
I am one year into my cloth diapering journey, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that getting started is hard! Learning the lingo, how to clean them, troubleshooting leaks, and so so many types and brands — it’s a steep learning curve, and it’s frustrating when it goes awry (not to mention messy and disruptive to your already hectic day with an infant). It’s no surprise most parents in the US default to disposables. However, cloth is making a comeback, and in the short year I’ve been using it, I’ve been amazed at how many people reached out to me for advice. So I decided to write it all down! Brace yourself — this will be comprehensive! My dad always said, “How do you wash a car really well? You wash it poorly twice.” That’s how I feel about this guide. The first time through might be confusing, but power through and have another go at it once you have the lingo and basics down.
First off, you might be wondering what goes into the decision to use cloth over disposables. Here are the pros and cons as I see them.
Pros:
1. Reduces waste going into our landfills.
2. Costs more up front but much less over time.
3. No poopsplosions/blowouts! Cloth diapers contain messy poop WAY better.
4. Soft against baby’s bottom/can choose only natural fibers if that’s important to you.
5. They come in cute colors and prints.
Cons:
1. Uses a lot of water.
2. Takes more time than disposables (laundering, folding, stuffing, rinsing, spraying).
3. Less forgiving than disposables. In disposables, if you forget to change within the recommended 2 hours, it’s usually no big deal. In cloth, you’re looking at a leak (and outfit change) unless you planned for the longer time.
4. Working out your wash routine can be challenging at first.
5. Makes travelling more complicated (packing all the supplies, washing/transporting dirty diapers)
6. They are bulky, which means you may need to use the next size up for clothes. BUT they get less bulky as baby grows, and if it’s important to you, you can buy sized diapers which aren’t much bulkier than disposables (but require buying more diapers overall).
How do cloth diapers work?
All diapers consist of a water resistant outer and an absorbent inner. The water resistance (which I’ll refer to as the cover) is provided by PUL or TPU, depending on the brand. Both are equally effective. TPU is more environmentally friendly. It is biodegradable. But PUL is said to be more durable. In everyday use in my experience, the only difference I notice is PUL feels tackier while TPU is smoother. Pockets with PUL are a bit harder to stuff because of the friction created by the tackiness. But don’t worry too much about which you’re getting, unless it’s important to you for it to be biodegradable. Neither TPU nor PUL are truly waterproof! If the insert is completely saturated, it will begin to leak through. This is because the cover has to be breathable to keep baby cool and protect his skin.
There are many types of cloth diapers, and it’s best to have a variety so you can choose what will work best for that particular diaper change. Whatever system you choose, you will have to choose between Velcro and snap closures. Unless you have arthritis or some other condition that makes fastening snaps difficult, I strongly recommend snaps. They last longer, are more secure, and are a lot harder for toddler fingers to undo! Velcro catches on other things in the wash, and the tabs can scratch baby’s tummy when they bend at the waist. Its only advantage is ease of use, and snaps are pretty easy too, so I don’t know why people choose Velcro.
How many?
Depends on how often you want to wash. I only wash once a week, so I have around 50. Plan for 12 changes a day for a newborn, 8 a day for an older baby, 6 a day for a toddler. You need a couple extras to use while your stash is in the wash. So for instance, if you have a six month old and want to wash every 4th day, you need AT LEAST 26 diapers.
Sizing
Different brands use different sizing. One-size is meant to be used from newborn through potty training. They usually advertise 8–35 pounds. In reality, most people don’t get a good fit until 10 pounds. One-size is going to be pretty bulky until about 16 pounds in my experience, but bulky doesn’t bother everybody! I love a good fluffy butt. And it’s entirely possible to get a leak-free fit from 10 pounds until potty training.
Newborn diapers usually fit 6–12 pounds and are nice to use for that amount of time since they aren’t nearly as bulky as trying to put a one-size diaper on an 8 pound baby.
Some brands use sizes beyond just newborn and one-size. Thirsties, Applecheeks and Blueberry, for instance, have the option to choose sized diapers. As an example, size 1 (6–18 pounds) and size 2 (16–35 pounds). No question you would get a less bulky fit on a 13 pounder with a size 1 rather than a one-size, but you’ll spend more money overall, since you have to buy twice as many diapers. Many brands of fitted diapers come in several sizes because they don’t have rise snaps. What are rise snaps, you ask?
Rise snaps are what allow the same diaper to fit from newborn to potty training. There are usually 3 or 4 rise settings. This is best illustrated with a photo.

