Line Drying Your Cloth Diapers Diapers

What are two common issues that cloth diapering mothers encounter when it comes to laundry? Stains and smells! So it makes sense, especially during the sunny days of summer, to capitalize on the benefits of line drying. Line drying is a simple concept. Hang up your laundry and Mother Nature will dry it and sanitize it.

My friend and fellow BabyKicks Ambassador, Michelle Hill, shared with me her observations about how the sun works to kill bacteria: Ultraviolet radiation is a great disinfectant for cloth diapers.  It kills bacteria found in stool that may not be properly destroyed by water and detergent alone.  Since these rays are always present hanging diapers on a cloudy day will produce the same results.  Our gastrointestinal tract contains over 200 different types of bacteria; which are normal and helpful to our well being. However, when some of these types of bacteria are not properly destroyed on cloth diapers they can cause diaper rash and subsequent skin infections.  

And now here are some ways I’ve learned to get the most out of line drying:

• The sun is excellent for bleaching out stains, but don’t leave colored items out too long or they will fade. For badly stained white diapers, it may take a day or more of sunshine to eradicate the discoloration.
• Clothespin sometimes leave little indentations in fabric as it dries, so fasten your diapers and covers to the line in an inconspicuous place or upside down (this goes for regular laundry, too)
• Don’t drape diapers over the line; this will increase the dry time. Instead, they should be fastened with pins and be dangling down.
• Take care of your clothespins. If dirty, they will leave marks on clean diapers. If left on the line all the time, they will eventually crack, fade and/or split. A good quality pin is important; you want something with a good grip that will stand up to sun and wind for a long while.
• Take care of your clothesline, too! It can collect dirt, so wipe it down occasionally and it won’t mark up your clean diapers.
• Hang like items together. Then, when you take them off the line, they will be sorted.
• To avoid stiff or crunchy line-dried diapers, pop them in the dryer for a few minutes right after they come out of the washing machine. Then, hang up to dry. A half cup of vinegar in your rinse cycle may also help keep fabrics softer. Another tip found online: leave your diapers hanging on the line overnight; the morning dew and gentle breeze can act as a natural softening agent.
• If you don’t have a clothesline or live in housing that doesn’t permit one outdoors, a small drying rack inside your home or apartment can still work wonders. If you are especially pressed for space, try a hanging system. And if you have stains that need bleaching, hang the items up close to a sunny window.
• Remove your stuff as soon as it’s dry. A lot of things can sabotage your fresh, clean diapers if they are left on the line too long – curious animals, a surprise rain shower or toddlers who are trying to “help!”
• If you’re lucky enough to have a clothesline, enjoy those moments outdoors as you hang things up or take them down. The warm sun, the breeze and the scent of fresh laundry can be magical and may help to melt your worries away.

And now, while we’re on the topic of summertime and cloth diapers, how about a giveaway? (NO LONGER ACCEPTING ENTRIES)