With all of the shortages going on, I always wonder, “What will be next?” In these uncertain times, it is important to be prepared. What if there is a diaper shortage? This thought unsettles me. Should I be stocking up on the next few sizes? I definitely don’t have the space for that. My kid goes through a LOT of diapers. Luckily, there is a better option than stockpiling disposable diapers. Cloth diapers are reusable and way easier to use than I ever imagined. And the best part? They are adjustable to be able to fit my child throughout his entire diapering journey! Now, I’m off-grid. My solar panels do not quite have what it would take to run a standard washer and dryer to be able to wash all of these diapers and liners. Here’s how I manage cloth-diapering my little one without a washer and dryer.
It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.
Using cloth diapers, even just some of the time, makes a huge difference! Right now, while access to disposables is easy, I’ve committed to using cloth diapers for at least three to four diaper changes per day. That’s about 100 diapers per month that aren’t ending up in a landfill! This number is enough to reduce our monthly spending on diapers significantly.
It is also the amount that I feel comfortable washing daily. We have the flexibility to use disposables when we’re out and about, while still making a big impact on the environment and our bank account. We also have the peace of mind that we have everything we need on hand if the supply chain gets further disrupted.
Cloth diapers have lots of hidden benefits.
It’s worth looking into the different types of cloth diapers and thinking about what will be most convenient for your life. I love these pocket-style diapers. They come in lots of cute colors and prints. During the summer, when my son is too hot to be wearing real outfits, they are adorable to wear on their own.
I’m not sure how many babies have this issue, but my kid has recently decided that he loves undoing the Velcro tabs as soon as I put a disposable diaper on him. Fortunately, I witnessed his first few goes at this bad habit. If he’s in a disposable diaper, I have to immediately put clothes over it to prevent any messy disasters. Cloth diapers have sturdy snaps on them that are much trickier for his little fingers to grasp. Problem averted! If he’s going to be dressed in just a diaper, it now has to be cloth.
Staying on top of the washing makes all the difference.
Using cloth diapers is a commitment. You can’t just leave them around, letting the stink pile up. I feel it’s best to do the diaper laundry daily. It allows me to just use a wet bag to contain the soiled cloth diapers. Many people use a diaper pail such as this one if they are either exclusively cloth-diapering or doing a few days of washing all at once. I use my diaper pail for the disposables, currently, but it would be simple enough to make the switch if we do need to. I do one round of diaper laundry daily, to prevent any odors or mold from taking hold.
They’re super easy to wash by hand.
After shaking any solids into our composting toilet, I heat up some water on our propane stove — or over the wood stove when we’re using it for heat. Then I use a designated tub to give everything a good soak in the hot water with some detergent and OxiClean. The OxiClean is pretty key in making sure to get all of the stains out. I squeeze and agitate everything by hand, then do two rounds of rinsing.
Spinning everything out in a manual spinner makes a big impact on drying time. This spinner is amazing! Clothes come out just slightly damp. It gets a lot more of the water out than any washing machine spin cycle that I’ve ever used. It also significantly cuts down on the time that everything takes to line-dry. I then hang everything out on my clothes line and let the sun do its thing. As backup, we have a second clothesline indoors, for when the weather isn’t quite cooperating. The diapers and liners come out sparkling clean every time, looking brand new.
I was very hesitant at first, when thinking about how much work cloth diapers would be, but, in practice, it really takes only a few extra minutes per day. The benefits far outweigh the time commitment, and over time, the cost savings are really adding up.
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