This Smart Bottoms 3.1 has 4 rise settings (rows of yellow snaps below the 2 rows of waist snaps). So to achieve the smallest rise setting, we would snap row 1 to row 4. The result is shown on the right.
Types of Diapers:
All In One (AIO): The absorbency is permanently attached or incorporated into the cover. Sometimes the inserts are sewn just at one end (flap style). Sometimes they are sewn at both ends (like Bumgenius Elementals). Sometimes they are sewn in all around (basically just like a disposable). Sometimes they have a pocket opening behind the attached insert where you can add extra absorbency. It’s hard to make a statement about trimness with AIOs. Since there is so much variation, it just depends on the type of absorbency and how many layers.
Pros: all one piece, there is no preparing the diaper for use, easy for daycare/sitters
Cons: They take a long time to dry, either on the line or in the dryer. Usually more expensive. Less opportunity for customization.

Pocket: Probably the most common type. The cover has a liner with an opening where you put the inserts. Usually the liner is a “stay dry” material like microfleece or microsuede to keep baby feeling dry. When you take off a dirty pocket diaper, you have to pull out the insert before putting both pieces into the pail. (Some brands claim their inserts agitate out in the wash. This has never happened for me, and it seems like an unnecessary risk to rely on that.)
Pros: So customizable! You can use the exact type and amount of absorbency you need. Running errands? Naptime? Stuff a booster inside. Babywearing all day? Better use something other than microfiber (compression leaks, see below). They can be as easy as AIOs for daycare/sitters if you prestuff them.
Cons: You have to stuff them! It’s an extra step in the process. They come out of the wash all clean, but you’re still not done because you have to put the inserts inside! Trimness depends on what you use for inserts, but usually not the trimmest option because the liner adds some bulk.



Covers: This is just the water resistant portion. Does not include any absorbency. You would need to use a cover over a fitted, prefold or flat. You can also lay inserts inside the cover, which is sometimes called a hybrid system or an All in 2 (see below). To the left is a Flip Cover. It has flaps at the top and bottom where you can tuck inserts, or it can be used to cover flats, prefolds or fitteds.
Hybrid/AI2: This system consists of a cover and an insert that is made to either snap into the cover (ex. GroVia Hybrid) or simply tuck into the cover (ex. Flips). They are like pockets without the pocket. The insert touches baby’s skin directly. This system can be very cost effective because you can use a cover for more than one change. For instance, you might have three inserts ($5 each) for every cover ($15 each), whereas a pocket diaper with insert might cost $15 each. So with pockets, one diaper costs $15, with AI2, it costs $10 ($5 + ($15/3).
Pros: Easier than stuffing pockets. Usually pretty trim. Can reuse cover unless the cover gets poop on it.
Cons: Having fewer covers than inserts is not recommended until baby has started solids, especially if breastfed. Liquidy poop will get on the cover every time. Can be prone to bunching since there is no liner to help hold the insert in place.


Fitted: A fitted is made of cotton, bamboo or hemp. It is just the absorbent portion of the diaper, but unlike a flat insert, it is already shaped like a diaper, with elastics around the legs and back and (usually) with its own snaps. So you snap it on, then put a cover over it to provide the water proofing. Fitteds make the entire diaper absorbent, instead of just front to back in the crotch, so they hold a ton of pee. They are a favorite for nighttime because they provide all around absorbency.
Flat: Just like they did it 100 years ago! It’s just a rectangular piece of cloth that must be folded around baby, pinned, and topped with a cover. There are tons of folds you can learn that are customizable whether you need more absorbency in the front or the back. Like a fitted, flats provide 360 degree absorbency, so they are good for naps and nighttime. They are super trim unless you double them up.
Prefold: This is like a flat that has been “prefolded” to some extent. It’s a smaller rectangular of multi-layered fabric that is thicker in the middle. Like flats, there are several folds from which to choose, but all of them are a little easier since it is “prefolded.” All the same benefits as flats!
You’re probably wondering how you fasten flats and prefolds and probably picturing old school diaper pins. Some people still use those, but most people use a Snappi or a Boingo. Super easy. They are stretchy and grab onto the fabric.

Absorbency materials
Microfiber: MF catches a bad rep among cloth diaper snobs. I’m not sure if it’s because MF is the cheapest option or what, but I’m here to tell you that it has its place in a well rounded stash. MF is a synthetic material like they use in shammy cloths. It’s fast absorbing, quick drying, and lightweight. It is not as prone to bunching as natural fibers. The pee quickly disperses throughout, so you’re getting “use” out of the whole insert, not just right where they pee. In the cons list: it’s bulky and prone to compression leaks. Compression leaks are like wringing out a wet towel — when the diaper is compressed, like in a car seat or carrier, MF is more likely to leak. Unless lined with fleece, MF cannot touch baby’s skin directly. It will suck the moisture right out and cause a rash.
Cotton: Cotton is the “in between,” the Goldilocks of absorbency, if you will. It holds more than MF, less than bamboo and hemp. It absorbs quicker than bamboo and hemp, but slower than MF. When wet, it has a tendency to bunch, which can leave parts of the diaper exposed to leaks, but not as bad as bamboo. Takes a long time to dry if it has many layers.
Hemp: The Cadillac of inserts. Most expensive, most absorbent. Nice and stiff, so less prone to bunching. However, it absorbs very slowly, which can lead to “flooding” if baby pees a lot at once. Bulkier than cotton and bamboo. Most people don’t use hemp alone but pair it with something faster absorbing. It is a favorite booster for nighttime. Takes forever to dry!
Bamboo: Super soft (read: floppy and bunchy) and super trim. A common misconception is that bamboo inserts are made of a natural fiber. It’s actually rayon, which is synthetic. This is only relevant (a) for prepping and (b) if you only want to use natural fibers for environmental reasons. Some people complain they are hard to stuff into pockets because they are so floppy. They do not have the flooding problem like hemp, but compared to cotton and MF, they disperse liquid slowly, so (for a boy) the back of the insert will be completely dry, yet I still have to use two of them to get enough absorbency where I need it. MF and cotton are better at wicking the pee throughout the insert, so I don’t have to concentrate bulkiness up front. For this reason, an insert advertised as bamboo often includes a microfiber core (also because that makes it cheaper). If you want pure bamboo, make sure to read descriptions carefully. When I use only bamboo, I use 2 three layer inserts like this with the folded portion up front:

Charcoal bamboo: I don’t have any personal experience with CB. I don’t fully understand what it is. But a lot of times, it is a blend of microfiber and CB, and as I’ll explain below, I prefer to make my own combinations. I am somewhat distrustful of CB because it contains nanoparticles of charcoal, and I just don’t like the idea of putting that against baby’s skin. Additionally, none of the major US brands sell CB inserts. They are mostly sold by Chinese companies. I’m not opposed to Chinese diaper makers, but that fact contributes to my skepticism about CB.
A side note about flour sack towels (FST): the cloth world is crazed about FSTs! They are thin cotton towels that can be used as flats or folded into a small rectangle to use as an insert (this is called pad folding). To really up your absorbency, you can pad fold an FST around another insert. They are surprisingly absorbent, but mostly I think people love the price. They are less than $1 each at Walmart (in the kitchen towel section) or at other fine retailers.
Pairing: By now you’ve figured out that each material has pros and cons, so by pairing them we can get the best of both worlds. I like to make my own pairings instead of using thick prelayered inserts for a couple reasons: 1) anything thinner is easier to get clean, so if I make my own combo, I might have a 2 layer and a 3 layer, which will wash easier than a 5 layer insert and 2) I can get more use out of thinner inserts by using them as boosters for naptime/outings or by using them alone for a newborn. The key to pairing is to put the fastest absorber on top. The order from fastest to slowest would be: MF, cotton, bamboo, and hemp last. Here are some pairings that I use frequently:
2 layer MF on top of 3 layer cotton
2 layer MF on top of 3 layer bamboo
3 layer cotton on top of 3 layer bamboo
2 layer MF on top of 3 layer hemp
I find 3 layer MF too bulky to pair with anything, but I use it by itself folded over so there’s double up front (for my boy). I will also use a FST or a pad-folded prefold by itself.
Storage

What do I do with my dirties? Open storage is your friend. Diapers need airflow to prevent mold and mildew, and if you keep them closed up until wash day, you might not smell them in the interim, but you’d better have a gas mask for getting them into the washer. I use a laundry hamper with no lid and a Planet Wise pail liner (just like diaper PUL, it’s breathable). I like to hang newly wet diapers over the edge until they are dryer, but that’s just me.

