Basic Upkeep: FAQ

• How much laundry will I do?
• My diapers smell of ammonia when baby wets. Why?
• My diapers are persistently smelling. Can you help?
• What does "stripping" the diapers mean, and should I be doing it?
• Are there any special washing instructions for hemp inserts?
• Is it true the diapers become more absorbent the more they are washed?

Best Laundry Detergent for Cloth Diapers

Fuzzi Bunz Online recommends: Allen's Naturally, Charlie's Soap, or Ecover.

We have tested many natural detergents for use with Fuzzi Bunz. Allen's Naturally, Charlie’s Soap, and Ecover are the only three detergents we found that are successful at cleaning Fuzzi Bunz and are still natural alternatives to store bought detergents. Please use the best laundry detergent to keep your Fuzzi Bunz in great shape. We carry:

• Allen's Naturally Powder Laundry Detergent - 5 lbs
• Allen's Naturally Liquid Laundry Detergent - Quart
• Allen's Naturally Liquid Laundry Detergent - Gallon
• Charlie's Soap Laundry Liquid
• Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder

Avoid:

• Free & Clear, with bleach, or baby versions of grocery store brands.
• Most detergents sold in health food stores. These use oil surfactants – what gets stuff clean – that cause repelling because oil and water do not mix.
• Soap products such as Dr. Bronner's. This leaves soap scum on the fabric.
• Dreft has softeners which cause repelling as well.

What is going on with natural detergents? Many laundry detergents contain coconut oil surfactants. Coconut oil surfactants is also know as coconut fatty acid: Cocamides are manufactured by condensation of alkanolamines (mono-, di-, or triethanolamine) and coconut fatty acid. Examples are cocamide MEA (cocamide monoethanolamine), cocamide DEA (cocamide diethanolamine) and cocamide TEA (cocamide triethanolamine). They act as lubricant agent, thickening agent and wetting agent. Their very good emulsifying property also provides applications in the field of pharmaceuticals, agricultural preparations, and textile processing; rust inhibiting, latex stabilizing, anti-static function in textiles, dye-leveling, waterproofing and water-in-oil additives as well as very good emulsifying. Read more.

When you use soaps or detergents that leave an oily film on fleece, it is very difficult for urine to get through the fleece to the absorbent core in the middle of the Fuzzi Bunz. The result? Either Fuzzi Bunz that leak or fleece that stays wet next to the skin. You don't want that, and neither do we. Follow washing recommendations for best results.

Best Detergent for Washing Fuzzi Bunz: FAQ

• What kind of detergent is recommended to use with Fuzzi Bunz?
• Can I use a "natural" detergent to clean my diapers?
• Can you tell me if free and clear detergents are OK to use with Fuzzi Bunz?
• I have a front loader or High Efficiency washer. What detergent should I use?
• I heard that you can use Dawn dish detergent to wash diapers, is this true?

More Resources for Washing Cloth Diapers

• Using Cloth Diapers - How to use cloth diapers? Tips and tricks to make your Fuzzi Bunz work best for your baby.

• Cleaning Fuzzi Bunz - Follow our suggestions to keep your Fuzzi Bunz looking great. Soon you'll know exactly how to wash cloth diapers.

• FAQ - We get a lot of questions. Before you contact us, please review these answers.