If you've decided to try cloth, or you're seriously considering it, the environmental and economic case is solid. (If you're still weighing cloth vs. eco-disposables, start with that post first.) This one is about the actual mechanics: what to buy, how to store dirty diapers, how to clean them, and how to protect your baby's skin while you're at it.
The system isn't as involved as it sounds. Most families settle into a routine within a few weeks.
Choosing Your Fabric
Cloth diapers come in three main organic fiber types, each with different absorbency profiles and use cases. Understanding the differences helps you build a stash that actually performs.
| Fiber | What it does well | Limitations | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Cotton | Soft against newborn skin; breathable; rinses clean easily | Lower total absorbency; requires 6–12 pre-washes to reach full capacity | Daytime use; newborns and sensitive skin |
| Organic Hemp | Most durable option; absorbs roughly 2× more than cotton by weight | Stiff texture; slow to absorb and slow to dry | Heavy wetters; overnight use |
| Bamboo (Lyocell) | Absorbs about 70% more than cotton; naturally antibacterial; silky feel | Less durable than cotton or hemp; sensitive to high-heat drying | Overnight; humid climates |
Layering for Better Absorbency
The most effective cloth diapering setups use a layering strategy: place the fast-absorbing material (cotton or bamboo) on top, against skin, and the slower but higher-capacity material (hemp) underneath. The top layer pulls moisture away quickly so baby doesn't feel wet; the bottom layer holds volume so you don't get compression leaks when the diaper gets heavy.
This is exactly the principle behind hybrid systems like the GroVia Hybrid, which pairs an organic cotton outer shell with swappable inserts. For overnight, adding a hemp booster to any insert dramatically extends hold time without adding bulk.
The One Thing Nobody Tells You About
A diaper sprayer, sometimes called a mini-shower or handheld bidet sprayer, attaches directly to the water supply line behind your toilet. You use it to rinse solid waste off cloth diapers directly into the bowl before putting them in the wash. Before solids start (around six months), exclusively breastfed waste is water-soluble and can go straight into the machine. Once solids are in the picture, rinsing first becomes non-negotiable.
This is the single piece of equipment that separates families who stick with cloth long-term from those who quit. Without it, managing solid waste is the friction point that ends most cloth diapering attempts.
What to look for: all-metal construction (stainless steel body and brass fittings) for durability and leak prevention, and trigger-based pressure control to prevent backsplash during rinsing. Plastic sprayers work but tend to crack and leak within a year. A spray shield, a hinged plastic guard that sits on the toilet seat to contain overspray, is a small addition that makes the process noticeably cleaner.
Storage Between Washes: The Dry Pail Method
The old approach was a wet pail, a bucket of water you soaked dirty diapers in until laundry day. Modern standards have moved away from this for two reasons: wet pails are a drowning hazard for mobile infants, and soaking actually degrades the fabric and elastic over time.
The current standard is the dry pail: dirty diapers go into a waterproof, breathable bag or lined bin after rinsing, and sit dry until wash day. TPU- or PUL-lined bags contain odor while allowing air circulation, which prevents the ammonia buildup that comes from completely sealed storage. Most families wash every two to three days.
Pail tip: A steel diaper pail like the Ubbi Steel works well for cloth because its tight-sealing lid controls odor without trapping moisture. Use it with a reusable cloth liner instead of disposable bags, pull the whole liner out on wash day and throw it in with the diapers.
Washing: What the Detergent Actually Does to Your Diapers
The wrong detergent is one of the most common reasons cloth diapers start repelling moisture and leaking over time. Residue from optical brighteners, fabric softeners, and synthetic fragrances coats the fibers and progressively reduces absorbency. It also stays in contact with baby's skin at every change.
What to look for in a cloth-diaper-safe detergent: no optical brighteners, no fragrance, no dyes, no fabric softener, plant-based surfactants. Wash in the hottest water your diapers' care instructions allow, hot water is what actually sanitizes and removes oils and waste residue effectively.
Our catalog has a few solid options: Puracy Natural Baby Laundry Detergent is EWG Verified and fragrance-free, and it's specifically formulated to be safe for sensitive skin. Attitude Baby Laundry Detergent is another EWG-certified option with a clean ingredient list. Both are safe for cloth diapers and HE machines.
Protecting Baby's Skin
Infant skin is significantly more permeable than adult skin, chemicals applied to the diaper area absorb at a higher rate and reach the bloodstream more readily. This matters most for two things: what's in your wipes, and what's in your diaper cream.
The Phenoxyethanol Issue
Phenoxyethanol is a common preservative found in many baby wipes and skincare products. It's generally considered safe for adult use, but infant exposure has been linked to central nervous system effects, vomiting, and diarrhea, which is why major pediatric brands have been transitioning away from it. Check wipes labels specifically, since wipes are used multiple times per day in the highest-absorption zone on baby's body.
Barrier Creams and Cloth Compatibility
Most conventional diaper rash creams contain zinc oxide suspended in petroleum jelly or mineral oil. These work well as physical barriers, zinc oxide is genuinely the gold standard for rash prevention, but petroleum-based carriers coat cloth fibers and reduce absorbency over time, the same way fabric softener does.
For cloth diapering, look for zinc oxide creams with plant-based carriers (coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax) instead of petroleum. Botanical options like calendula have natural anti-inflammatory properties and are gentle on irritated skin without the fabric-coating problem. Earth Mama Organic Diaper Balm is USDA Certified Organic, uses organic calendula, and is specifically formulated to be safe for cloth diapers.
The complete system: Organic cotton or bamboo inserts for day use, hemp insert or booster for overnight. Diaper sprayer by the toilet. Dry pail with a washable liner. Fragrance-free plant-based detergent. Petroleum-free barrier balm at every change. That's the whole setup.
For diaper hardware, changing pad, pail, and more, browse our Nursery category.
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