Cloth Nappy Fabric Guide: Common Materials Used in Cloth Nappies – Close Parent
by Ann Stewart July 29, 2020
I always hear from parents that cloth nappies are not nearly as much work as they always imagined. I had the same experience myself when I made the switch to cloth! Even though cloth nappying is easy, there are some wonderful products that can make it even more simple. Of course, us parents love anything that can make living with a new baby easier – and cleaner!
I can’t express enough how much nappy liners help with the clean-up process. Nappy liners are thin little sheets that get placed between the nappy and your baby’s behind. They are designed to capture poop and make disposal simple. Poop rolls right off the liners into the toilet, so you don’t have to scrape or scoop it out of nappies. Liners are also great for protecting your precious nappies from being damaged by nappy cream.
Liners come in three types:
Microfleece liners, like these, wick moisture away from your baby’s skin and keep them feeling dry for longer. These wicking properties allow liquid to pass through the liner into the nappy where it can be absorbed. This will reduce the possibility of nappy rash and keep your baby happy!
Polyester liners are similar, also acting as a waterproof barrier between your baby's wet nappy and their sensitive skin. Seedling Baby’s Luxury Liners are an excellent choice as they can be reused hundreds of times while retaining their softness.
Paper liners are disposable and therefore the simplest way to go. Although many paper liners are advertised as flushable, we highly recommend composting or throwing your liners in the bin. No one wants a clogged toilet! Poop can still be rolled off of these liners and into the toilet, so your trash bin won’t be smelly. We recommend these Baby BeHinds liners. They’re chemical-free, biodegradable and compostable.
2. NAPPY SPRAYER
A nappy sprayer is a best friend to cloth nappy users. This handy little device allows you to rinse solids from your baby’s nappy to easily prepare it for laundering. Most parents will agree that this is a worthwhile investment. Unless, of course, you enjoy dunking your nappies in the toilet or rinsing them in your sink.
A nappy sprayer hooks up directly to your toilet’s plumbing. Plus, it’s so easy to install it can be done in less than 10 minutes. No plumber required, really!
Before you buy a nappy sprayer, make sure your toilet has a flexible supply line and the plumbing tap is not hidden behind your bathroom wall. Most toilets will meet both of these requirements. If you don’t have a flexible supply line, you can get them at any home improvement store for under $10.
Nappy sprayers include a pressure control valve, so you can turn the sprayer off at the water source. This is very valuable since it keeps your curious toddler from giving your bathroom a shower when your back is turned! Nappy sprayers also come with a wall mount, so the sprayer can sit sleekly and discretely behind your toilet.
Little Piglet has two nappy sprayers to choose from, both of which are compatible with Australian plumbing:
The Little Squirt nappy sprayer is made in Australia and includes a tamper-proof trigger to keep your toddler from making mischief.
The Diaper Sprayer comes in white and sleek chrome to compliment any bathroom.
Once you’ve removed and rinsed that dirty nappy, you have to store it until laundry day. Traditionally, nappies were kept in a wet pail and soaked until it was time to wash them. We don’t recommend this because it creates odors and stains the nappies. Wet pails can also be heavy to move around and need to be drained into the toilet every day. Most importantly, they present a drowning hazard for young children and pets.
Today, most parents choose to use either a wet bag or nappy bin fitted with a washable liner. We prefer wet bags because they can be hung from door handles or change tables, carried to the laundry room with ease, and are sealed tightly to keep odors locked inside.
Contrary the name, nappies in wet bags are stored dry without being presoaked. However, poop nappies will need to be pre-rinsed before going in the bag, which means the bag will have to be waterproof. Wet bags are thrown in the wash with your cloth nappies, so they’ll stay clean and sanitary too!
There are tons of wet bags available, but we sell our personal favorites at Little Piglet:
3-piece wet bags by Close: Three sizes for all needs
Baby Beehinds extra-large wet bags: Holds 24 nappies!
Cheeky lil’One one size wet bag: Comes in beautiful prints
It’s a great idea to get a variety of sizes for different situations. For day care, you may want to send clean cloth nappies in one bag alongside a second wet bag for the dirty ones. At home, you will probably want a much larger bag to hold nappies for a couple days before washing.
As an added bonus, all of these wet bags can be double-purposed after your little one is out of nappies. For example, you can use them as beach bags, toy bags, and travel bags.
Treat yourself to one of these items and make your hectic baby life a little easier!