We have over a decade of experience washing diapers at our busy NYC diaper service, Diaperkind. And we’ve taken all of that knowledge and expertise and rolled it into a simple yet effective wash method you can use at home.
Just follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Every 2-3 days, carry your Pail Pouch over to your washer. Place the open end of the Pouch into the machine and push it inside out to release the contents. Then toss the Pouch right in there with the Inners, Outers, Wipe Ups, Liners, etc. Add your four Agitators into the washer to help increase the mechanical action needed to get your diaper laundry clean. To get the best clean, you want your washer barrel to be between 1/2 and 2/3 full. Too low and the diapers will just float around in the water missing out on critical mechanical action necessary for deep cleaning. Too full and they are deprived the movement necessary to remove soil and stains. If you're diapering part-time (or have a JUMBO sized washer) and don't have enough to fill the barrel at least halfway, you can add in other laundry to fill out the load. Just be sure that what you add is colorfast and won't bleed (no red socks!) and can withstand a hot water, heavy-duty cycle.
Step 2: Using 1 scoop of Washing Powder and warm water, run a Quick Wash or Normal cycle. Do not be tempted to skip this step. What this cycle does is rinse away the surface soil of the diapers. Which, because of the way surfactants in detergent work, is super-important! The ingredients in detergent attack the easiest-to-find soil first. So if you put very dirty items into the washer as soon as it starts spinning, all of that “dirt” is released into the water. So what does the detergent do? It starts cleaning the water and not deep down into the core of your Inners. By running this (very, very important) cycle, you’re prepping your diapers to get SUPER-clean in Step 3.
Step 3: When that cycle is complete, leave everything in the washer, change the water temperature to hot, add 2 more scoops of Washing Powder and run a Heavy Duty cycle. This is where the magic happens!
Step 4: Move everything, including the Agitators, into the dryer. Shake the Inners open as you transfer them to decrease dry time, and don’t be afraid to give them a sniff. Your laundry should smell fresh and neutral. Run your dryer on medium-high heat or line dry in the sun.
Detergent Dispensing Tip: We recommend sprinkling the Washing Powder right into the washer barrel instead of in the machine’s detergent cups or drawers to ensure it all gets used in the cycle and not stuck in the lines.
Optional Refresh: Every so often, we recommend adding 3-4 ounces of chlorine bleach, such as original Clorox, to the second wash cycle of your diaper laundry. You can do this with every wash, weekly, monthly — or never if chlorine is something you wish to avoid. The purpose of adding chlorine is to kick back any discolorations that might be building up, and also to give your diapers and accessories a refresh. Rest assured that your Esembly Outers, Pail Pouch, Day Bags, and Ditty Bags are colorfast and will not be lightened by the bleach. (When adding bleach, pour it into the machine's bleach dispenser. Never pour bleach directly onto fabric.)
Speaking of discolorations, it’s important to note that “diaper art” is not an indication of cleanliness. The nose knows. A diaper’s smell is more important than its appearance. Some babies, each with their own unique biochemistry, stain their diapers more than others. There’s no reason (that we’ve discovered yet) why. As long as you’re using Esembly skincare products and following these wash instructions, don’t stress it. And if the stains bother you cosmetically, just do a Refresh!
No Soaking: Please note that we do not recommend soaking your diapers. Soaking in anything (even just plain water) can weaken the fabric fibers and cause premature degradation, leading to fraying and tearing. It can also damage elastics and the waterproofing of your Outers and storage bags.
No Sanitary or Steam: Avoid using the Sanitary, Steam, or Allergen cycles on your washing machine. They simply get too hot and will damage your diaper fabrics and elastics.
Spray with caution: Please note that spraying or pre-rinsing your diapers and tossing them in your pail sopping wet can lead to mold/mildew growth, and potentially cause all the same damage as soaking.
Hard Water: Esembly Washing Powder is formulated for use in both soft, normal, and moderately hard water. If your water is very hard we'd recommend adding Borax or Calgon to each cycle to soften it. Doing so will improve cleaning performance and will protect your diaper fabrics and elastics from the premature degradation that hard water can cause. Click here to read more.
Want to dig deeper into the science of laundering diapers? Nerd out on our video below: