The Best Cloth Nappy Dry Pail Solution EVER!

If you are using cloth nappies, you need a way to store the wet or soiled nappies until washing time. If you don’t have a proper storage system in place, you will have issues with lingering odour in your house even if you wash nappies on a daily basis. Therefore, when you switch to using cloth nappies, you need to decide on a proper storage solution for the dirty ones.

Mainly, there are three solutions available: using a dry cloth nappy pail, a wet cloth nappy pail or a combination of both.

Dry pailing is a safe solution for cloth nappies

What is a Dry Cloth Nappy Pail?

Dry pail is a nappy storage solution where dirty nappies are stored without any water (not soaking in a bucket of water). You simply put the dirty nappies into an empty pail and keep it there until washing time. In comparison, a wet pail is when dirty nappies are stored in pails that are filled with water. The nappies stay soaked in the pail of water until they are to be washed. In case of both these solutions, many parents shake off the nappies before putting them in the pail to get rid of solid waste. Also, certain things like baking soda and essential oils are used in both cases to control the odour.

Why is Dry Pail a Good Option?

The main advantage of using a dry pail is ensuring the safety of your kids. Having a wet pail poses the risk of drowning if your kids are left in close proximity of the pail alone. Also, if a wet pail falls, it can create a huge mess that you can do without. In addition, dry pail is light to carry, ensuring that you can easily move it on laundry day. Moreover, if you use the right soaking solution, you can ensure that your dry pail has much less odour than a wet pail normally has. However, if you are using a dry pail, it is better to wash your baby’s nappies more frequently or else the stains would become permanent or very hard to remove.

A Dry Pail Solution Recipe to Keep Odour at Bay

While it is conventional to place cloth nappies into a dry pail without putting anything else, the odour it causes can usually be a problem. This is the reason why a lot of people use things like baking soda or essential oils in their dry pail to solve this issue. Especially if you are not planning to wash your nappies daily, it is important that you use something to prevent the smell. So, here is a recipe you can use in your dry pail to avoid nasty odours:

·         1 cup bicarb soda

·         1 cup biodegradable washing powder or washing soda crystals, ground

Grind all these ingredients together and put them in a jar. Whenever you put a dirty nappy into the dry pail, sprinkle this mixture over it and the nappies won’t smell. By using this recipe, you can ensure that your nappy pail is virtually odourless, unless you smell your nappies very closely.

In addition, I toss a towel or cloth soaked in water soluble Tea Tree or Lavender oil (or both if baby is sick!) into the bottom of the pail and then the nappies on top of it. It works wonder for odours and also bacteria and microbes!

NB: Some manufacturer warranties do not allow the use of items such as vinegar, bicarb soda or essential oils. It is best in these cases to refer to your manufacturer for guidance or seek a brand who’s warranty allows for these types of ingredients to be used in washing and treatment of nappies.

Happy Cloth Nappy-ing!
The Team at Lavenderia

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