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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a selection of the questions that we have found to be most common and their answers. If your question isn’t here, don’t worry, just email it to us and we’ll get back to you with an answer.
How many do I need?
This depends on how often you are going to wash. Babies go through 6/8 nappies per day dependant upon their age so if you wash every 2 days you would want 16 nappies and 4 wraps. You don’t need to change the wraps every time, unless the edges have got wet or they have poo on them. If you wash less often, you would need a few more of each.
What’s the difference between each one?
Some are cotton, some are bamboo, some are unbleached
and some are dyed. Choosing which is for you depends upon what your priorities
are. Bamboo is a more sustainable source of fibre for making nappies; cotton
when undyed contains less chemicals and organic cotton is exactly that -
organically grown to strict standards and used to make nappies.
The other main differences are in the fastenings. There are aplix (which is like
Velcro) which are great if you want easy-peasy nappies that anyone can change.
Popper fastenings are easy to adjust and difficult for baby to get off and
Nippas are here to take over where the safety pin left off, much safer and very
easy to use.
Personal preference is a big thing here, so have a go with our
Nappy Test Drive and see which you like best.
How do I wash them?
In your machine at 60 degrees to ensure they are germ free, with only a small amount of detergent and no softener! Fabric softener reduces the absorbency of nappies. Nappies can be washed at 40 degrees too but I do mine at 60 to be sure to kill off any bacteria. Use only about a tablespoon or so of detergent and if you like to you can add ½ cup of white vinegar where you would usually put your softener. Or, if you prefer, a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil, Lavender Oil or Chamomile Oil will do the job too.
They feel wet! Is that right?
This was my question when I first started using cloth! What did I expect? Not sure really, as they are cloth soaking up wee! But I was reassured as I reassure you now, it’s fine! The job of the liner is to help keep baby’s skin dry and protected whilst the liquid flows into the nappy itself so yes the nappy will feel damp when you change it.
What do I do with the poo?
Simple answer – flush it down the loo! If you use a washable liner, shake any solids off the liner into the toilet bowl then wash the liner along with the nappies and wraps. If you are using paper liners the whole lot can be flushed away.
What if I don’t wash them every day, where should I put them?
In a container with a lid, that is large enough to hold them, until washday. I have a cheap bin from a pound store which does the job beautifully. We don’t stock nappy bins for two reasons; it’s cheaper to just buy a normal bin and they are a nightmare to wrap in brown paper and post!
Don’t the nappies smell?
Not if you store the dirty ones as above and wash properly. You can sprinkle a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in amongst them whilst they are waiting to be washed, or a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda in your nappy bin also helps with odours.
Will my baby get nappy rash in cloth?
No, babies in cloth are not more susceptible to nappy rash than those in disposables. The best way to avoid it is to make sure you change the nappy as soon as possible after baby has pooed and keep the bottom area lovely and clean.
What about overnight when baby is sleeping through?
There are special booster pads which can be added to the nappy overnight or if baby is a heavy wetter, these do a great job of keeping baby dryer till the morning.
Go to The Real Nappy Campaign website for more information on how you can save money and help the environment.
