Monday, July 23, 2012

Cloth Diaper Accessories

Here is what I hope will be a helpful guide about all the extras you'll want to have on hand along with your cloth diapers.

The first thing you're going to need to figure out is how you're going to store your dirty diapers. There are a few different options, here's what we do at our house:

Peel and stick linoleum at it's finest!

We purchased an inexpensive garbage can and two Kissa's pail liners. I wash the dirty liner every time I do diaper laundry, so having two ensures we always have a clean one to keep in the pail. You certainly could get by with just one, though.

This system works really for us but I know some people just use a large wetbag that hangs off a doorknob.

Here are some other things you'll want to consider getting.

1. Flushable liners. These are especially helpful after your baby starts eating solid foods, just pull out the soiled liner and flush the ickiness away!
2. Cloth diaper detergent. There are plenty of detergents on the market that are great for cloth diapers. We chose to use Tide because it's readily available and will work on all our clothes. When Harry was first born we were using a free and clear detergent on his laundry but we've had no problems switching everything over to Tide.
3. Bac-Out. Bac-Out is an all-natural stain remover and odor eliminator. I always spray it on the soiled diapers and sometimes on the wet ones, too. It doesn't completely get rid of the smells but it helps quite a bit.
4. Diaper Rash Cream. Regular diaper creams like Desitin or Butt Paste aren't safe for cloth diapers. Some of their ingredients can cause diapers to repel moisture and leak. There are a few cloth diaper safe creams out there, California Baby being one of them. You can actually buy it at Target which is nice and convenient!
5. CJ's BUTTer: CJ's BUTTer isn't really a diaper rash cream, but more of a skin protectant you can use all over baby's body (and yours!). We have both the stick and original cream versions, and there's also a spray. The stick is really easy to apply but I like how thick the cream is. My favorite sent is Monkey Farts. I know, terrible name, but it smells wonderful!
6. Fleece liners. I made mine out of some inexpensive fleece I bought at JoAnns, but you can purchase purchase them pre-made as well. Fleece liners are great at wicking moisture away from baby's skin if the diaper is made of natural fibers (GroVia, Swaddlebees, etc.). It's much easier to spray off a liner than a whole diaper. Fleece liners are also a must if you have to use a non-cloth diaper safe cream like a prescription cream. If you do use a non-cloth safe cream, be sure to wash the liner separate from your diaper laundry.
7. Wet bag. A must for cloth diapering on the go! The Planet Wise bag we have is just big enough to hold one diaper. A lot of moms will tell you you need a bigger one, but it's worked just fine for us since we don't usually go out for more than a few hours at a time. If you don't have a wet bag you could use a large ziplock bag in a pinch.

One other thing we love that isn't pictured is a diaper sprayer, a little contraption that hooks up to your toilet that sprays away all the yuckiness before you do your diaper laundry. FYI, you really don't need to spray your diapers until your baby starts eating solids. Both formula and breast milk poops are water soluble so it's perfectly fine to throw everything in the wash as is.

Other accessories you might want to consider:
1. Fasteners. If you're using prefolds or fitted cloth diapers you'll need something to secure them. Snappis are the modern answer to old fashioned diaper pins.
2. Cloth wipes. Many cloth diapering parents also use cloth wipes. You throw them in with your diaper laundry so it's not that much more work. We line dry all our cloth diapers so we're sticking with disposable wipes for now since we don't have the space to hang all the wipes. Along with cloth wipes a lot of people use a wipe solution (some just use water). You can purchase one or make your own.
3. Wool dryer balls. These help reduce drying time in your clothes dryer.
4. Wool care. If you decide to include wool soakers as part of your stash, you'll need some extra accessories just for them, like a wool wash and lanolizer.

So there you have it! I'm sure I've missed some accessories that are out on the market but I'm pretty sure I've covered the main ones. 

If you're in the market for cloth diapers and accessories, check out Kissed By The Moon.

KBTM is a great store I recently discovered. They offer competitive pricing and fast and free shipping! I just became an affiliate of KBTM and I am really excited about our partnership. I had been wanting to partner up with a cloth diaper business for some time and think KBTM is the perfect fit! The selection of diapers and accessories is extensive and I love the "small business" feel of their site. Also, don't forget to check out the "Specials" section of the website to learn about what's on sale and take advantage of coupon codes and free gifts!


  1. Awesome tips! It's really helpful. Thank you :)


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