FAQ’s
Every baby is a different shape and size. They have different wetting habits and sleep for different
lengths of time. They have different shaped legs, they have different sized tummy’s and are all different
lengths. So with this in mind, it shouldn’t surprise you that they will have different needs and that all
nappies are different so will not suit all babies.
Also we understand that everyone’s washing routines are different and we all use different washing
solutions. So every now and then there are questions about washing, smelly nappies, leaking nappies,
One Size nappies, the difference between the different types of nappies and lots more.
To make it really easy for you and your staff, I have provided a whole list of questions I get asked at
different times about potential nappy issues be it choosing nappies, using nappies or washing nappies so
I have put together this as a Trouble Shooting Guide to Cloth Nappies. If you have any other questions
that are not listed below, then please give me a call and I will be able to assist you.
Q. What liners should we use?
Disposable liners. Disposable liners make it much easier to deal with poo. The main advantage of
using paper liners is obviously that they are disposable. We suggest you do not flush them even if
they say they are flushable as it may cause drains or sewers to block. Best practice is to put the
liners into your current disposable nappy bin and discard into your landfill bin. Note that the blue
and white disposable liners that you see in supermarkets need to be disposed of in the rubbish and
not flushed down the toilet.
You should ALWAYS use a fresh liner at every nappy change.
Q. Where can we buy the liners?
Wholesale liner suppliers. Below are some contacts for wholesale liner prices:
Wainhouse Distribution: Bambino Mio Liners
Phone: 09 815 1020
Nappy Days: Tots Bots Liners
Phone: 0800 868 726
Peapods: Peapods Bamboo Liners
Phone: 021 275 2225
Q. What about nappy rash?
Research done at Bristol University showed that children in cloth nappies were no more likely
to have severe nappy rash than children in disposables. All nappies whether they are cloth or
disposable, should be changed with the same regularity, regardless of how much moisture they can
absorb. This is to prevent bacterial build up in the nappy, which is the main cause of skin irritation
(nappy rash) – it is not the wetness of the nappy that causes this.
If a child has a bad rash on their bottom, it is likely it could be a number of other things that are
not nappy rash. If you are concerned, suggest the parents take the baby to the doctor to get it
checked out or ask for advice.
Also the term nappy rash is sometimes over used. A baby could be suffering from numerous
things including heat rash, sweat rash, teething rash, a sensitivity to detergent or some other
infection like thrush.
Nappy rash is generally caused when urine comes in contact with poo. Urine is sterile when it first
comes out and while a child has only wet a nappy, there is no real risk of nappy rash developing.
However, as soon as they poo, it is important to change the nappy immediately regardless of
whether they are in cloth or disposables. Bacteria in the faeces can react with stale urine on the
skin and produce ammonia. It is this that irritates the skin and causes nappy rash to develop.
If baby develops any redness, it is a good idea to change nappies more frequently, at least until the
irritation settles down.
I also recommend that when possible, avoid disposable wipes as they don’t help a baby’s skin. The
chemicals can be more irritating than helpful in some cases. Plain old water works wonders with a
nice soft cloth wipe. Give baby plenty of “nappy free” time between changes, to give their lovely
new skin a chance to breathe.
If repeated rashes are noted and it is thought the nappies are contributing to this, the first thing I
would suggest to do is to look at how the nappies are being washed. Also perhaps trying one of the
many methods to sterilize the nappies may help. A hot wash and lots of sunlight works a treat.
Alternatively, try incorporating an extra Canesten rinse into your washing routine or perhaps do a
hot soak with your laundry liquid for about an hour or so and then wash on hot
If the rash looks like a concentrated collection of little red spots, this could be the beginning of
a thrush infection. Take baby to the local doctor so he/she can prescribe a treatment. They may
prescribe something like Canesten, but don’t forget to sterilize the nappies / wash the nappies in a
Canesten wash, to prevent re-infection.
Q: Do you have to use a wrap with the All-in-ones or Pockets?
No, you only need wraps with the two-piece fitted nappies.
Q: With the fitted nappies, do I need to use a clean wrap with every nappy change?
No. Simply re-use with the next nappy and expect to change it once a day with a toddler, a couple
of times a day with a newborn and sooner if it gets poo on it.
Q. How do we rinse the nappies?
Sluicing in the toilet is the best method. Basically it is just
the same as rinsing soiled underwear in the toilet, like you do
with a toilet training child. Or, I would suggest investing in
and installing a nappy sprayer. This handy little nappy tool is
fantastic for cleaning the nappies over the toilet. This makes
it super easy for staff to manage the poo on the nappy. It
connects to your toilet cistern and is a piece of hose with a
spray head at the end of it a bit like a bidet. You simply hold the
nappy over the toilet and spray and anything nasty goes away.
Q. How do we store the dirty nappies?
A Bucket: Make sure the bucket has a lid and if you have a lot of soiled nappies you may like to
store them in a wet bucket but don’t add any soakers like Nappy San as it will shorten the life of
the elastic.
Washable nappy bags: These bags are waterproof and made out of PUL. These are used to
put your wet or dirty nappies in. They are a great option instead of using buckets in a daycare
situation. You simply empty the nappies out of the bag into the washing machine and wash the
empty bag with them.
