Washing Your Flatfolds, Prefolds and Proraps

Here is How You Can Wash Your Prefolds, Flatfolds and Proraps

A flatfold is a simple hemmed square of cloth. A prefold is a flatfold that has been folded into a smaller and thicker square and then hemmed. A prorap is a diaper cover that hooks together with snaps or velcro and is shaped like the capital letter I.

Every manufacture of cloth diapers has their own washing instructions but if you use flatfolds and/or prefolds and proraps here are some washing tips. 

When you are washing your flatfolds and/or prefolds for the very first time and they are new you should wash them twice in warm water and infant detergent. A detergent that is free of dyes and fragrances will work just fine too. If your flatfolds and/or prefolds are gently used wash them once with hot water. Like before wash them with the same kind of detergent. These rules apply to new and used proraps as well, except you just have to wash them once. Along with detergent you can throw a little bit of distilled vinegar in the wash if you have smelly diapers, but not too much since it is powerful and too much could cause harm to your cloth diapers.

Once the cloth diapers have been worn you will likely be placing them in a diaper pail. You can choose to use a wet pail, a diaper pail that is full of water so the soiled diapers are soaking at all time, but keep in mind that they are very potent. A less smelly alternative is to use a dry pail and you can even use a pail liner that you can throw in with the diapers when you wash them. It will keep the smell of the diaper pail down and you won't have to wash it as often.

There are several methods to washing flatfolds, prefolds and proraps. The washing machine will determine what kind of wash and rinse cycle that you will give your cloth diapers but here are some recommendations.

One option is to wash the cloth diapers without detergent on a COLD wash and a COLD rinse. Then wash them with detergent on a HOT wash and a COLD rinse.

Another option is to soak the diapers for at least a half of an hour in hot water in your washing machine. Then drain the water and add detergent and wash them on HOT and rinse them on COLD.