Say my baby is 3 weeks old. I take off the cloth diaper (we have a mix of prefolds, fitteds, and AIOs), put on a new diaper... What do I do with the dirty diaper (especially if its poop)? Rinse it off? (If so is it OK to leave a wet/rinsed diaper in my pail that has a pail liner in it?) Close up the diaper, drop it in the pail, and leave it until laundry time? How do I prevent poop from getting all over the outsides of other diapers?
Sorry if this sounds dumb... can you walk me through your diaper changing process?
Re: OK walk me through the changing process...
We breastfeed (this matters because that means I can just throw the whole diaper in the wash without rinsing first). We take off the diaper (take out inserts for pockets) and throw it in the wet bag. Close wet bag. On laundry day, open wet bag, dump contents into washer (including bag) and do wash cycles.
Don't worry about staining the outside of diapers. They come clean.
Since your LO is either EBF or EFF, you don't have to rinse poo. Just wrap it up and put it in the diaper.
It doesn't matter if poop gets over the other diapers. You're washing them all anyway.
Before solids it went like this:
Take off diaper. Remove inserts if using a pocket. Wrap and toss the entire diaper into pail (ours is lined with a pillowcase). When pail is full, take down to laundry room, dump entire load (including liner) into washer, wash.
After solids it went like this:
Take off diaper. Remove inserts if using a pocket. If only pee, wrap and toss into pail. If poopy, dunk in toilet until poo comes off, wrap and throw into pail. Wash as above.
GL!
Everything Dr. L said.
For EBF of FF babies all you have to do is put it in the pail until you wash.
We do this because LO is not on solids and is EBF. The only difference is that when we put the load of diapers in the wash we run a cold rinse first to get the poopy off. I was told washing in hot first can set stains. So we do a cold rinse, and then wash on hot w/detergent, then follow with a cold rinse (sometimes double rinse after). Most of it comes off and any little stain comes out in the sun.
GL!
Before solids:
Take diaper off, remove insert if pocket, toss in pail, on wash day, take pail liner to washing machine, dump everything in and toss pail liner in on top. Run a cold rinse, hot wash, extra cold rinse
After solids:
If poop, take to toilet, dump what poop I can, spray off the rest, toss in pail. Wash as above.
I use a pail because it's easier to simply toss the diaper in it - no messing with zippers or pull ties. I haven't had a problem with stink, so there's no need to really keep it zippered up. If I start having stink problems, I'll just get a lidded trash can and line that. I also drop a couple drops of lavendar or tea tree oil in my diaper pail to combat any smell issues, just in case. I rinse it out every few days. Although, I like the pillow case idea that one of the PPs mentioned. I think I'll start using one. The only time I use a zippered or tied wetbag is when I'm running around town.
Every wet bag I've tried gets a little damp on the outside (even my Planetwise) after sitting for a while, so I don't want that up against the wall. I just use a pail liner in a trash can and pretty much turn it inside out as I put the diapers in the washer, and toss it in afterwards (I have two that I rotate.)
My diaper pail lid is usually open but I like having the option of closing it up, too!
we have both. I prefer the pail. Its easier (i can step on it to open instead of unzipping). it also holds more. My zippered bag only holds 2 days of pockets. My pail holds 3+
You can get a regular flip top trash can from Target, and use a pail liner like this one (link). You can toss it in the wash with your diapers.