Cloth diapering is a great choice. Not only are cloth diapers a practical diapering solution but it will save you money and help the environment. Once you have made the decision to use cloth diapers on your baby you are then left with lots of questions and lots of choices.

Just as there are endless choices for disposable diapers, so too, are there for cloth diapers. However, many websites will suggest that you need a lot more cloth diapers and cloth diapering supplies than truly necessary.

Let's start from the beginning.

How Many Cloth Diapers do I need?

The number of cloth diapers you need will depend on how often you will wash the diapers. I personally washed our cloth diapers on a daily basis which really cut down on the number of diapers we needed. If you are using cloth diapers from the newborn stage then I suggest a minimum of about 18-20 diapers. Newborns have a tendency to go through a LOT of diapers each day. 18-20 diapers should get you through a day and a half and will allow you to wash your diapers every day or every other day without running out.

If you are buying cloth diapers for an older baby (over 4 months) you really will only need about 12 diapers. If you plan on going 2-3 days between cloth diaper washes then you may want to consider having 24-30 diapers on hand for your little one.

For babies over 12 months you will need about 12-18 diapers to last about 2 days. If you plan on washing the diapers every day then you only need about 10-12 diapers.

What Type of Cloth Diapers Should I Buy?

Buying cloth diapers for your baby is an individual experience. There are some diaper brands that stand the test of time and work well with most baby frames (long and lean or short and chubby). For a list of the top diaper brands read my article The Top Cloth Diaper Brands.

How Do I Wash Cloth Diapers?

With cloth diapers you usually want to store them somewhere before you wash them. Some people prefer the "Wet Pail" method which is really just a bucket of water that you toss soiled diapers in until they are washed. Other people prefer the "Dry Pail" method which is usually a bag that you store diapers in until they are washed.

Wet Pail Method?

For the first few months you can pretty much take a soiled diaper and just toss it into a bucket filled with water so that it will soak, break up dirt and prevent stains. After about 4 months of age you will need to shake off poopy diapers into the toilet and then toss the diaper into the bucket.

Keep the bucket out of reach of your child. I kept the bucket in the basement next to the washing machine.

When it is time to wash the diapers you can dump the entire bucket of water and the diapers into the washing machine and add a very small amount of detergent and wash them. I usually emptied the water in the basement toilet and then put the diapers in the wash.

Dry Pail Method?

With the dry pail method you take poopy diapers and shake them off in the toilet and then just put the diapers in a sealed bag until they need to be washed. Most people prefer the dry pail method because it is convenient and easy.

Dyer or Hang Dry?

I put the diapers in the dryer every time I washed them and the diapers lasted well over a year until my daughter out grew them.

What Kind of Laundry Detergent Should I Use?

With cloth diapers it is easy to get a build up on the diapers that will negatively impact the absorbency of the diapers. It is important to buy laundry detergent that is fragrance free and dye free as those are the two things that will lead to a soapy buildup on the diapers.

In addition, when washing diapers only use a teaspoon of detergent and no more or there will be a buildup and your diapers will not only lack in absorbency but will smell as well. When I noticed my daughters diapers having a smell as soon as I put them on her I knew I had a problem but it took over a year to get the buildup and all I had to do was put them through a wash cycle 2-3 times without any detergent and the problem was solved.

© Krista Tannahill 2009 - Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.