If baby is exclusively breastfed (EBF), poopy diapers can go straight into the pail. EBF poop is water soluble. No need to rinse. Don’t be surprised by the stains! Staining doesn’t mean your diapers aren’t clean. EBF poop is notorious for staining. Just lay clean wet diapers in the sun — works like magic.
If baby is not EBF, poopy diapers need to be rinsed in the toilet (sorry). Many people the world over use the “dunk and swish” method, which is pretty self-explanatory (and pretty yucky in my opinion). Fortunately, they make diaper sprayers that hook up to the water line at your toilet, so you just spray the poop off into the toilet! Some kind of spray shield is essential. You can order a Spray Pal online, or you make your own by cutting out the bottom of a small trashcan. This keeps poop and water from splattering all over your bathroom! If you buy a second identical trashcan (and don’t cut the bottom out), you can set the wet spray shield inside of it when you take it out of the toilet! How good of a job are we talking? You need to remove all solids from the diaper. Skid marks are OK. Either squeeze out the excess water, or leave them dripping over the edge of your spray shield before putting them in your pail.
Liners and Wipes

Once baby starts eating solids, let me introduce you to your new best friend. FLEECE LINERS. They are thin, rectangular pieces of fleece that you lay on top of the diaper, so it touches baby’s skin. Once baby’s poop is a bit more solid, the liner catches the poop and makes disposing of it in the toilet about ten times easier! It also acts as a “stay dry” barrier if you’re using natural fibers to keep baby feeling dry. You can buy fleece liners, but many people make their own. Walmart sells a $2.50 fleece blanket that you can cut up to get about 36 liners. Some people who really hate spraying diapers will throw away a poopy liner at that price. They sell disposable liners, as an alternative. They are often advertised as flushable, but as you should already know, nothing except toilet paper is truly flushable, and these should be thrown in the trash. I only use disposable liners when I’m traveling and don’t have access to my sprayer!

