Cloth Nappy Care

Caring for modern cloth nappies and keeping them clean is ridiculously easy - don't be put off thinking you will be up to your elbows scrubbing poo.

Visit Clean Cloth Nappies for in depth information on washing your cloth nappies. 

Designer Bums - Care and Wash Instructions

NEW NAPPIES only require a short rinse cycle with a small amount of detergent and when dry can be used. Our premium custom-milled bamboo is so absorbent it works right away but will continue to increase in absorbency even more.

  1. Before washing, gently unsnap all inserts and separate parts to avoid tearing fabrics - Genuine KAM snaps are very strong
  2. DRY PAIL - Place any solids into the toilet and give shells and inserts a quick rinse under the laundry tap to dilute residue and then store nappies in a dry-pail between washes. This will prolong the lifespan of fabrics, and help to avoid mould, ammonia and waste build up in the nappies, plus limit smells. Do not leave longer than 2-3 days particularly in hot climates or summer.
  3. PRE-RINSE - Once you have a load ready to wash, run a short cycle prior to the main wash with a half amount of detergent. This helps to remove heavy soil and prohibit build-up. Using a cycle that drains the dirty water away before the main wash is best.
  4. MAIN WASH - Wash nappies every second day using the FULL amount recommended of a good quality regular, sensitive or plant-based washing powder for your load size (without fabric softeners or bleaches). Simply run a 'heavy or long' (max 60 degrees) to get nappies thoroughly clean, sanitary, free of build-up and smelling fresh each wash. We recommend using double the amount for plant based detergents when washing nappies for best cleaning results.
  5. DRY - AIR or LOW ONLY Tumble Dry for Shells - Use caution if tumble drying shells, high temperatures can delaminate the waterproof outer and void your warranty. Cotton outers can shrink in the dryer so line dry is recommended. Inserts can be dried at any temperature and are less ridged after a tumble dry.


  • Do not exceed spin speed of 800RPM when washing shells, as this may damage and stretch the elastics. 
  • Do not run nappy shells through a hot wash over 60 degrees as this can damage the PUL waterproof layer and will void your warranty.  
  • Barrier creams are fine to use but will require a warm to hot wash to remove oil and zinc residue that will impact absorbency. We recommend using a liner with nappy creams - please note 'flushable' liners are a hazard to plumbing and should be placed in rubbish or non-edible compost after solids are flushed.
  • To avoid damaging or fading fabrics, do not soak in chemicals or bleaches
  • If your baby has particularly sensitive skin, we would recommend running an optional short, final rinse to ensure all detergents are washed away and consider using a sensitive or plant based laundry detergent
  • Cellulase Enzyme is used as 'anti-pill' technology and contained in some washing powders. It is included to trim off loose and fuzzy fibres with each wash, keeping garments looking newer for longer. Cellulase by its nature, breaks down natural fibres such as bamboo, hemp and cotton at a certain concentration. The concentration of Cellulase in commercial powers is very low, therefore no immediate or shot-term difference would likely be detectable. Once these materials have been exposed to the manufacturing process they are 'regenerated' meaning they are no longer in their raw form and not susceptible to enzyme breakdown in the same way. Biological enzyme formulas are actually very effective in cleaning soiled nappies.



**HOT TIP** Reusable Nappy Liners

As mentioned above, nappy liners can protect your cloth nappies from barrier cream build up and also make disposing of #2s (and #3s for that matter) much easier.

  • You can make Reusable Nappy Liners from microfleece (purchased from your local fabric store) cut to size
  • #2s will "roll" off the fabric much easier than the inserts, into the loo
  • Simply give the liner a quick rinse if needed
  • The reusable liners can be washing with the same routine as your cloth nappies