1, 2016

      Hi Pratibha, these diapers are available easily online on Amazon or other shopping sites and also in some stores. If you prefer to buy these from a store let us know which city you live in and we will let you know where you can get them.

  6. Nisha Sharma September 19, 2016

    My baby is 1 year old and 12 Kg.I want to know which size is correct for him.what is hemp? you mention it, if we r using it for night.what is difference between pocket diaper and All in one?

    • Eva Mukhija
      Eva Mukhija September 27, 2016

      Hi Nisha
      The diapers come in one size and fit babies from 5-15 kg.
      Hemp is a fabric from which insert is made . In cloth diapering world, its the most thirsty fabric, i.e it absorbs the most.
      A pocket diaper is one in which insert(soaking pad) is stuffed into a pocket while an AIO has the insert stitched to the body of diaper.

      If you would like to buy some cloth diapers, check out http://www.greentots.in.

  7. Ambika October 7, 2016

    Hi, I want to knw if these diapers cause any rashes as regular diapers.

    • Eva Mukhija
      Eva Mukhija October 12, 2016

      Hi Ambika

      Most babies do not get rashes with cloth diapers for one, they are breathable while disposables are not. Secondly, they do not have any chemical layer touching the skin.

      My own daughter stopped getting rashed completely, once we switched to cloth diapers.

      Having said that, I would recommend to be cautious for first time use, as some (rarely though) babies have sensitiviity to certain types of fabrics. So start with using the diaper for 1 hour at first and observe if the baby bum is fine. If yes, you are good to go!

  8. Bhavika October 13, 2016

    Hi liked d product very much. I live in South Mumbai if it is available in any store let me knw. Wat is d range of it so I can buy wer it is cheap

    • Garima Punia October 25, 2016

      Hi the best place is to buy it off Amazon. You’ll get a variety of vendors and prices. Search for Modern Cloth Diapers and read our post to ensure you make the right selection. There are also a few groups on Facebook that you could join to get more advice.

  9. roopa October 15, 2016

    M from Bangalore plz let me know where its available..

  10. Amita sharma October 20, 2016

    Hi, my baby is 2 months old and his weight is 4 kg.. Plzz let me know the size and cost of the cloth diapers and also let me know the shop in rohini, delhi from I purchase the same…

  11. Tamanna October 27, 2016

    Is pampers not good for babies

    • Garima Punia November 1, 2016

      Pampers can work just as well for babies as long as they are changed frequently. Modern Cloth Diapers are good for both your baby and the environment as you don’t just use and throw them away. Pampers and other brands of disposable diapers have a lot of plastic in them, making them bad for the environment. As you may be aware plastic takes hundreds of years to break down and during the process it puts out toxic fumes into the atmosphere.

  12. Sangita November 4, 2016

    Hi, I am staying in Mumbai, could you pls. Let me know from which store I can buy cloth diapers.

    • Garima Punia November 5, 2016

      Hi Sangita,
      these are easily available online. Try Amazon.

  13. Jery November 12, 2016

    I have recently switched to cloth diapers. I must say, it is simply superb.. does its job pretty well, keeping the baby dry.. I use charcoal bamboo cotton inserts.. works well.. of no poop, t can last for 4 to 5 hrs even for a heavy wetter.. choosing multi layered inserts helps to keep dry all through the night . Bought from Amazon
    I was initially worried about the poop stains on the white micrifleece layer but choosing black layers like charcoal bamboo works great both in absorbency and looks

  14. Aahwini November 21, 2016

    My baby is 2 1/2 month n his weight 5 .. which size should I purchase

  15. Moni November 25, 2016

    Hi, I am from Gurgaon,plz tell me from where I can buy these dipers

  16. Neha Modi December 11, 2016

    You can check http://www.facebook.com/babies.peekaboo for reasonable trial packs

  17. Archana shastry December 22, 2016

    Should we wash pocket diaper and insert after one use?

    • Garima Punia December 22, 2016

      Hi Archana, the insert must be washed the pocket diaper itself doesn’t necessarily need to be unless it is soiled.

  18. Dhvani January 17, 2017

    My baby is 6 months n 7kg weight… I want to start with cloth diaper.. Which ones shall I buy as a starter?? All in one or ones with insert

  19. Soumya January 18, 2017

    Can you please share the Amazon link? There are too many products. My girl is 2+ months now and weighs 4.5kg.

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