Once you are using cloth diapers, it just makes sense to use cloth wipes too! Many people make their own wipes out of flannel, but I prefer the terry cloth wipes, like those sold by GroVia. During the newborn stage when you are going through a lot of wipes quickly, I stored my wipes in a wipes warmer already wet with water. However, as baby started spacing out his poops and I was using them less frequently, I started to get a mildew smell in the warmer, even when I tried using distilled water and even when I added some witch hazel. Now, I store the wipes dry and keep a peri bottle of tap water to wet them as I need them. Poopy wipes need to be sprayed off, just like poopy diapers.
Nighttime Diapering
Using cloth at night can be tough. Cloth just simply cannot achieve the same level of absorbency as disposables without being too bulky. This is because disposables contain sand-like beads that swell into a gel when wet. Also, nighttime diapers are the hardest to get clean because so many urea crystals are formed over the 10–12 hour period, so it’s harder to break them up in the wash than in a 2 hour daytime diaper. Nighttime diapers are often the first to develop stink issues, which should warn you of a problem with your wash routine. Many people find rinsing nighttime diapers in hot water in the morning can help.
Despite the challenges, plenty of people (myself included) successfully cloth diaper at night. The secret to success is two things: enough total absorbency and 360 degrees of absorbency. If you’re getting nighttime leaks and your insert/prefold/fitted (whatever you’re using) is completely soaked, you need more total absorbency. But if you’re getting leaks and that’s not the case, you need to switch to an option that provides absorbency all around, 360 degrees. For example, a fitted, flat or prefold, as opposed to a pocket diaper (where the absorbency is only in the crotch). There are some AIOs that have built in absorbency all around. The most famous of these is the GroVia ONE, which a lot of people swear by for nighttime. I use a too-big prefold doubled over in the front (for my tummy sleeping boy), a fitted with an added booster or 2 FSTs in the airplane fold (this is cutting it close, but seems to be sufficient now that we’re no longer nursing at night).
Getting a Good Fit
Putting on a cloth diaper is a bit different if you are used to disposables. I’ll show you in some videos below, but here are the cliff notes. You want to start with the back of the diaper no higher than the belly button. As you pull up the front, you want to make sure the elastics are in the leg creases, like underwear. Worry more about getting it tight around the legs than around the waist. You want the waist to be as loose as it can be without any gaping around the legs. It’s OK if there’s a gap at the belly when they are lying down because we don’t want it too tight when they sit up. The most important thing is to make sure you don’t have leg gaps.
New vs Used
Oddly enough, there is an expansive used cloth diaper market. I think it is partly because people like to try all different kinds, knowing they can sell what they don’t like. So you can find some very gently used diapers at a great price. Even well loved diapers can find new homes. If you are buying used diapers, the three things to check/ask about are: 1) the elastics — make sure they aren’t relaxed (unless you want to replace them!) by measuring them and comparing that to their measurements new, 2) the PUL/TPU — make sure it is not scratched, cracked or delaminating, and 3) the fabric, especially along the edges — this is where you will first see holes, especially with natural fibers. Holes don’t mean the end of a diaper’s life, just the beginning of the end, and they are a good indicator of age/use. If you buy used diapers, you need to do a bleach soak (if not a full strip) to sanitize them. See below for more info on that.
Prepping
I would love to know how prepping became such a big deal! The idea is that you need to wash your brand new diapers a bunch of times before you use them. It is true that you should always wash once before using to “get the factory off.” And it is true that NATURAL fibers will increase in absorbency over the first 4–5 washes as their oils break down, and if you have time to toss new, natural fiber diapers in with your regular laundry 4–5 times before using them, go for it. But I cringe thinking of all the water wasted by people running 5 back to back cycles of nothing but a few new diapers. I wash once and then use them no matter what they are made of! They are plenty absorbent — it’s not like they repel until you hit wash 5! Synthetic materials including microfiber and bamboo will not increase in absorbency.
Washing and Drying
This is where the rubber meets the road. Fortunately, there are people much smarter than me over at Fluff Love University who have figured out the science of washing cloth! I don’t want to reinvent the wheel, so I’m just going to link you to some of their best stuff below. The basic truths are these: Wash once on your washer’s shortest cycle with a little bit of detergent. Wash again on your washer’s longest cycle with a lot of detergent. Use a water softening agent if you have hard water. Don’t use fabric softener. Get the details at the links below. You can use most commercial detergents. Which is the best? Tide Powder.
On drying… This is largely personal preference. A properly functioning dryer cannot reach temperatures that will damage PUL/TPU, so you can dry everything including pocket shells and covers. It IS important not to stretch elastics until they have cooled! I prefer to line dry covers and pockets (basically anything with elastics) because doing so should help them last longer. This is nothing to do with the diapers themselves — your clothes will last longer if you line dry them as well. I dry all the inserts, FST, prefolds, etc. in the dryer.
Read this is you have an HE machine.
Read this is you have a non HE machine.
Step 1: Test your water. Read this and this.
Step 2: Pick a detergent.
Step 3: Find your washer specific routine.
Diaper Creams
You can use any diaper cream as long as you use a liner. If you don’t use a liner, you can’t use anything with petroleum jelly because it will cause repelling. You CAN use something with zinc oxide, but it will stain. I have never used anything but coconut oil, which does not require a liner or stain! There are several “cloth safe” diaper creams on the market. Fluff Love has an index for this too.
Troubleshooting, Stripping and Bleaching
With a proper wash routine, you should never have to strip or bleach your diapers. However, should you encounter any difficulties like yeast rashes, mold, stinky diapers… it’s all here.
Congratulations! You made it through!
You now know about 20 times more than I did when I started. I hope this is more helpful than overwhelming! If you still have questions, leave a comment — I’ll try to add it in if I can.
I know I left out which brands I like and dislike. I didn’t want this article to turn into one big “review.” But if you’d like to hear from me on which brands I recommend, let me know, and maybe I’ll write a separate article. There are good options at every budget level.
I hope you find cloth diapering as rewarding as I do!
