FAQ

My Diaper Leaks. Why?

New diapers
For new cotton cloth diapers, wash and dry them several times, if possible using hot water. New cloth diapers, particularly those made of unbleached cotton, are not absorbent, and will likely leak until all the natural cotton oils are washed out. A good indication that you need more pre-wash: fast leak around the inside of the legs, coming out of the covers but not through the covers, and the diaper will not be saturated.

Too large
If you are using diapers that have already been washed five times or more, check the fit. The waist and legs should fit snugly.

Too small
More common than a diaper fitting too loosely is a cover that is too small. It should be roomy, not wrapped too tightly. While the diaper should fit snugly, a cover should leave some room for air circulation. Make certain that the diaper is completely inside the cover. If there is any cloth poking out, it will wick onto clothing.

Detergent residue
Waterproof fabric can start wicking after about 3 months of washing in unsuitable detergent. The residues create a wicking medium throughout the fabric.

Repelling fleece
Detergent residues and diaper creams can coat the fleece, creating a water-resistant barrier that urine rolls off of, right out the legs! This is a layer that you want urine to flow through freely. If your pocket diapers leak and the inserts don’t seem super saturated, suspect repelling fleece. Place a cloth wipe or flushable liner between any diaper cream and the pocket diaper, take a look at your detergent to see if it may have troublesome ingredients, and “strip” your diapers. One way to do this is to rub dishwashing liquid into the fleece, scrubbing thoroughly, then wash in hot water until all suds are gone.


My Diaper Stinks. Why?

Detergent
With an ammonia smell, it’s likely detergent residue. Run your diapers through an extra hot wash with no soap; if there are any suds, the detergent did not rinse out completely, and this residue is what causes the ammonia smell when the diaper gets wet again. Run your diapers through an extra cold rinse cycle after washing or use less detergent, or switch brands.

Storage
- Use a dry pail. Don’t soak your diapers in poop-soup. This allows a lot of odors to penetrate deep into all those layers.
- Get as much of the solid waste off the diaper as possible before storing in the pail. The best way to do this is to use flushable liners.
- If you’ve rolled a diaper up into a tight “diaper bomb” to fit it into a carry-bag, make sure it’s unrolled before you put it in the pail.

Not getting clean enough
Some people, after reading about too much detergent causing problems, cut back so drastically that they don’t use enough to get their diapers clean.



My Diaper Leaks during Overnight Use. Why?
Diapers
Once your baby begins sleeping for long periods of time, your diapers should include the extra absorbency needed to get them through the night. A hemp or bamboo insert together with mcrofleece adds insurance.


Detergent Built Up
It is likely that the waterproof outer has some of that detergent build-up that causes it to wick through or the fleece is repelling. Did it happen suddenly after about 3-4 months of use? This is fixable, by stripping them.


How to Strip the Diapers?
Build up refers to residue left by detergents, fabric softeners and other substances used to clean diapers. It may cause your diaper to be non absorbent and leak. Stripping refers to the removal of residue on diapers. To strip diapers, simply hand wash your diaper with your regular dish washer. You may either rub the fleece vigorously together or use a medium bristle dish brush or hard bristle tooth brush to scrub the fleece. Turn inside out and repeat on this side. Rinse well, making sure that the water runs clear. Toss to washing machine and wash it without detergent.