5 Ways of Dealing with Dirty Cloth Diapers + DIY Diaper Sprayer

It might be the dirty side of cloth diapering, but here are 5 ways to handle the poo in cloth diapers + a DIY Diaper Sprayer tutorial!

This post may contain affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, I may make a commission. Thank you for your support.

Let’s face it – the first thing that everybody wonders when they start contemplating cloth diapers OR if you tell them that you use cloth diapers is “What to do with the Poo?”. 

It’s only natural that this would be one of the first concerns about cloth diapers – I mean, who really wants to talk about poo, let alone put it in your washing machine on a regular basis.

But the thing is, it’s really not that hard at all to deal with poo or to talk about it.  See, I’m doing it right now {although I admit, I feel a little weird}. There are a few products that can help if the idea of washing dirty cloth diapers is making you apprehensive about cloth.

Breastfed Babies Poo Can Be Put Directly into Your Washer.

Yes really! Everyone seems to agree on the fact exclusively breastfed babies poop is water soluble. But I have to admit that I never threw full diapers into our diaper pail. I would always try to swish/rinse/shake off any excess that I could.

But you technically can, if you choose to.

Use Cloth Diaper Disposable Liners

Bumkins Flushable Liners, 100 Count BoxThis tip is especially useful when traveling and worrying about dealing with poo. They’re not a travel necessity, but if the dirty diaper will be sitting in your wet bag for an extended period of time, these liners can be very useful.

You can simply lift the liner out of the diaper, with all the mess hopefully on the liner, and flush everything because most disposable liners are flushable.

Although you still have to deal with the poo a bit more, you can also use reusable diaper liners. You’ll still have to clean off the diaper liners, but they definitely keep your diapers more clean.

When Your Baby Gets Older, Most Solids Will Shake Off Easily.

There’s a good chance when your baby starts eating solids, their poo will start taking on a more solid form so wait for that. Solid poo is easier to shake off in the toilet. At least something gets easier as they get older, right?!

Swish and Dunk

Although cloth diaper parents with diaper sprayers swear by them [me included], you can successfully cloth diaper without one. You can simply use the swish or dunk method. Dunk the whole diaper, swish around until most of the poo comes off of the diaper.

It can get a little messy and wet, but it works just fine.

Diaper Sprayer

Honestly, my diaper sprayer may have saved cloth diapering for me. I don’t use it much anymore [see Solids discussion above], but when I need it, I need it. 

Just like cloth diapers themselves, the start-up cost of a diaper sprayer can be a little overwhelming. They average about $40-$50, and although I know it’s sometimes hard to justify spending more money, they can really, really make a difference in your success of cloth diapering.

DIY Diaper Sprayer

If those price tags above are giving you sticker shock, why not make your own! Hubby made our DIY Diaper Sprayer over 2 years ago and it’s still going strong. It’s really easy and I have a link to a set of instructions that makes it super easy to find the parts that you need. Over two years ago, we spent only $26.

I use a plastic Over the Door Hanger to hang the Diaper Sprayer on the side of the toilet – genius right!?

Our Diaper Sprayer not only gets even the yuckiest of poo off the cloth diapers, which keeps it out of my washer, but I’m convinced that it’s one of the reasons that I’ve never really battled stink OR cloth diaper stains in over 2.5 years of using modern cloth diapers!

While you’re here, be sure to check out all of my cloth diapering posts, including my Cloth Diapers 101 section.