# How to Wash Cloth Diapers: Routine & Full Care Guide

> What routine for cloth diapers? Dry storage, cold pre-wash, 60 °C, glycerin-free detergent. Percarbonate stripping and method by insert type.

**Published :** 2026-03-23 · **Updated :** 2026-04-25

---

**Résumé :** Cloth diapers are washed in two steps: a **cold pre-wash** (to rinse urine and
stools) followed by a **long wash at 60 °C** with a powder detergent that is
**glycerin-free and softener-free**. Dry storage between washes (no soaking),
percarbonate stripping every 1-2 months, and sun drying to naturally bleach
stains. The ideal rhythm: one cycle every 2-3 days, with a rotation stock of
20-25 diapers.

## At a glance

- **Dry storage** — no soaking. An aerated bucket or wet bag, emptied every 2-3 days.
- **Cold pre-wash** — short cycle with no detergent (or half dose) to rinse urine and residue before the main wash.
- **60 °C, powder detergent** — glycerin-free, softener-free, no essential oils. Full dose.
- **Fill the drum to two-thirds** — add small items to create the friction needed for cleaning.
- **Monthly stripping** — long 60 °C cycle with sodium percarbonate, no detergent. Removes built-up residue.

## Why cloth diapers require a specific routine

A cloth diaper is not ordinary laundry. It is a technical device designed to absorb and retain bodily fluids in direct contact with a baby's fragile skin. This dual requirement — impeccable hygiene + maximum absorbency — demands a much more rigorous wash routine than a standard cycle.

### What a soiled diaper contains

A used diaper contains urine (urea, forming ammonia), stools (bacteria, digestive enzymes, biliary pigments), sweat and skin cells. Urine, in contact with bacteria, produces ammonia — that distinctive pungent smell that appears if diapers are left unwashed too long.

Stools contain lipases (fat-degrading enzymes) and biliary pigments (bilirubin) that stain fabrics yellow-green. These pigments are photosensitive — sunlight breaks them down naturally, which is why sun drying is the best stain-removal method.

### The structure of a cloth diaper

A typical cloth diaper has three functional layers:

1. **The stay-dry layer** (fleece, microfibre or disposable liner): touches the baby's skin. Its role is to let moisture pass through while keeping the surface dry.
2. **The absorbent insert** (cotton, bamboo, hemp or microfibre): the absorbent core that retains liquid. This is the part that needs the most rigorous washing.
3. **The waterproof cover** (PUL = polyurethane laminate): the outer waterproof barrier. PUL is a coated fabric that cannot withstand high temperatures or the tumble dryer.

Each component has its own temperature and care limits — which is why the wash routine is more nuanced than simply "everything at 60 °C".

## The wash routine: step by step

### Step 1 — Removing waste and storage

At every nappy change, flush solid waste down the toilet. If you use a **disposable liner** (cellulose or viscose), simply lift the liner with the waste and flush (check the liner is biodegradable and compatible with your plumbing).

Place the soiled diaper in an **aerated bucket or wet bag** in a ventilated area. The bucket should **not be sealed airtight** — a loosely placed lid or slightly open bag allows air circulation that limits anaerobic fermentation (the main source of ammonia smell).

> Prolonged soaking in water is an outdated practice (1970s-80s) that all cloth
> diaper brands now advise against. Stagnant water promotes bacterial growth,
> generates unbearable ammonia odours, deteriorates elastics and PUL through
> prolonged immersion, and does not clean any better than dry storage followed
> by a machine cycle.

### Step 2 — Cold pre-wash

Every 2-3 days (on wash day), load all stored diapers into the machine. Run a **short cycle** (15-30 minutes) at **cold or 30 °C** with no detergent or half a dose.

This pre-wash serves three functions:

- **Rinse urine**: urea dissolved in cold water is flushed out before the hot cycle, preventing urine proteins from being "cooked" at 60 °C (cause of persistent odours).
- **Dilute stool residue**: organic residue is carried away by the rinse.
- **Prepare inserts**: uniformly dampened absorbent fibres wash better in the next cycle.

### Step 3 — Main wash at 60 °C

After the pre-wash, **do not empty the drum**. Add clean small items (towels, flannels, bodysuits) to fill the drum to **two-thirds**. A drum that is too empty does not create the friction between textiles that is essential for deep cleaning.

Run a **long cycle** (cotton or intensive) at **60 °C** with a **full dose** of powder detergent. The cycle should include a normal spin (1,000-1,200 rpm) — spinning does not damage inserts and allows faster drying.

### Choosing a detergent

Detergent choice is the most critical point in cloth diaper care. The wrong detergent is the number-one cause of leaks, odours and irritation.

