Muslin cloth diapers are simple once you have a routine. This guide covers how to put one on, how to choose pads, and a washing routine that keeps diapers soft and absorbent, with or without a washing machine.
Before first use
Wash new diapers and pads once before using them. New cotton absorbs better after a wash or two.
How to put on a muslin diaper with a pad
- Lay the diaper flat with the inside facing up.
- Place the pad in the centre. For extra absorbency, put the booster pad underneath the cotton pad.
- Lay your baby on the diaper, bring the front up, and fasten the Velcro straps snugly. You should be able to slide two fingers under the waistband.
- Check the leg edges sit neatly in the creases of the thighs, with no pad poking out.
Which pad to use when
| Situation | Pad |
|---|---|
| Everyday daytime use | Cotton pad |
| Naps, travel, outings | Cotton pad + booster pad |
| Heavier wetters | Cotton pad + booster pad, changed a little more often |
| Hiding stains over time | Bamboo charcoal pad |
In our in-house test, the cotton pad and booster pad together held 200 ml of water without leaking. Watch the test on Instagram, @kinderbloom_official.
How often to change
Change when the pad feels wet. Check every couple of hours at first, then adjust to your baby's pattern, and always change after naps. If only the pad is wet and the muslin is dry, swap in a fresh pad and keep the same diaper on.
Storing used diapers until wash day
- Shake or rinse any solid waste into the toilet.
- Rinse soiled pads under running water.
- Keep used diapers and pads in an open basket or breathable wet bag rather than a closed bucket, and avoid long soaks.
- Wash within a day, or two at most, so stains and smells don't set.
Washing routine
By machine
- Run a short rinse cycle first.
- Run a full cotton cycle with a mild detergent in normal-temperature water.
- Add an extra rinse if you see suds, because leftover detergent can reduce absorbency.
By hand (bucket method)
- Rinse everything in clean water and squeeze out.
- Wash in a bucket with mild detergent, agitating well for a few minutes.
- Rinse twice, until the water runs clear.
Avoid
- Bleach: don't use it on KinderBloom diapers or pads.
- Fabric softener: it coats cotton fibres and makes pads less absorbent.
- Harsh or heavily perfumed detergents.
Drying, including in monsoon
- Tumble dry or line dry. On a line, sunlight helps fade stains naturally.
- Pads take longest to dry, so make sure they're fully dry before reuse.
- In monsoon, the tumble dryer or a well-ventilated room near a fan both work. Damp pads can start to smell.
How many diapers do you need?
- Trying cloth: 2 diapers with spare pads.
- Daytime cloth, disposables at night: 3–4 diapers.
- Full-time cloth: 6 or more, so one set can wash and dry while you use the other.
Keeping pads absorbent
If pads start to feel less absorbent, the usual cause is detergent or softener build-up. Run an extra rinse cycle with no detergent, then dry fully.
Shop muslin cloth diapers or pads and boosters.