Hazardous Waste Disposal Services in British Columbia (BC

I posted this in my bumper groups about 6m ago, for those that were curious about cloth diapering. It is Real Nappy Week this week, meant to spread awareness for cloth diapers. More of a thing abroad than in the US, but there are people "celebrating" here as well. I figured I'd share this on this sub in honor of real nappy week, for anyone curious. Cloth diapering can seem really daunting if you don't know anyone who has done it. I didn't know anyone when I started, but have learned a lot in the two years I've been using them. Now, with two in cloth, it is second nature to me. Just hoping to help someone learn more, or feel like it is doable. I don't want to change the text of my original post too much, so where things have changed I've added notes [in brackets like this]. There is also an imgur link at the end with some images of my set up, and for reference. If you want additional images, let me know and I can try to snag a few.
I've been cloth diapering my first for nearly 19m [25m] and the times it's come up in other threads there had been interest for an info post. So I'm here and will try to help dispel some of the confusion and worry that comes with starting cloth diaper research. Please feel free to ask any questions as well!
Beginning
Clothing is easier than you might think, once you have your diapers selected, and your wash routine down. There is a learning curve for both these aspects, but it takes only 3-7d of clothing to get the hang of it. It's ok to cloth part-time, during the day only, at home only, etc etc. Make cloth work for you! However that looks.
I used disposables for the first few weeks [for my first baby, and did cloth from birth with my second] as the hospital sent us home with a bunch. The first week in cloth was hard and I wanted to give up already. My sensitive-nosed husband encouraged us to keep at it because there is nothing worse than disposable stink. During that second week I went all-in, no disposables. And I haven't looked back! That's not to say I haven't used disposable since. I used them while out of the house for months before braving cloth in public, and recently for a family emergency when I had no access to laundry facilities.
Definition
You need something to absorb liquid, and some kind of cover (sometimes called a shell) to prevent leaks. "Diaper" tends to refer to the absorbent part, but both parts together is also called a diaper. Which can be a little confusing at first.
Types
aio All in Ones - the most like a disposable. The absorbent part and cover are one piece you strap on baby and you're done! This tends to be an easier, but more expensive option. A single aio will cost anywhere from about $15-25.
two-part Sometimes called "all in twos" but I think that's a bit silly. The absorbent part is a separate entity from the cover. You strap on the absorbent part to baby, or lay it in the cover. Then strap on the cover. This is a cheaper option, but you have to learn to put on the two parts. This breaks down further:
flats Flats are an absorbent piece. They are a single (or sometimes double) layer of fabric in a big square or rectangle. You have to fold this up into a shape to put on baby before use. This has the highest learning curve because there are so many folds. But you can easily customize for your needs. There are different folds for maximizing absorption in different areas, depending on baby's wetting habits, sex, etc. This is the cheapest option! Flats vary in cost depending on what kind of fabric they are. One flat will be about $1-3 but are sometimes cheaper in 6- or 12-packs.
prefolds Prefolds are also an absorbent piece. They are flats that have been layered and sewn together in a much smaller rectangle. There are fewer folds for prefolds, but are a little less learning intensive than flats. I use primarily prefolds. Prefolds are sized, so their cost varies from brand to brand. Expect around $13-40/dozen.
fitteds are like a prefold that has elastics and goes on just like a disposable. You still need a cover with them, but they eliminate the folding learning curve entirely.
inserts Sometimes called boosters. These are pad-like in shape and usually intended to add extra absorbency (like for over night diapers). Some diaper brands use snap-in inserts in their aio or pocket diapers. Price varies wildly based on size and fiber type. Expect $5-15 for 1-3 packs.
covers A necessary step if you choose flats or prefolds. Covers are the waterproof part that prevent leaks and blowouts. That's right, no blowouts! They are pretty rare with cloth diapers because the elastics on the covers keep everything contained. Covers can be lined or unlined, and run about $10-15 each.
pockets Are a kind of in between aio and two part system. They are a cover with a built in pocket, which you stuff with absorbency of your choice. This can be inserts, folded flats, etc. Pockets usually come with an insert or two, but you can buy extra depending on your fiber preferences, and absorptive needs. $15-20 each.
hybrids Another in between style. Usually a lined cover with snap in inserts. Similar in price to pocket - less expensive than aio, but more expensive than a cover.
Sizes
There are all kinds of sizes for cloth diapers, but the two main ones are newborn and "one size." This is more an issue for aio, pocket, or hybrid diapers. New born diapers tend to fit from 5lb-12lb. One size diapers fit from about 10lb up (to 35 or 40lb). Prefolds are sized based on the rectangle, and also have a general height/weight range. This will vary based on what brand prefold you choose. Flats are either "full" or "half" and are folded up anyway. Half flats are popular for boosting diapers, or for smaller babies. Full size flats can be used from birth to potty training.
As for covers, there are sized covers (small, medium, large, etc) or one size (they have a rise adjustment). I personally use Thirsties brand Duo Wrap covers. These come in two sizes, but are also adjustable to cover a wide range of baby shape. Size 1 is ~5-18lb, size 2 is ~18-40lb. There is also a size 3, but most kids will never be in a size 3 duo wrap.
Closure
Snaps or hook and loop (sometimes called aplix). Velcro is a name brand and not often used on diapers. I like snaps.
