Cloth Diaper Wash Solution
A washing soda and baking soda soak that keeps cloth diapers clean, soft, and odor-free
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Washing soda
- 1 tbsp Baking soda
- 1 tbsp Unscented liquid castile soap (optional, for heavy soiling)
Steps
- Pre-rinse cycle: Run soiled diapers through a cold rinse cycle with no detergent to flush out waste.
- Main wash: Add 2 tablespoons of washing soda and 1 tablespoon of baking soda to the detergent dispenser. Set the machine to a hot wash (120-140°F) on the longest available cycle.
- For heavily soiled loads, add 1 tablespoon of unscented liquid castile soap directly to the drum.
- Extra rinse: Run one additional rinse cycle with no additives to ensure all detergent residue is removed.
- Dry: Tumble dry on medium heat or line-dry in direct sunlight. Sunlight naturally bleaches stains and kills bacteria.
Why It Works
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is a powerful water softener and alkaline cleaner that breaks down urine salts and fecal residue without leaving behind the synthetic brighteners, enzymes, or fragrances found in commercial diaper detergents. Baking soda neutralizes acidic odors. The hot wash temperature kills bacteria while the extra rinse ensures no residue remains against baby’s skin. This simple combination is what most cloth diaper manufacturers actually recommend under the marketing of their own branded detergents.
The Cost Comparison
Specialty cloth diaper detergents cost $15-20 per bag and last around 30 loads ($0.50-0.65 per load). A box of washing soda costs $4-5 and lasts roughly 50 loads. A box of baking soda costs $1-2 and lasts even longer. Total cost per load: about $0.08-0.12. Over a year of washing every other day, this saves $75-100 on detergent alone — on top of the much larger savings of cloth diapers over disposables.
Tips
- Do not use fabric softener or dryer sheets with cloth diapers — they coat fibers and destroy absorbency.
- Do not add vinegar to the wash cycle. While vinegar is excellent for general laundry, the acidity can degrade the elastic and PUL in cloth diapers over time.
- If diapers develop a persistent ammonia smell, do a “strip wash”: soak overnight in the bathtub with 3 tablespoons of washing soda in hot water, then run through a regular wash cycle.
- Wash every 2-3 days maximum. Letting soiled diapers sit longer allows bacteria to set into the fibers and causes staining.
- Sunlight is your best stain remover. Even a few hours of sun-drying eliminates stains that survived the wash.