My Diaper Boiling Experience.

Today we start our trip to cloth diapers.  We have dabbled in the past.  We started with 3 pocket diapers and really like them (happy heinys).  But I wanted to try out prefolds.  When we bought our prefolds I had forgotten about the breaking in process.  I did an online search and read a little. I hope my experience is helpful.


My Diaper Boiling Experience.


- I started with 8 Apple Cheeks Bamboo and 8 Under the Nile prefolds. (*This will work for any prefold)

- I set a water bath canner 2/3 full of water to boil.  This took awhile.

- Once the water has boiled you can add about 6 diapers (depending on water bath size).  There will be air trapped in the prefolds and they will float around a little. Stir them in.  I used a pair of tongs and moved them around every few minutes or when I checked on them.  They are VERY HOT!   I boiled them for 15 minutes each batch.


* You can use the water twice, I just added more water form a boiling tea kettle to refill the loss of water.  The second time around the water was a little yellow.


I did 3 batches.  I used the same water twice then started over again on the third.






- After 15 minutes of boiling I CAREFULLY removed the diapers doing my best to squeeze out some of the HOT water with the tongs.  I had a laundry basket lined with a towel at my feet.

- Let the diapers cool in the basket.  Then transfer them to the washing machine no detergent, wash them HOT. Dry them and start washing machine process again*.

*So, with prefold diapers you are suppose to wash them at least 6 times and dry them so they will become more absorbent.  The directions that came with mine recommended to wash them in HOT water 4-6 times, then once more without detergent. Dry in dryer on high heat.
Boiling diapers is suppose to eliminate some of those washing steps.  I washed and dried my diapers 3 times after boiling.  I did a water roll off and absorbency test in between, but the pictures were not clear enough to show you.  They were definitely more absorbent after several washes.


These are the pics from the washes.

-First wash and dry.

-Second wash and dry

    - Third wash and dry, this is where I stopped.  I felt like they were absorbent.

I hope this helps,  we are just getting started. There are so many different options for cloth diapering.  Each option is individual to you and your baby.  Don't be afraid.  I will add my washing routine once I get one.  I think I am going to like wool covers, I need to get some.

-This months Mothering Magazine is great it covers all the basics on cloth diapering and why to cloth diaper. 

-Askmoxie.org is always another great place for advice she has two great threads about cloth diapering.

ask moxie cloth diapering part 2.

Best of Luck to you all!

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. Maya Angelou