✨ How to Deal with Stains in Cloth Diapers
Stains happen. They don’t mean your diapers are dirty—they just need a little extra love. Here’s how to treat (and prevent!) those stubborn spots.
☁️ First: Don’t Panic About Stains
A stain doesn’t mean your diaper isn’t clean—it just means something left behind a mark. Even the best-washed diaper can get a little colorful sometimes, especially with newborn poop, certain foods, or if a diaper sits too long before washing.
🧺 1. Wash as Usual First
Before doing anything extra, run your diapers through your regular wash routine. Many stains lighten or disappear once diapers are fully clean.
🌞 2. Try Sunning – Nature’s Magic Eraser
Sunshine is the most effective, non-toxic, cloth diaper-safe stain remover.
How to sun your diapers:
- Lay damp, clean diapers outside in direct sunlight. Stains should face up.
- If you don’t have a yard or porch, a sunny windowsill works too!
- Leave them out for a few hours—check after 1–3 hours depending on the weather.
- Re-wet the stained areas if they dry out before the stain fades.
☀️ Bonus: Sun also helps deodorize and kill bacteria naturally.
🧼 3. Gentle Stain Treatments
If sunning isn’t enough or you need quicker results, here are cloth-safe options:
🫧 Lemon Juice (for whites only)
- Dab a bit of lemon juice on the stain before sunning.
- Note: Avoid lemon on colored fabrics—it may bleach.
🧽 Baking Soda Paste
- Mix baking soda with water to form a paste.
- Rub gently into the stain, let sit 30–60 minutes, then rinse and wash.
🧴 OxiClean (Baby-safe version)
- Add a scoop to your pre-wash or soak cycle.
- Or, make a paste with warm water and apply to the stain for 15–30 minutes before washing.
🧽 4. Preventing Stains in the First Place
You can’t avoid all stains, but these tips help reduce them:
- Rinse or spray off solids quickly.
- Don’t let dirty diapers sit too long. Wash every 2–3 days.
- Use liners. Disposable or reusable fleece liners can protect diapers from the worst of the mess.
- Pre-treat stains as soon as you notice them.
💡 Bonus: When to Let It Go
Some diapers just hold onto a shadow of a stain—and that’s okay. If they’re clean and functional, it’s purely cosmetic.
👶 A well-loved diaper doesn’t need to look brand new. Function over fashion!
