» What do I need to switch to real nappies?
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 » What accessories will I need?
 » How do I wash and care for real nappies?
 » How much will real nappies cost me?
 » How many real nappies will I need?
 » Which kind of real nappy will I need?
 » Which real nappy fabric will suit me best?

 

What do I need to switch to real nappies?

 

It's really easy. Despite the large and often confusing range of products out there, there are just a few basic components needed to put your baby into real nappies (listed in order of how close they go to your babies bottom!):

There are two main styles of real nappy - the two-piece and the all-in-one.  The two-piece has a nappy and then a separate wrap, while an all-in-one combines these two elements in one piece.  If you're looking at an all-in-one, then the nappy, wrap and fastener described below are replaced by the single one-piece nappy.

The nappy These now include shaped nappies and prefolds as well as the old traditional Terries. Shaped nappies are a popular and simple-to-use alternative for people who don't want to fold their nappies. They tend to have either a Velcro/applix or popper fastening, or else they’ll need a separate fastener – usually the ingenious ‘nappi-nippa’ (see below). Prefolds are a less bulky, more streamlined alternative; 'liners' which go in specific wraps. Cleverly designed with extra padding down the middle, these cotton squares can easily be folded to provide extra padding at the front or back to suit a boy or girl baby respectively. Terries are larger cotton squares which can be folded in the old traditional way. For all folds, please download this PDF which has pictures and examples. Nappies are replaced with a clean one at each change.

The fastener It's rare these days to find the old safety pins. Most modern real nappies are self-fastening, fitted with either poppers or a fabric fastener such as Applix or Velcro. If they aren't, Nappi-nippas are easy to use and keep the nappy on more leak-proof and comfortable than ever. 

The wrap These are the waterproof outer which keeps your baby’s clothes dry. Certain wraps work better with specific inners - we will detail what product goes best with what elsewhere on the site. wraps do not need to be changed as often as nappies - just once or twice a day is generally ok - just check the state of cleanliness and decide! If it is slightly damp on the inside, you can wipe it clean with a wipe, or with cotton wool dipped in water, and allow it to dry briefly (this usually takes me no longer than the time it takes to change the nappy). If the dampness has seeped through, it's generally time to change it!

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What accessories will I need?

The information below assumes that you've already chosen your nappies, wraps, and any fasteners you might need, as described in the section above

Accessories for real nappies are really easily summarised as falling into 5 categories - storage, laundry, wipes, boosters and liners.

 

Most people choose to buy a bucket, or nappy pail, and simply store any dirty nappies in here. (For full details of washing and storage, please see the section below). This can be made easier with nappy meshes - which sit inside the bucket, lining it, and when full, are transferred into the washing machine. Most people have a couple of meshes and alternate them. An alternative to the nappy bucket is the PUL-lined laundry bag. This can be hung up instead of stored on the floor and is an excellent option for people who have limited space. A lot of our customers like to have a few of these, and hang them in the bathroom, nursery, etc - for transferring to the washing machine once full. They are also excellent for when you're out - simply keep one in your changing bag to store any dirty nappies in, and the PUL lining will keep everything in. An alternative to the laundry bag are disposable nappy sacks. Although these generate some waste, making them less eco-friendly than the PUL-lined bags, all of the ones we stock are biodegradeable and therefore have a minimal impact on the environment.

For full details of how to launder your nappies, please see the section below. You don't have to use a specialist real nappy detergent, but there are some reasons you may want to. If you prefer, any non-bio will sanitise and clean your nappies perfectly. Tots Bots have revolutionised laundry detergents for real nappies with their Potion. It will sanitise your nappies at 30 degrees - which cuts down on your washing costs, and it is also completely natural. It has no synthetic enzymes, no synthetic perfumes, no phosphates, is allergy tested and not tested on animals. From Bambinex, we stock the wonderful 3-in-1 Ultra-care Wash. Excellent as a stain remover and as a detergent, it can also be used if you prefer soaking your nappies. We don't recommend this, but if it suits you better than dry-pailng, a soak like the Bambinex one is ph neutral and friendlier on babies' skin than some of the more widely available formulations.

