New Cotton or Hemp Products Wash 3-5 times in very hot water using very little detergent. Dry in between washings and do not wash with other products. If not prepped properly, your natural cotton or hemp product will repel liquids, or their natural oils could cause your other products to repel liquids.

New Polyester Products Wash product once using very little detergent. This is the same for all diapers (except hemp or new cotton), covers, doublers, inserts, etc. If the diaper or cover is Velcro fastening, make sure you affix them prior to washing. Most diapers with Velcro are equipped with laundry tabs. Do not pre-wash polyester products with your new cotton or new hemp products

There are many ways to care for your diapers. The following is my own personal wash routine. My routine is not the only way, and you should find what works for you.  If you have problems, you can make changes and add things to your wash routine as you get more comfortable with cloth diapering.
 
If a diaper is just wet, I separate any inserts from the diaper, and throw them both into my diaper pail.  If my daughter has a BM, I shake off any solids into the toilet and flush.  If the BM is sticky, I dunk the diaper in the toilet, just so the diaper gets wet and throw it in the diaper pail.  You want the diaper wet, just in case you don't get to wash for a day or two (or three!). If you let the BM dry on your diaper, it is more likely to stain.
 
First, I do a cold soak, with no detergent, right in my washer.  If I there is a particularly stubborn stain, I'll let them soak for a few hours.  Otherwise, I'll just run them through a cold wash, with no detergent.
 
Next, I run the diapers through a hot wash with very little soap - maybe a 1/8 cup of detergent. (NO bleach, and NO fabric softener.) If I remember that there was a particularly dirty diaper, I look for staining and if there is, I will put some diluted detergent or Shout on that diaper.

Lastly, I will run my diapers through another complete cycle with warm water, cold rinse, and no additives (no soap, detergent, etc.).  You want your diapers rinsed really well, so if you notice lots of soap suds even after this rinse, run them again through an extra rinse.
 
Lastly, I dry everything on high, except for my diaper covers, which I hang dry.  When I have a really nice, sunny day, I'll dry everything outside.  I did not have a clothesline for a long time, so back then I used to take my entire drying rack and put that outside.
 
Note: If you have a particularly stubborn stain, squeeze some lemon juice on it and let it dry in the sun.  The sun is effective in removing stains caused by organic matter.  I know lots of moms swear by sun drying all their diapers and there is a nostalgic feeling about it.  But, since I live in tropical Cleveland, Ohio this is not always an option.  If you line-dry your diapers and they are scratchy, just put them in the dryer with a (clean) tennis ball or dryer ball for a few minutes to soften them up.

If you receive a new wool cover, it most likely has not been lanolized.  You can use a wool cover that has not been lanolized, but you will not be using the wool to its full potential.

To wash - fill sink with warm water - mix in wool wash or you can use baby shampoo.  Mix well, then add some cold water until tepid.  Soak your cover for 1/2 hour or so, gently running the wash water through the wool a few times.  Watch out - some wool colors will bleed, so until you know if yours does, do not wash different colors together.

Squeeze out water gently, or roll in a towel and blot to remove excess water.  Dry flat.

To lanolize - you will probably need to lanolize about 1-2 times a season.  Some wool washes contain some lanolin in them, as does mine, but I still like to lanolize in a separate step.  First, in a small amount of hot water, add a few drops of lanolin - not too much or your cover will end up feeling greasy.  Swirl the hot water & lanolin together until it is well mixed.  Then, add cold water until water is tepid.  Add your cover and gently run the lanolized water through the wool.  Let soak for a few minutes, then squeeze out water gently, or roll in a towel and blot to remove excess water and dry flat.

Things to remember:  Do not wash your wool covers after each use. Wash if they get soiled, or if they start retaining a smell, after they have dried.  The beauty of wool is, that if properly cared for and lanolized, they will absorb your baby's urine and then will dry with no smell.

 

 

Cost of disposables:  $2000
Cost of disposable wipes:  $800

 

Cost of cloth diapers:  $840
Cost of cloth wipes (24):  $42

 

 

Figure washing time as 15 minutes every other day.  That adds up to just over 60 hours a year.  With a savings of $800 a year, the time you spend laundering diapers equates to an earnings of $17.50 an hour. 

 

*If you hang dry your diapers, you are spending more time...but saving more $$ in utility costs. 

 

*Also, the savings will go up even more if a family chooses a more affordable cloth diapering option such as prefolds.