Picture by MovinOnUp_2008
Rubbermaid tub, by picture by MovinOnUp_2008Thanks to for this Frugal Baby Tip!

I think that all the "diaper pails" out there are too expensive.

I just bought two large plastic bins with tops for $5.00, and they work just fine.

I just put them next to the sink in my laundry room, out of reach (I too have a dog and a cat!).

One for clean dipes fresh out of the laundry, one for dirty ones - I do not soak (yucky!).

I also keep 2-3 separate little baskets filled with diapers around the house (because I change her almost everywhere and my house is big, or should I say I am too lazy lol). When I run out, I just go to the "main source" in my laundry room to refill. LOL

When I change daughter's diapers, I just bring it into the laundry room immediately.

I find that this is easier and keeps all the odors, etc in one small room.

But I don't really have odors, since the bin has a cover that works pretty good to contain the smells.

If it happens to be a poopy dipe, I just rinse it in the sink first, squeeze out as much water as possible and put it into the bin - my dry diaper "pail".

I usually do this right after my daughter has been changed, so that the stain won't set and the smells won't stay. But I have left a few poopy ones without soaking or rinsing right away.

I just rinsed them ASAP and haven't had any stain problems (by the way, my daughter is still exclusively breastfed!) I also wash at least every other day -a max of 2 dozen at a time, with wipes.


Stefanie said: We used disposable diapers the first couple of weeks (the main problem was that I didn't have cloth that actually would fit!) But the meconium is pretty nasty stuff.

You should have seen my husband and I tag teaming on changing those dipes! You about need a scraper to get that stuff off!!! LOL

I do know of some moms that used cloth liners in the dipes. They just cut up pieces of flannel they bought at the fabric store and put in the diaper. The meconium passes in like 3-4 days so it's not an issue for long!

Kasandra said: I agree with Stefanie about the cut up flannel. What I did for liners was cut up some of the cheaper recieving blankets given to me (I got a zillion of them at my shower for my first baby).

I felt a little guilty, but not guilty enough (about cutting up receiving blankets given to me as a gift). < I used the pink ones I got, since I was having a boy. But like Stefanie said, you could just get some discount flannelette. Meconium is way too icky to try and get off a diaper.

Thanks to Stephanie and Kasandra for this Frugal Baby Tip!
Picture by ataylor1215
frugal diaper pail, picture by ataylor1215Thanks to Julie for this Frugal Baby Tip!

You don't need to use a wet pail. I dunk my poopie diapers and toss them in a separate, smaller pail. But I still don't add water to it. It is a drowning hazard, not to mention stinks up the house. You will get great results using a dry pail and just letting the washing machine do the rest!

I just use a regular kitchen garbage can with a tight fitting lid, and a laundry bag from Target inside. I wash every 2 days, and have no odor problem at all.

Picture by msplexico
Cute Laundry, picture by msplexicoThanks to Julie for this Frugal Baby Tip!

After much experimenting and fiddling around there are many things I have learned when it comes to washing diapers.

1. There is no *one* right way. Everyone's water is different, diapers are different, and quite frankly every baby's poops are different! Even within the same city water can vary. Katherine and I are both in Metro Atlanta, but she has city water and I have county. She gets great results with just Dr. Bronner's, I get horrible results. You will have to experiment with what works best, what follows is my opinion.

2. I really do not think it is necessary to soak the diapers. I do think a cold rinse/spin cycle is important.

3. Soap is not bad for diapers. Some notice a decrease in absorbancy when using animal based soaps such as grated Ivory (Ivory Snow is no longer a soap product by the way, it is a detergent). Fabric softener however is a no-no, it will decrease the life-span and absorbancy of your diapers.

4. Do not wash too many diapers at once!!!!! This, in my opinion, is the most important thing to remember. I have found that anything more than 2 dozen at a time will not get them clean.

5. Do not wait to long between washings. Anything longer than 2 days for me gives a horrible ammonia odor that is near impossible to get out, and the longer stains - set the worse they are.

6. I HATE WASHING SODA!!! Yes, I was yelling that! It pilled up my diapers something terrible, makes them horribly rough, and grey. I can't say enough bad things about washing soda. Try knocking it out of your routine, you may find the same thing. Those of us with really hard water have the worst time with washing soda.

After much experimentation the best way to get my diapers clean is:

• Wash every 2 days. (For example, I will wash on Monday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday)
• No more than 2 dozen prefolds, plus my wipes
• Cold rinse/spin
• Longest cycle hot with 2 scoops Ultra Freshbreeze Laundry Soap, and vinegar in the final rinse
• Extra cold rinse

That's it! Rarely a stain, and if there is one I lay it in the sun and it's usually gone.

By the way, you can get Ultra Freshbreeze through www.thesoapworks.com , or Trader Joes if you have one near you.

Recent Keyword Searches: making fleece liners, make fleece cover, how to make a nursing bracelet, frugal baby tips, cloth diapering on a budget frugal tips
Picture by brendaamanda08
I love my diaper! by brendaamanda08Thanks to Sally for this Frugal Baby Tip!

Whenever my daughter had a diaper rash, I would have her sit in a tub of warm plain water every time I changed her. Then I would apply a diaper cream, and let her go in a diaper with no cover around the house. This always worked within a day.

BUT, if your baby just started solids, it could be a reaction to some food
and unless you stop that particular food, the rash may not go away. I would
either switch foods, go to plain rice cereal, or stop until the rash goes
away, hopefully in a day or so.

Good luck -- I hate seeing those little red buns!!
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