Q. How do we sterilize / sanitise the nappies?
This is an important part of keeping the nappies clean to use with multiple children. Using the
nappies on lots of different children is safe as long as the nappies are cleaned thoroughly between
each use.
There are a couple of key steps you can take to ensure they are fully sanitized when bulk washing.
It is most important to always wash at 60° degrees. You can attain washing powders that sanitize
at lower temperatures but when using them in a daycare you need to be washing at 60° Celsius to
reach ministry of health standards.
This also ensures that the washing detergent is doing the job properly and getting the nappies
thoroughly cleaned in between each use.
You also must use Dettol in wash or Canesten Hygiene Laundry Rinse in every wash. This
eliminates bacteria and fungus and keeps the nappies fresh and clean.
Q. What nappies should we use on larger children?
There are limited nappies available in the larger sizes for children who are over the 18kg mark. The
Bebops Pocket nappies are great for children over 18kgs and the TotsBots Bamboozles size 3 are
also a bigger fitting nappy and fit up to around 24kgs. We do have the pull up style for children
who are toilet training.
Q. What are Boosters?
Boosters are used to add absorbency to the nappy extending the nappy’s overall capacity. Some
babies never need to use them because the nappy’s absorbency is enough and others add a
booster or two as part of their sleep-time nappy combination.
Q: Why are the Pockets or All-in-one Nappies leaking?
When you use a one size fits most nappy and as with all one size pieces of clothing
it will not fit
all babies perfectly all the time because all babies are different shapes and sizes. However the
benefit is that because it is one size, if you find you are having the odd leak, you can pop a cover
over top of any all in one or pocket nappy to give a second containment layer.
Q: Will we need to use a barrier cream?
Only if the baby needs it or has been prescribed it, otherwise no.
Q: How many nappies will make up a full load?
For optimum performance do not overload your machine, if you have a small machine, wash
no
more than 15 nappies at a time. With bigger machines they will take up to 30 at a time.
Q: Can we use fabric conditioner on the cloth nappies?
No, it coats the fibres and reduces absorbency.
Q: Can we bleach the nappies?
No. If you find your nappies are still stained after washing, reduce the time in between washes and
get as much poop off before you store them ready for washing. Wash at 60 and best of all, line
dry if possible – sunlight works wonders!
Q: Can we tumble dry?
Yes, but you must always use the coolest setting on your drier otherwise you may reduce the life
expectancy of the Waterproofing and the elastic. There is no need to tumble the wraps or some of
the faster drying nappies if you have access to a washing line.
Nappy Lady’s top tips for washing nappies
As you can imagine, cloth nappies undergo quite a bit of laundering in their lifetime, a good
quality nappy will be washed around 300 times or perhaps more. Washable nappies will spend a
lot of in time wet acidic or alkaline solutions, they go through high wash temperatures and may
be tumble dried from time to time. All of these things will all take their toll and can shorten the
lifespan of your nappies.
The instructions below are a general set of washing instructions, you must always check the care
label on your nappies before you use them because the manufacturer will have tested different
washing scenarios.
Do’s
• Follow the wash care instructions on the label.
• Soak your nappies for 24 hours in cold water only, before first use if they are brand new to kick start
your nappies absorbency and then pop them through a normal wash and they will be good to go!
• If you are not using a liner get as much poo off the nappies as you can before putting them into the
nappy bucket by sluicing i.e. holding in the flush of the toilet.
• Always, fold back the hook and loop laundry tab’s as they will damage your nappies in the wash otherwise.
Unfolded laundry tabs are a major cause of fabric balding so please, please use them.
• The nappies must be washed over 60 degrees.
• You must add either Canesten hygiene rinse or Dettol in wash to each load which is an Antibacterial
and Anti-fungal treatment for the nappies.
• You must use a sensitive washing product to wash them with i.e persil sensitive.
• Line drying is best but the nappies we use in the kits can be placed in a cool dryer.
• Line-dry whenever you can. Not only will sunlight bleach stains out of the nappies but the UV
radiation will kill bacteria too. You can tumble dry the nappies on a cool setting if needed but buy some
pegs and save your pennies!
Dont’s
• Daily washing is essential in ECE centres.
• Don’t use fabric softeners as this leaves a residue, which coats the fabric fibres and decreases the
absorbency of the nappy.
• Don’t soak your nappies in harsh stain removers. If you do have a pile of very stinky nappies and want
to soak, use either water or a mild solution of your washing liquid and only soak for a short period of
time.
• Don’t use bleach or other harsh stain removers. They will shorten the lifespan of your nappies and will
void your guarantee.
• Don’t use pastes of wash powder and apply direct to stains, this is too concentrated.
• Don’t boil wash. If you are worried about bacteria, leave your nappies in bright sunlight, even a frost in
winter-time is fantastic.
A final note: I have seen some very sad over laundered nappies and it just amazes me what some people do to
them to keep them white or stain free. Repeat after me “whiter than white simply ain’t right!” The nappies are
there to catch waste and over time they may become stained, they are just a fabric garment and lets face it, a
white tee Shirt never stays pure white, so don’t expect a nappy to either.