Whether you choose disposable or washable wipes, we believe we stock the best you can find. Jackson Reece have just won the Mother and Baby gold award for best baby wipe for the second year running (2010/2011) and are eco-friendly, flushable and natural. Free from harmful chemicals, they are lovely, soft, moist wipes, and a firm favourite. If you prefer a reusable wipe, you can't go wrong with the Pop-in Bamboo wipes. Reusable wipes will save you at least £200 compared to disposable wipes. And as they're small and easy to wash with your real nappies, they're no more work or cost to look after!

An optional extra fabric liner to use in conjunction with, or instead of, the disposable liner. On smaller babies, these are often employed just as an occasional safeguard for night-times, long journeys, etc. You will find that as your baby grows, his or her wees will become more infrequent and therefore more heavy. This heaviness is compounded by weening after which moisture isn't being lost through those runny poos, and you will probably use boosters more and more until they become a constant in your real nappies. They absorb more liquids and help keep your nappies clean in the event of a poo! We have found that the increased absorbency of the regular booster alone can significantly reduce nappy rash. Bamboo is antibacterial and a hugely absorbant fabric, making it perfect for boosters. Microfibre or fleece boosters wick moisture away from the skin, working as a stay-dry layer, and for more sensitive bums there is the further option of the silk booster – specifically designed for delicate skin.

These line the nappy and when your baby poos, catch most of (and sometimes the whole) mess to stop it from dirtying the nappy. This serves two purposes: it makes changing time easier and cleaner for you; and protects the nappy from staining, which in turn means it will be laundered less intensively and therefore improve the life-span of your real nappies. There are usually two weights of liner available. The thicker ones can be rinsed, and washed up to three times in order to re-use them. Both are fully biodegradable and flushable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How do I wash and care for real nappies?

Changing time

I thought that I would struggle with this - especially the cleaning bit. But again, this is surprisingly simple. Once you've disposed of your paper liners (which can be flushed away in the loo), check to see whether any poo remains on the nappy.  Soiled nappies need to be rinsed off (in the sink, or even in the flow of your loo's flush) before storing, and wet ones just need to be stored.

Storage

The most important thing to have is a bucket with a lid. We recommend dry pailing, as we find that soaking nappies means that bacteria breed in the stagnant water. In our parent's day, when they used terries, the nappies would need to be soaked as this acted as a pre-wash. The efficiency of modern washing machines and detergents means that we can leave this stage out, as our nappies will be sanitised without the soak.  They can store for several days in a pail with no water at all, and if you are having a problem with odour despite the lid, you can use a variety of things to neutralise it. Tea tree oil is the most popular addition to the bucket to keep things nice and fresh! You shouldn't have to resort to using chemical sterilisers, and can always put a small scoop of washing powder on top of really smelly nappies. Please note that any Velcro-fastened wraps and nappies should be fastened before washing, in order to preserve their condition for longer. 

Bambinex Ultra Care Wash is an excellent 3-in-1 nappy soak, stain remover and detergent, and just a teaspoon of this in a bucket with water is an excellent alternative if you do decide that you'd like to soak your nappies.

You can use a mesh bag if you like - this sits inside the bucket and has a drawstring or an elasticated opening.  Once full, simply transfer the entire bag into the washing machine - no need to handle the individual nappies.  Many of our customers instinctively choose this option to make the whole washing routine a little less smelly!