- **Standard powder detergent** — Preferred over liquid: richer in surfactants, glycerin-free, more effective at 60 °C. Common supermarket brands work fine.
- **NO glycerin** — Glycerin (found in many liquid detergents) deposits a greasy film that waterproofs inserts and causes leaks.
- **NO softener** — Fabric softener is the absolute enemy of cloth diapers. It creates a hydrophobic layer on fibres that blocks absorption.
- **NO essential oils** — Essential oils are potentially irritating to baby skin and leave an oily residue in absorbent fibres.

> Homemade detergents based on
> [Marseille soap](https://amzn.to/48721mK) are not recommended for cloth diapers. Marseille soap naturally
> contains glycerin and fatty acids that clog absorbent fibres. If you want an
> eco-friendly alternative, Ecocert-certified powder detergents without glycerin
> are compatible.

### Step 4 — Rinse check

Good rinsing is fundamental. Detergent residue trapped in inserts causes **skin irritation** (nappy rash) and progressively reduces absorbency.

**The clear-water test**: at the end of the cycle, check the residual water at the bottom of the drum or observe the final rinse water. It should be perfectly clear and **foam-free**. If you see foam or cloudy water, run an **additional rinse** on cold.

If poor rinsing is a recurring problem, you are probably overdosing the detergent. Reduce the dose by 10-20% and see if the result improves.

### Step 5 — Drying by insert type

Drying depends on the component:

| Component | Tumble dryer | Air drying | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton insert | Yes, low temp (60 °C max) | Yes, slow (4-6 h) | Cotton dries slowly. Tumble drying speeds up and softens. |
| Bamboo insert | Yes, low temp (60 °C max) | Yes, slow (6-8 h) | Bamboo viscose is even slower to dry than cotton. |
| Microfibre insert | Yes, low temp (60 °C max) | Yes, fast (2-3 h) | Microfibre dries very quickly when air dried. |
| Hemp insert | Yes, low temp (60 °C max) | Yes, very slow (8-12 h) | Hemp is the most absorbent but the slowest to dry. |
| PUL cover / wrap | NO (heat = delamination) | Yes, fast (1-2 h) | PUL should NEVER go in the tumble dryer. The polyurethane delaminates with heat. |

**Sunlight is your best ally.** UV rays break down biliary pigments (yellow stool stains) naturally and for free. Lay damp inserts in direct sunlight — even in winter behind a window, UV passes through glass and bleaches stains. It is the only "stain remover" that is perfectly safe for a textile in contact with a baby's skin.

## Inserts: choosing and caring for by material

### Cotton

Cotton is the most common fibre for cloth diaper inserts. It is natural, absorbent, resilient to repeated washing and tumble-dryer safe. Its absorbency is moderate (10-12 ml per gram of fibre) but its absorption speed is good — it captures liquid quickly.

**Key point**: new cotton inserts are poorly absorbent. They must be **pre-washed 5-8 times** before first use to remove the natural waxes and oils from raw cotton (this process is called "prepping").

### Bamboo viscose

Bamboo viscose offers absorbency 60% greater than cotton by weight and a very soft feel. However, it dries much more slowly and wears out faster over repeated washes.

**Key point**: bamboo viscose is not a "natural" fibre despite its name. It is a viscose (regenerated cellulose) made from bamboo pulp via a chemical process. Care is the same as cotton (60 °C, powder detergent), but it is more sensitive to detergent overdosing.

### Microfibre

Microfibre (ultra-fine polyester) is the champion of absorption speed: it captures liquid instantly. But its total capacity is lower than cotton and bamboo — it saturates faster. This is why microfibre is often used as a "booster" (extra insert for nights or heavy wetters) rather than as a sole insert.

**Key point**: microfibre should **never touch the baby's skin directly**. Its ultra-fine fibres have a drying effect that can cause irritation. It must always be covered by a layer of cotton, bamboo or fleece.

### Hemp

Hemp is the most absorbent material (up to 4 times its weight in water) but also the slowest to absorb and to dry. It is often used combined with cotton (cotton/hemp insert) to combine speed and capacity.

**Key point**: hemp requires **10-15 pre-washes** to reach maximum absorbency. It takes the longest to prep, but is also the most durable over time.

## Stripping: the deep clean

Over weeks, despite correct washing, residue builds up in insert fibres: traces of poorly rinsed detergent, residual grease, mineral deposits from hard water. This residue forms an invisible film that gradually reduces absorbency and creates morning ammonia smells.

