Why Do Cloth Diapers Require Two Wash Cycles?

When it comes to choosing cloth diapers for your baby, you're making an eco-friendly and cost-effective choice. However, proper care and maintenance of cloth diapers is critical to ensure they remain clean, hygienic, and odor-free. Kanga Care’s products use a multitude of materials to help support maximum absorbency as well as hypo-allergenic materials and absorbency against your baby's skin! 
 
Ecoposh OBV natural fibers and the durable waterproof exteriors of TPU found on Rumparooz and Rumparooz Covers all need proper wash and care to keep them working top notch throughout your cloth diapering journey. One essential aspect of cloth diaper care is the two-wash routine, which consists of a "prewash" and a "main wash." Below, we'll dive into the reasons why cloth diapers require this two-wash approach and how it contributes to their effectiveness, longevity and cleanliness for your baby’s bottom. 

Also Read: How often do I need to wash my cloth diapers?

The Prewash: Rinse and Release

The first step in the two-wash process is the "prewash." This initial wash serves a vital purpose: to rinse away the physical waste from the diapers and to release any urine or fecal matter that may be trapped in the fabric fibers. Here's why the prewash is so important:

• Waste Removal: Babies can produce a surprising amount of waste, and it's essential to remove as much of it as possible before the main wash. The prewash helps to dislodge and rinse away loose particles, reducing the chances of stains and lingering odors.
• Hygiene: By eliminating the bulk of the waste during the prewash, you're ensuring that the main wash can focus on thoroughly cleaning the diapers without interference from surface-level grime.
• Reduced Detergent Use: By having a prewash and removing the bulk of waste the second wash does not have to work as hard. This not only saves on detergent costs but also helps prevent detergent residue buildup on your diapers, which can lead to decreased absorbency and skin irritation for your baby.

The Main Wash: Deep Cleaning

Once the prewash has taken care of the surface-level waste, it's time for the "main wash." This cycle is where the real cleaning magic happens. Here's why the main wash is so important for cloth diapers:

• Effective Cleaning: The main wash is designed to penetrate deep into the fabric fibers of the diapers, removing any remaining stains, odors, and bacteria. This thorough cleaning ensures that your diapers are fresh and ready for your baby to use again.
• Soil Removal: Cloth diapers can hold soil within their fibers, especially if not properly cleaned. The main wash's full load of detergent helps break down and remove this trapped soil, leaving your diapers in optimal condition.
• Odor Control: Proper cleaning in the main wash significantly reduces the risk of persistent odors in your cloth diapers. A clean, odor-free diaper is essential for your baby's comfort and your peace of mind.

Once your diapers come out of their final wash they should always look as clean as the day you got them! If you find that your diapers are holding odor, have a dingy gray look, or stains, reach out to us for wash and care troubleshooting!

Our two-wash process does more than just protect and care for your diapers. It is also crucial to protect your little one’s delicate skin! Following our wash recommendations will ensure that your diapers are optimally clean and safe for your baby, avoiding potential build up of detergent or bacteria that can lead to a rash. 

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Which Detergents are cloth diaper approved?

Remember that using a suitable detergent for cloth diapers and following Kanga Care’s instructions are essential components of proper cloth diaper maintenance. With the right care routine, cloth diapers can serve your family well and make a positive impact on the environment.

Our team has personally tested each approved detergent and checked off the needed enzymes and surfactants to clean human waste. To learn more about what is needed you can find those guidelines on our wash & care page. The benefits to using the approved detergents are:

• Effectiveness: Kanga Care's recommended detergents are specially designed to effectively remove human waste, removing stains, odors, and bacteria. They are formulated to handle the challenges of cloth diapering.
• Gentle on Fabrics: Cloth diapers are made from different materials like polyester, cotton, bamboo, and microfiber, and these fabrics require gentle yet thorough cleaning to maintain their durability and absorbency. Kanga Care's detergents are formulated to be gentle on these fabrics while still providing a deep clean.
• Residue-Free: One common issue with using non-approved detergents on cloth diapers is the potential for detergent residue buildup, which can affect absorbency and cause skin irritation for babies. Kanga Care's recommended detergents are designed to rinse away completely, leaving no residue behind on your diapers.
• Longevity: Proper care and cleaning with the right detergent can extend the lifespan of your cloth diapers.
• Manufacturer's Warranty: Kanga Care offers warranties on our products, and using the recommended detergent helps to maintain the warranty's validity. Using other detergents could potentially void the warranty.
• Community Trust: Kanga Care has built a strong reputation in the cloth diapering community. Their recommended detergents have been tried and tested by countless cloth diapering parents.

While some detergents may be marketed as "safe for cloth diapers," it's important to note that not all of them are approved or recommended by Kanga Care. Being misled by marketing claims can lead to unintended issues, such as detergent residue buildup, waste being left on diapers, smelly cloth diapers, damage to elastics and waterproof layers and more! Some detergents may work well for prefolds and flats, which are just folds of cotton, hemp or bamboo fabric, but the same detergent will have corrosive effects on a modern style cloth diaper with components such as waterproof barriers and elastic.

In the world of cloth diapering, a two-wash routine with the correct detergent is a tried-and-true method for keeping your diapers clean, hygienic, and long lasting. The prewash effectively rinses away surface-level waste and reduces detergent usage, while the main wash deep cleans the diapers, removing stains, odors, and trapped soil.