You’ve been begging for this for aaaages but I just like to keep you hanging. Soz gals! Looking into cloth nappies can be super intimidating. You’re probably asking yourself why there are so many brands and price points, and also wondering how on earth to clean the dam things too right? Lemme help ya out!
What ones do I buy?!
There are so many brands right?! I mainly use Alva nappies. These are one of the most affordable options. I get mine from Daisy and Belles. They work out at around $10 each. They’re considered a ‘pocket nappy’ and are one size fits most. They have a pocket that you stuff a liner inside of. I mainly have mircofibre inners, but bamboo inners are also fab! I find this type great as I can pull the liner out to wash it really easily. The inside of the actual nappy is lined with microfleece. I find that having that directly on the skin can cause rashes so I line the nappy with a Thinkwise wipe. I also use Thinkwise wipes as my wet wipes. They come dry, and you just wet them with water.
Other highly recommended brands:
How many do I need?
This depends on how often you plan to wash them! I wash every 2 days and have 24 nappies. I think this is an ideal amount for us! If I had any less I would be running out bang on 2 days but if I had more I’d be out of storage space.
How to I clean them?
I learnt how to clean mine on the Clean Cloth Nappies Down Under website. It has a lot of helpful information. I like how the guide has all the different washing detergents listed and tells you what temp to wash you nappies on. Super helpful!
Here’s what I do:
-Rinse poo nappies. Give them a little scrub with this silicone brush. Breastfed baby poo doesn’t require too much effort. Once poo is more *ahem* formed, shake the solids into the loo, then scrub.
-Rinse really wet nappy inners.
-Pop in a well ventilated bucket. I just use a flexi tub and hang the inners over the side. Believe it or not, the fresh air helps them NOT smell.
-When it’s time to wash them (every 2 days) I put them in the machine with other light coloured clothing. I do a cycle with a pre wash, and a long wash at 50 degrees with two scoops of powder. The pre wash is so that they get a really good rinse and aren’t being washed in poopy water.
-Dry! Sometimes they can come out a little yellow, but sunlight soon fixes that! I dry outside on the line if its a nice day, or inside on the clothes horse if not. They’re pretty quick to dry, especially the microfibre inserts!
I hope that clears up your questions! Cloth nappies don’t need to be intimidating or scary! I love how great they are for the environment and my wallet. If you’ve got questions, feel free to flick me a DM on Instagram!
Brittney x