### When to strip?

- Diapers **smell of ammonia** first thing in the morning (not just after a long night)
- Diapers **leak** when they did not before
- The insert **repels water** when you pour a trickle of water on it (instead of absorbing it)
- As a preventive routine: **every 1-2 months**

### Stripping protocol

1. **Separate** inserts from PUL covers. Stripping is mainly for the inserts.
2. Run a **long cycle at 60 °C** (cotton/intensive) with **2 tablespoons of [percarbonate](https://amzn.to/4lR6akp)** and **no detergent**.
3. Percarbonate releases active oxygen that oxidises and breaks down organic residue, detergent films and greasy deposits embedded in fibres.
4. Run an additional **cold rinse** with nothing to flush out the dissolved residue.
5. Check: the rinse water should be clear and foam-free. If it foams, run another rinse.

> After stripping, slowly pour a trickle of water onto the insert laid flat. The
> water should be absorbed in a few seconds. If it beads and stays on the
> surface, the strip was insufficient — run another cycle with percarbonate.

## Washing cloth diapers at a laundromat

The laundromat is an underrated but highly relevant option for cloth diapers, especially for families without a washing machine or with a small domestic machine.

### Advantages

- **Higher water volume**: professional machines use 50-60 litres of water per cycle, vs 15-20 litres for a domestic machine. This volume ensures much more effective rinsing — the critical point of cloth diaper care.
- **Large capacity**: an 18 kg machine can wash the entire diaper stock in one go, with room to add extra laundry (the key two-thirds fill).
- **Powerful spin**: professional spin significantly reduces drying time, a major advantage for bamboo or hemp inserts.

### Laundromat protocol

The protocol is identical to the home routine, with one important adaptation: **bring your own detergent**. The pre-dosed professional detergent in laundromat machines may contain softeners or [glycerin](https://amzn.to/47T6rO4) that are incompatible with cloth diapers.

1. Run a **cold pre-wash** (short cycle, 20-30 °C).
2. Add your powder detergent (glycerin-free) and run the **cotton 60 °C cycle**.
3. If the machine offers an extra rinse, select it systematically.

### Shared hygiene

The question of hygiene in a shared machine is understandable for soiled diapers. In practice, the risk to subsequent users is nil: the 60 °C cycle kills bacteria, and rinsing flushes all residue. For your peace of mind and other users' comfort, show courtesy: remove solid waste before washing (as you do at home) and leave no traces in the drum. See our article on [laundromat hygiene](/en/blog/laundromat-hygiene-science/index.md) for the scientific data.

## Most common mistakes

> **Warning:**
> - **Soaking** — prolonged soaking promotes bacteria, ammonia and deteriorates elastics/PUL. Store dry.
> - **Detergent with glycerin or softener** — the greasy film reduces absorption and causes leaks. If already done, strip immediately.
> - **Underdosing detergent** — out of fear of residue, many parents underdose. Result: diapers are not clean, bacteria proliferate, odours set in. Dose normally.
> - **Tumble drying PUL covers** — heat delaminates the polyurethane. PUL loses its waterproofing and the diaper leaks. Air dry only.
> - **Drum too empty** — without friction between textiles, washing is ineffective. Always fill to two-thirds by adding small items.

## Environmental impact: the numbers

Cloth diapers are often chosen for their reduced environmental impact. ADEME data (2012, revised 2019) shows that a child uses around **4,500 disposable diapers** from birth to potty training, producing approximately **1 tonne of non-recyclable waste**. Cloth diapers reduce this volume by 90%, but their impact depends on the wash routine.

To maximise the ecological benefit:

- Wash at **60 °C** (not 90 °C) — it is sufficient for hygiene and reduces energy consumption by 40%.
- Air dry whenever possible — the tumble dryer represents a significant share of cloth diapers' carbon footprint.
- Use diapers for **two children** (or more) — manufacturing accounts for a large share of the environmental impact, and well-maintained diapers last 200-300 washes.

**White vinegar 14° (5L)**

The ultimate multi-purpose product: natural softener, limescale remover, deodoriser and colour brightener.

*Cet article contient des liens affiliés. Les prix et la disponibilité peuvent varier.*



## Sources and references

- [Sodium percarbonate and laundry](/en/blog/sodium-percarbonate-laundry/index.md)
- [Homemade detergent: recipe and limits](/en/blog/homemade-detergent-recipe/index.md)
- [Fabric softener: useful or not?](/en/blog/fabric-softener-useful/index.md)
- [Laundromat hygiene: what the science says](/en/blog/laundromat-hygiene-science/index.md)
- [Washing baby clothes](/en/blog/wash-baby-clothes-guide/index.md)
- [Washing temperature guide](/en/blog/washing-temperatures/index.md)
- ADEME — Life cycle analysis of baby diapers (2012, revised 2019)
- UK Environment Agency — Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies (2008)