FAQ

A: Most people who say cloth is too much work have never tried it themselves, or have never tried modern cloth nappies. Very few people in Australia (or elsewhere) are familiar with the kind of covers and nappies now available, and even fewer are aware of drypailing and current simplified washing techniques. Ask them why they are saying this. Almost invariably it will turn out that they know nothing about the type of nappies that you are researching on this website.

A: I would bet my bottom dollar that your friend didn't have the sort of cloth nappies that you are reading about on this site. She was probably using terry nappies, PVC or acrylic pilchers, poor quality liners and soaking in Napisan. If that's the case, I'm not surprised that she gave up. Rest assured that we wouldn't have the stamina to use cloth nappies like that, either. If you follow the advice on this site, you won't be in anything like that kind of situation.

A: No. Cloth nappies provide a better fit than disposable nappies, and have the added protection of the outer cover to prevent leaks. Cloth nappies need changing no more often than disposables, and in fact are a better solution for very heavy wetters. Modern cloth nappy users find that cloth nappies are more reliable than disposables - this is a key advantage. If you are using cloth and getting more than one or two leaks a year, then please contact us as something is clearly not right. Leaks are simply not a part of a cloth nappy user's life!

A: No. This is an old wives' tale. Scientific research has established that nappy rash depends on how often the nappy is changed, not the type of nappy. (More information on types of rash and how to treat them coming soon.) Some people even find that sensitive skin fares better in cloth - probably because they are cooler, and there is no exposure to chemicals.

A: No soaking required. Basically, washing nappies involves: disposing of the poo down the loo, putting the nappies in the washing machine and turning it on. This only needs to be done every 2-3 days. (More on washing techniques here.) Even a disastrous first-time, isolated mum like myself could manage this! However, if you are really put off by the thought of putting on a load of washing in the early stages, feel free to use other options such as a laundry service or disposables for as long as you like. You have plenty of time to switch over to cloth when you are ready.

A: Even the most expensive cloth nappies are still a fraction of the cost of disposables, and that is after taking into consideration the cost of laundering. In addition, there are many other good reasons to use cloth such as the extra reliability and comfort.

A: No. You will find a full argument here. But we never argue in favour of cloth on environmental grounds. The fact is, they do the job better than disposables. We don't even need to enter into the environmental debate. We promise you, you will prefer cloth nappies anyway!

A: If you are trying to understand the terminology, see our explanation of cloth nappy jargon here. If you are trying to figure out what brands to buy and how many, then see the section on Getting Started. If you have questions, then please have a good look through the information on this website, and then if you are still confused feel free to email us.

A: Cloth wipes should be treated the same as nappies when it comes to storing them used and washing them. When they are clean you can either keep them in a dry pile and wet one as you need it, or keep them in a container soaked in a liquid. Storing them dry means preparing for each nappy change but keeping them wet means using them up within 2-3 days or they can start to smell a little if they haven't dried out. Try an old ice cream tub (something with a lid) and soak them in either plain water, or add a drop of lavender or tea tree oil. Be cautious with tea tree oil since too much can cause a reaction in some children although generally it is a great skin treatment. We store ours in an old wipes box soaked in chamomile tea with a squirt of baby oil and two drops of tea tree oil. When they are used stick them in the bucket with the nappies and wash as usual. We both prefer to use towelling wipes although flannelette wipes are fine. Towelling's loop pile creates a texture that makes clean-ups a bit easier. We have each converted a number of people to cloth wipes, and we hear nothing but praise, usually along the lines of, "It used to take three disposable wipes to clean a really messy bum but I only need one towelling wipe because of the surface texture."