Washing

Once you need clean nappies, or have a full bucket, simply transfer them to your washing machine and wash at 40 or 60°C. Your nappies will have a care label on, which tells you the temparature at which to wash them. While they will usually say 60 degrees, we find that modern washing machines can often deal with the cloth nappies better then they used to, so we do most of our washing at 40°C. But for heavier soiling, older babies, and just every once in a while to give them a thorough clean, you might like to use 60°C.  Obviously, we would suggest using an eco-friendly – and non-biological – detergent. Alternatively, the wonderful EcoBalls which we stock are a totally detergent free way of keeping your nappies really clean. They save money and are good for the environment too.

The two best detergents that we've found for your real nappies are:

Tots Bots Potion - a completely unique product which is natural, has no synthetic enzymes, and most amazingly, will sanitize your nappies at 30 degrees.

Rockin' Green detergent - this is a wonderful formulation which not only keeps your nappies clean but also includes several products to ensure that you don't get an ammonia smell or detergent build-up in your nappies

Fabric Conditioner

Fabric conditioner should not be used at all with cloth nappies. It works by coating fibres with the chemical contents, and in the case of real nappies, this means that these fibres become a lot less absorbant.

Drying

Drying the nappies is quickly and easily achieved on the line. Line drying is great for real nappies, especially on hot days when the sun will help naturally bleaching out stains. And, while certain products can be tumble-dried, we would suggest checking the label before doing so. If you do decide to tumble dry, it will obviously increase your costs, as well as diminish the environmental benefit of your real nappies. However, we also recognise that many people do not have outside space to dry their nappies, and sometimes tumble drying is unavoidable. In these instances, we recommend using the Ecozone Dryer Balls, which soften the nappies while drying, and also cut the drying time by up to 1/3rd! 

Pre-washing Bamboo

In many cases, (especially with bamboo) nappies need to be washed several times before use. This is because when they are loomed, the fabrics are coated with a substance to help them go through the looms more easily. This substance has the same effect as fabric conditioner - it will stop the fibres being able to absorb moisture. Although some manufacturers recommend up to 10 times, we find that 3 or 4 is usually enough, and the absorbancy will increase with each wash from then onwards. Simply soak your nappies in cold water overnight beforehand, and thenwash them 3-4 times with about a teaspoon of detergent.  No need to dry in between.

Stripping nappies

With any nappies, over time you can get a detergent build-up. A few clues will tell you if this has happened: you may have an ammonia smell, the nappies might go stiff and "cardboardy", and most importantly, you may notice a diminishment in their absorbancy.

 

Many of the methods recommended online (on forums and other sites eg Mumsnet, Cloth Nappy Tree etc) work very well but can go against the recommendation of the manufacturers. Such advice as soaking in vinegar or using washing up liquid may do wonders, but don't forget that is can cause problems with the fabrics the nappies are made of, so proceed with caution, as your warranties will be affected if, for instance, the PUL stops being waterproof.

Our best advice is to first of all check that the pipes of your washing machine don't themselves have a detergent build up. The downside of modern laundry methods becoming more ecologically friendly is that a lack of bleach and lower temperatures can mean that detergents, especially liquid ones, can leave a slimy residue in the washing machine. This can start smelling, and won't be doing any of your laundry any favours. So we recommend running your washing machine empty, on the hottest wash possible. Use soda cystals or bicarb of soda which will help dissolve the build up. Washing machine manufacturers now recommend doing this "maintenance wash" monthly to keep your machine build-up free.

Once done, you need to tackle the nappies. There are all sorts of different methods knocking about online, but we recommend washing on the hottest wash recommended by the manufacturer (usually 60 degrees for anything containing PUL or bamboo, can be higher for cotton) with a normal amount of detergent. Then wash them with no detergent, several times, at your usual temperature, until there are no suds and bubbles during the wash bit of the cycle. Please note that while vinegar, washing-up liquid and bicarb will clean and  fluff up the nappies beautifully (hotels often use these methods to get their towels so fluffy) it is absolutely essential that you check with the manufacturers first as it can cause damage to the fabric. If you have to use these methods, we recommend not doing so more than 1 couple of time a year at the most.

 

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How much will real nappies cost me?

