Prepping fitted diapers and diaper inserts properly before their first use is essential to ensure they achieve optimal absorbency. Fitted diapers and inserts, made from natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, or hemp, are known for their excellent absorbency. Here’s a guide on how to prep your new types of absorbency to get the best out of them.
✨Why Prepping is Important
Natural fiber diapers often come with natural oils that can inhibit their absorbency. Prepping helps remove these oils and opens up the fibers so they can become more absorbent. Additionally, prepping increases the durability and lifespan of the diapers by conditioning the fibers before regular use. While it will take approximately 5-8 washes for the diapers to reach maximum absorbency, you can get away with washing 2-3 times and expect for them to continue to gain absorbency with subsequent washing.
✨Read the Wash Instructions
Before you start, it's crucial to read any care instructions provided by the manufacturer. These instructions can include specific washing or drying recommendations based on the fabric type and construction of the diaper.
✨Gather Your Supplies
- Fitted diapers, Diaper Inserts, and/or Any Other Natural Fiber Absorbency
- Laundry detergent: Use a cloth diaper-friendly detergent to avoid residue build-up that can reduce absorbency.
- Washing machine
✨Wash 'Em
- Check the tag: Verify the wash temperature and instructions on the tag or instructions that came with them.
- Detergent: Use a small amount of cloth diaper-friendly detergent.
- Repeat washing: Natural fibers typically need multiple washes to become fully absorbent. Cotton might need about 3-5 washes, bamboo blends around 5-8 whereas and hemp may need as many as 8-10 washes.
- No need to dry between washes: For the purpose of prepping, you don’t have to dry the diapers between each wash. You can run them through several wash cycles one after another to expedite the process.
✨Drying
- Dry thoroughly: After the final wash, dry the diapers completely. You can use a dryer on a low heat setting or line dry them. Some fibers, like bamboo, benefit from occasional tumble drying to maintain softness.
- Check the diaper’s shrinkage: Natural fibers may shrink after the first few washes. This is normal and usually accounted for in the diaper’s design.
✨Maintenance
- Regular washing: Continue to use cloth diaper-friendly detergent and follow good cloth diaper washing practices to maintain their absorbency and hygiene.
- Avoid fabric softeners and bleach: These can degrade the fibers and reduce the absorbency of the diapers.
✨Tips and Tricks
- Consider a diaper sprayer: This can help rinse off soiled diapers easily before washing.
- Stain removal: Sunning your diapers can help remove stains naturally.
✨Conclusion
Prepping your diapers might seem like a time-intensive process, but it’s a critical step in ensuring that the diapers perform at their best. Once prepped, these diapers offer a comfortable, absorbent, and eco-friendly diapering option for your baby.
By following these steps, you can make sure that your absorbency is ready to go and will serve you well through your cloth diapering journey. Remember, a little effort in the beginning can lead to a lot of convenience and efficiency later on!