Cloth Diapers and Fabric Softener? Yes!
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Yes, you read that right! I really did use fabric softener on my cloth diaper inserts. On purpose! One of the biggest rules in cloth diapering is NOT to use fabric softener on them, but that isn’t always true. Softeners like Downy and Snuggle are still a big no-no, but there is a natural, plant-based softener called Ecover that is taking the cloth diapering world by storm.
As with the first time I used chlorine bleach to fight a particularly nasty yeast problem, I was petrified to give this a try. I was so scared of ruining my diapers but I had a scratchy insert for an AI2 diaper and some of my others were looking a bit flat and sad so I took to the interwebs and read all I could about Ecover. All of the reviews were positive and no one had any problems with their diapers afterward so I took the plunge.
- I washed my diapers as usual (rinse, warm wash with Tide powder, double rinse)
- Removed all covers and pockets that are made of PUL and hung to dry
- Ran another rinse cycle with my inserts, fitteds and cloth wipes with one cap full of Ecover in the softener dispenser
That’s it! Now my scratchy insert is almost as good as new with one treatment and my others are fluffy, soft, and feeling like new again. If your fitteds and inserts are starting to feel a little flat and not as soft as they once were, go ahead. Give Ecover a try!
* Since this post was written I have discovered more plant-based fabric softeners that don’t leave build up. Vaska, Mrs. Meyer’s, Ology, Seventh Generation, Method, Dropps, and a few others. I have only used Vaska in addition to Ecover and it worked very well. Read labels and reviews to see if the other options will also work well on diapers.
This is good to know!! I hadn’t heard of this product before and was hard and fast on the rule of no softener.
Great post! I have a couple pockets that have gotten a little rough. Now I know what to try.
I’d like to try this. Can I buy it in a store or do you have to order it online? My flats feel pretty rough.
I buy mine at Sprouts. I have heard that Whole Foods also has it or you could get it on Amazon or other online retailers.
http://www.findecover.com/
Thanks for this tip. I was hoping to find a fabric softener I could use!
You’re very welcome. I don’t use the softener often but think it’s about time do use it again
I use Ecover on natural fiber prefolds, fitteds, and inserts. I love how soft they get. The one thing I don’t like is that it only comes in scented versions so I have to do an extra rinse to try to get the smell out. We just don’t do well with fragrances.
Did you use it on microfiber inserts as well? Thanks.
I don’t like unnatural smelling scents either. Thankfully the smell of Ecover doesn’t bother me when the items come out of the dryer but when they’re still wet the smell is pretty strong for my taste.
Yes, I used it on my microfiber inserts and it worked well.