Home >> Cloth Diaper Myths >> Join the Cause! Spread the Joy of Clean Cloth >> A Letter to Cloth Diaper Companies
The mythology of cloth diaper safe detergent and the ridiculous washing instructions it inspired started because a couple of very powerful companies began to spread it. Before the modern cloth diaper, cloth diapering moms and dads washed in whatever they used on their clothes. They used the same common sense that makes you use more soap on dirty hands and used as much detergent as was needed to clean diapers, the dirtiest laundry of all. They bleached if it was needed without worry of harming the diapers. Disposable diapers were invented for convenience, not because cloth diapers were perpetually stinky.
When the modern cloth diaper came along, the companies inventing it were true innovators. These companies created a convenient, environmentally friendly, skin friendly, healthy, and cost effective replacement to disposable diapers. They are inventors of an amazing product that we all love. They are seamstresses, designers, and inventors. They are not scientists. They are not chemists. Their living is diapers, not dirty laundry.
With that in mind, we believe that many of these companies are basing their washing recommendations off rumor and myth. They do not have any scientific backing to justify their washing instructions that are so radically different from the laundry industry. Many of them may not know that their wash recommendations are wrong and causing so many and such horrible issues. To combat this, we have created this letter which we want every cloth diaper company to see!
If you believe in the same recommendations that we at Fluff Love & CD Science do, please consider writing to your favorite cloth diaper company and asking them to update their recommendations. You can use the letter below as a template or reference when creating your own letter. Join the cause – help support clean diapers and save the baby butts!
To _____________________ Cloth Diaper Company,
At Fluff Love & CD Science, we dedicate our time to help mothers who are experiencing problems with cloth diapers. We love our fluff and want others to love it too, which is why we are disappointed with your wash recommendations. Parents and caregivers who have found our group come seeking advice because they are experiencing rashes, ammonia burns, or worse on the baby. Others are dealing with constantly “stripping” the diapers to get rid of ammonia or barnyard smell. Many have either already stopped using cloth diapers, or are ready to by the time they find us. This is all because they follow recommendations of your company and many of your competitors.
[INSERT COMPANY RECS HERE WITH SCIENCE TO REFUTE IT]
We implore you to change your wash recommendations and set yourself apart from the other companies who continue to go against the evidence. Using the information above as justification, we suggest providing your customers with a basic routine as follows:
1) Pre-wash: This cycle (rinse & spin/delicates/quick wash) is to rinse away fecal matter and urine from the diapers so they are not washed in dirty water. Adding a small bit of detergent to this cycle will help the cleaning process, though not everyone will need to.
2) Wash cycle: This cycle (heavy duty/whitest whites/cottons) is to clean the diapers. Use the recommended amount of detergent for a heavily soiled load. If you are using a free & clear or plant-based detergent, you will need to use 1.5 – 2x the recommended amount as these detergents are weaker in nature. If you have an HE washer, only use detergent marked HE and fill the drum at least 2/3 full. Consult your manual for specific washing instructions.
3) Dry: You can dry as you like. If you decide to dry in the dryer do not stretch elastics until completely cooled as it causes unnecessary wear on the diapers.
It is imperative that you change your wash recommendations, because babies are suffering when moms follow your routine that is not based in real knowledge or evidence. We want nothing more than for moms to enjoy your diapers on their babies safely, and to recommend them to friends. The Fluff Love & CD Science Facebook group has well over 20,000 members. That’s over 20,000 paying customers, most of whom who agree with our common-sense and science-based recommendations. Please take our recommendations into serious consideration, if only from a business standpoint.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]