When someone says the words hand washing...

everyone's mind to women beside a creek scrubbing clothes against rocks.
However that is not the reality for most folks.
While I do know there are people who still must wash their clothes this way.
Most in the US have access to a sink and/or a bath tub.

So what do you need to hand-wash diapers?
Small dish pan (less than $2 at a big box store)
Laundry detergent
Bar soap (I use pink Zote)
and some type of washboard (I am using the bottom of a cheap plastic dish drain).



We are staying in our camper at the farm this week so I am washing inside the bin our camper tub.  This gives me a space to contain any splashes and sit while I work which at 6 months pregnant with baby #4 is a blessing.


Step 1: Dispose of any solids and rinse diapers as soon as possible after use.  I typically rinse and drop them in the bin throughout the day.
Step 2: After the baby is down for the night I empty the bin into the tub, rinse it out and dissolve a small about of our regular powdered laundry detergent in warm/hot water.
Step 3: Make sure all diapers are unfolded and drop into the wash bin.  Swish them all around and up and down a few times.
Step 4: Let them sit.  I leave them overnight to soak as I handwash in the morning before work so they can dry outside.
Step 5: Empty wash bin/rinse bin and rinse each diaper.
Step 6: using my Zote bar I rub both sides of each diaper/cover/wipe and scrub up and down on my makeshift wash board.  Stains get scrubbed extra hard.
Step 7: Quick Rinse diaper and hold it up to see if I got everything.
Step 8:   Rinse diaper really well to ensure all soap is gone and wring out.  Place in clean bin.
Step 9; Shake out each time and snap any excess water you can out.
Step 10: Hang outside on the clothes line to dry.

It takes be about 30 minutes in the morning to wash diapers and hang them out without any "helpers."  I love seeing the diapers on the line.  If I am at home I tend to wash as we go and this week most diapers have been completely dry within an hour for flour sack towels and 2 hours for the Geffen baby & flannel flats.


If you have more questions about handwashing my go to resource is Fluff Love University.

Do you handwash regularly?  What tips and tricks do you have?

Blame it on the 2 year old, 

blame it on the 32 week pregnancy brain...

blame on the weather...

whatever it was I completely skipped posting yesterday about this year's Flats & Handwashing Challenge.

Yes...with a very active 7 year old, a wild monkey of a 2 year old, 32 weeks pregnant and helping out around the farm, while working 10 hour days, and trying to maintain some semblance of order in our house....

I decided to take Dirty Diaper Laundry's 5th annual challenge again this year!  (Read about last years Day 1, Day 2, Day 4&5)

This lil farm baby can really wreak havoc on some diapers...he's rough and tuff and loves to get dirty.  

Yesterday was the beginning of the Flats Challenge from Dirty Diaper Laundry and overall it went fairly well. I love trying out different folds but know that if I want to fully participate then I have to make it easy for my MIL and the Farmer.  So for times with the Farm Baby isn't with me I stuff my pocket diapers with flats.  

So this is one of my favorite men with a 'stache...couldn't help myself :) 

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!  

I hope your day is full of bliss and uninterrupted potty breaks. 

I have decided to take the Flats Challenge that begins today.

It was started a few years back by Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry to test her commitment to keeping her kids in clean diapers.  I know many people in our world, country and even in our county don't make enough to make ends meet.  There is no federal assistance program for diapers (not that I believe there should be) but because of that some people take extreme measures to squeeze every last dime out of a diaper...down to reusing disposables.  This challenge was created to show that where there is a will there is a way.  You can cloth diaper your child from birth to potty training cheaply using things you probably have around the house or can pick up for less than $25 (the cost of a large pack of Pampers).  

We make ends meet, occasionally we use disposables, and have a working washer & dryer...so why am I participating in the challenge?   To show folks you can do it, if you want!  You don't have to reuse disposables or leave a diaper on too long.  Also I feel that I am in a unique situation..many of the moms I have seen are participating in the challenge stay at home, I on the other hand work a full time job outside the home, run an Etsy shop, help on the farm, have multiple volunteer commitments and an older child who has school and extra-curricular activities.  (Please don't think I am discounting the value of a stay at home mom or her time...I'm just in a different situation) I want to someone who feels like they can't to know no matter how much is going on in your lives you can accomplish this.  Even when ends barely meet and time is sparse you can diaper your baby without disposables and modern conveniences.  

So there you have it.  I pledge for the next 7 days to only use flats, no washer, no dryer on this little bum.  Through church, t-ball, work, committee meetings, and a 12+ hour round trip to only use flats.  If we can do this in our crazy family...you can too!  Are you willing?  It's not to late to join...check out the rules here and come ride the crazy train with me!

Until we meet again!

Caci