Not as much as disposables will! With a batch of real nappies – be they prefolds, shaped, terries, or a mixture of the three – you may never need buy another nappy again! And as all wraps, nappies and even liners are washable, they can be used and re-used time and again – even passing on from one baby to the next. The resale value of cloth nappies is high too - especially the more sophisticated shaped ones. Many parents sell their nappies on sites like Cloth Nappy Tree or the Used Nappy Company after they have finished with them - saving money and making them an even more eco-friendly option.

Please visit our blog to see our article The real cost of real nappies - which will give you a cost comparison of real nappies compared to disposables, over the time period for which your baby is likely to be using nappies.  This shows the amazing savings you could be making - even when detergent and electricity costs are taken into account for the washing of your nappies, real nappies will save you up to £1177 compared to disposables!

The initial outlay for a regular batch of real nappies is soon recouped – especially when your baby needs changing 6, 7 or 8 times a day! What’s more, some local authorities offer grants to encourage the use of real nappies, making the decision to switch even more appealing. For information on councils offering real nappy grants, you can go to The Real Nappy campaign’s website, where they offer a ‘nappy finder’ service based on your postcode. Tick the ‘incentive scheme’ box, hit search, and you will quickly find whether there is a council incentive scheme in your area.  To see which council schemes we support, please click here. If you're council isn't listed, please phone us up and we can see if we can become a registered supplier for them.

 

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How many real nappies will I need?

That generally depends upon the number of changes your baby needs on a given day (not to mention the number of small children you have!) Factor in your own particular lifestyle demands (read: how often you’re able to wash the nappies) and you’ll soon discover how many nappies are needed to suit your own routine. Personally, we cope pretty comfortably on enough nappies to warrant a full load of washing, plus one or two in reserve.

The general recommendation is that if you're buying a sized nappy (ie one where you  buy a different size as your baby grows) then you'll want 15 nappies at each stage, but if you're buying a birth-to-potty sized nappy (which grows with your baby and so fits the whole way through), you'd buy 20 . This is to allow for the extra washing they'll get over the time baby is in nappies.

If you're using a two-part system - with a nappy and wrap - we would recommend 4-5 wraps to go with each nappy size.

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Which kind of real nappy will I need?

Again, there are no hard and fast rules here: simply use the nappy which best suits baby and you. In order to find out what this is, you can use one of the following information services:

Our nappy chooser - simply click on the link from any page on our website - you'll find it on the left hand margin of the page - to be guided through the real nappy maze.

Our live chat feature - access this on the left hand margin of any page on our site - as long as it's showing online, an advisor will be able to answer all your questions.

Our phone consultation - phone us on 01422 847733

Information on the site or blog.

Our multimedia page - videos featuring discussions of the different factors which affect your decision choosing nappies.

 

Our one recommendation, as mentioned previously, would be to use a more absorbant nappy (and/or a booster pad) overnight.

The Clean Green Nappy Company takes its cue from our customers. So, while our principal objective is to offer a simple and straightforward service in real nappy products, this is best achieved in conjunction with you. If you find that you have any requirements that we don’t as yet cater for – or have any queries, requests or suggestions that might improve this site or our service – then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Which real nappy fabric will suit me best?

We discuss this extensively on our multimedia page but below is a list of the main features of the different fabrics.

 

	Bamboo	Cotton	Microfleece
Pros	Very soft Super-absorbant Antibacterial Slimline (absorbant, so fewer layers needed) Quick growing cycle - so ecologically friendly	Available in organic versions Fairly quick drying	Very soft Super-absorbant Wicks moisture away from baby's skin so keeps inside of nappy dry and cool Quickest drying of all fabrics - can be dry within a couple of hours Uses recycled materials
Cons	Long drying time - longest of all the fabrics	Cotton is the traditional fabric for terry nappies, but it isn't the best for any of the main criteria - absorbancy, drying time etc.	Bulky Man-made fabric