The definition of a hack is “a strategy or technique for managing one’s time or activities more efficiently.” Thank you Miriam Webster Dictionary for that. Who doesn’t love to manage things more efficiently…including our cloth diapers!
ONE!
Do NOT stress about which inserts go with what diapers.
It doesn’t matter.
Really.
If it fits….it works. Seriously, as long as the insert, prefold, flat, whatever…is completely contained within the cover, it works. No need to match up brand to brand…unless you want to.
The only rule (even though I’m not a big fan of rules) you must follow is that microfiber can’t go directly against baby’s skin. That either gets stuffed into a pocket or you must put something (not microfiber) around or on top of it. For instance, use a flour sack towel (sold in most stores that have a kitchen towel sections as well as on Amazon) and wrap it around the microfiber insert. Now it can be used in ANY diaper…if it fits inside. ;)
TWO!
Don’t have a dryer or space to hang cloth diaper covers and inserts everywhere? No problem!
It can be used indoors or out and folds up for easy storage. Plus it’s only around $10! I hang my stuff up at night and by morning pretty much everything is dry!
THREE!
DIY Cheap Fleece (Stay-Dry) Liners
This is a great way to make amazing and CHEAP stay dry liners or something to use with non-cd safe rash creams. All you need is a micro-fleece blanket like the ones you see at Walmart (or you can also find micro-fleece at craft stores). Stick with the thinner versions as they will last longer and work better at letting the liquid through to leave a dry feeling for little one.
You can use one of your inserts to make a template and trace it on a piece of thicker paper or cardboard. Then use the template to cut the micro-fleece. No sewing required. This craft project is so easy even I have attempted it. And I don’t even sew buttons!
Do you have a cloth diaper hack that you can share?
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Jenn is a long-time cloth diaper educator and a passionate small business advocate. She has worked in the reusable diaper industry for over a decade, helping millions of families via her websites All About Cloth Diapers, Thinking About Cloth Diapers and Cloth Diaper Geek as well as hundreds of small businesses during that time. Her goal always to provide simple, reliable information.
Merry says
I’m a little confused about he microfiber againest the skin. Cloth diapers that are not natural fibers are microfiber right? I thought pockets are often microfiber because it stays dry againest babies skin or is microfiber something else?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Pockets are usually made from microsuede or microfleece (sometimes also athletic wicking jersey). All are not natural fibers but can go against skin. They allow moisture though but don’t absorb, hence the stay dry feeling. Pockets often have microfiber inserts, but those must be stuffed or covered before going on baby.
Merry says
Oh! Wow, thank you for clearing that up! I never knew there were so many different types of materials!
Katy says
I love your first “hack.” We have many combinations at our house that we refer to as “FrankenDiapers” because it’s bits and pieces from all sorts of diaper brands that work well together for us. Like my daughter’s night time diaper is a Geffen Prefold wrapped around an OsoCozy newborn cotton prefold and a Tidy Tots hemp booster all stuffed inside a Thirsies Duo Wrap.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Exactly! Use whatever you have and love and whatever works!
Chris Brown says
I wash tidy whitey underwear with my last wash of the diapers to cut my total laundry loads.
hi says
your link for fleece or microfleece blankets takes me to cotton blankets? cotton would stay wet
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Thanks for catching that! All fixed :)
hi says
Sorry to say the link still takes me to flannel blankets idk what’s going on. I’d like to see a link to the right kind of fabric! I want to make some liners :P
This is what I’m seeing: http://a.co/6vWM8ac
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I believe you are seeing a cached version of the page. If you refresh it the link should update. As stated though in the post 100% microfleece is what you want. The thinner kind will work better. Sorry for the inconvenience with the link.
hi says
:) Must have been! I can see fleece after refreshing. Weird that my browser didn’t *actually* load the whole page after leaving and coming back. Good thing you’re web savvy.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
lol I really just know enough to get me into trouble. Thanks for hanging in there until we got it figured out!