Fibers
Fibers refers to the kind of cloth the diapers are made from. Not all fibers are created equally. There are natural and synthetic fibers, and each has its own absorptive capacity and quickness.
microfiber is a synthetic fiber that absorbs a lot, very quickly. However, it is not safe to be next to baby's skin, so use it only inside a pocket diaper or in between a prefold and your cover.
cotton the most versatile of fibers. Cotton has an average rate of absorption and capacity. I use primarily cotton.
bamboo is both a natural and synthetic fiber. Is can hold more than cotton, but absorbs more slowly. Bamboo fibers are made from bamboo, but are not bamboo, if that makes any sense.
charcoal is another synthetic fiber. It is commonly added to bamboo diapers/inserts for anti-bacterial properties. It should behave similarly to bamboo, and is usually gray or black in color.
hemp is a great natural fiber that can hold a ton of moisture, but absorbs slowly. I use hemp inserts in overnight diapers, in between the prefold and cover.
wool is a magical natural fiber. Wool cloth diapering is its own beast as it can act as both absorptive and cover pieces. Often considered the most expensive of all cloth diaper options, it is also the longest lasting and most versatile fiber. Wool covers need to be lanolized. Lanolin is basically sheep hair oil. When a wool cover us coated in lanolin it becomes very water resistant, and not absorptive at all. You would need two pieces (absorption and cover). I'm not sure if a wool aio exists bc of the way wool behaves.
Usage
Diapers should be changed every 2h. For small babies (about 4m or younger) it is very common to need to change every hour. This is simply because little babies wet so often. In general, cloth diapers hold less liquid than disposables, but with practice, and careful fiber selection, they can hold just as much or more. How you use the diapers depends on what kind you chose.
AIO, pockets, and hybrids are one-use. Meaning once baby wets or soils a diaper, you remove the whole thing and put a new one on.
Two-part systems are "reusable." Once baby wets or soils the diaper, remove both parts (absorption and cover), and put baby in a new absorptive piece. If not soiled or too wet, an unlined cover can be reused. I generally alternate 2-3 covers a day. So if she starts in a blue cover, her next diaper will be a green cover, then the blue one again, etc. This is part of why two part systems are cheaper than aio systems.
Once you remove a used diaper, you need somewhere to put it until wash day. Many people use large wet bags called pail liners. They are the same material as covers and will contain your dirty diapers as long as they are not dripping wet. You can also use an unlined regular plastic laundry bin if you want. If you use a pail liner, you will want 2-3. One to store dirties, and another to replace it when the first is in the wash.
The key to storing dirty diapers is air flow! An open top, or a lid with holes is ideal. Anything that clamps shut or is air tight (like a diaper genie) will contain smells, and every time you open the bin to add a new dirty diaper you will be blasted with stink.
In general, dirty diapers shouldn't really smell that bad. Disposables easily smell worse than cloth (because of the gel chemical used to absorb liquids). If baby pees and you can smell it, if you get ammonia or "barn yard" stink, you may need to alter your wash routine. Newborn poop smells (to me anyway) kind of like over buttered popcorn. Strong, but not bad.
Amount
In general, you want enough diapers so you can wash every other day. The number needed to get to that point depends how old baby is. 24 is a good starting point. This means 24 aio, or 24 flats/prefolds. For two-part systems you want a minimum of 6 covers. Newborns can easily use 15-20 diapers a day, so the more you start with, the less often you need to do laundry. Daily laundry is not bad, it can just get tiring, and cause extra wear on your diapers. I did diaper laundry daily for the first 2-3m in cloth. As my baby got older, we were able to go longer between changes. 24 diapers can last about 3-4d now (at 19mo). [Now, with two in cloth, I use more diapers per day, so I wash every 2-3 days.]
I started with 6 unlined covers, 24 newborn size prefolds, and 24 small size prefolds. My baby was big enough at birth that she never fit the newborn prefolds, so I was glad to have the next size up on hand right away. I've since added a lot to my stash, more prefolds in larger sizes, extra covers, and some aio's. I want more than 2 kids, so the more I have, the less often they are washed, and the longer they will last.
Laundry Prep
This is probably the hardest part about cloth diapering, but only because there are so many types of washing machines out there! Once you get your wash routine down, it really is just another load of wash, no big deal. And babies generate extra washing anyway.
There are two main things to consider when doing diaper laundry: how hard or soft your water is, and if you have a standard or HE washing machine. To start with, you will want to check your water hardness. This can be done a variety of ways. Some pet stores (that sell fish) can check hardness for free if you bring them a water sample. Just make sure to collect the sample from the washing machine and not a tap in the house. You can also buy test kits online or in hardware stores. I bought a drinking water test kit from Lowe's for $10. It included 2 full tests and tested for about 13 different things (hardness, chlorine, pH, etc). Hardness is most important, but stuff like iron content can also affect your wash routine.
Hardness is a scale, and most powdered detergents can soften water that is up to 180ppm. Once you start getting above 200ppm, your water is considered very hard and you will want to add a water softener to your diaper laundry. Calgon (liquid) and borax (powder) are the two most common. Be aware that borax is considered harsh by many, and can sometimes eat away at elastics. If you choose an aio system and have hard water, you probably want to stick to calgon.
Next is your washing machine. Dig out the manual, or look it up online. Really understand how your particular machine works. The settings I use will not be the same settings you use! The main things you are looking for is can you control water level easily, or do you need to trick your machine into adding more water? And how long the different cycles are.
As for detergent, baby-safe or special cloth diaper detergents are usually a scam. Any detergent you want to use should be fine, just stick to non-scented options (so no ocean breeze type stuff). Tide is popular. Free and clear, or plant based detergents may require a little more to get diapers clean vs clothing. In general, avoid home made detergents or soaps as they are not powerful enough.
To begin using cloth diapers, you need to prep them. Cloth on its own does absorb, but to reach full absorptive power, you need to wash and dry the diapers a number of times before first use. This varies based on fiber type, but in general, you want to wash 3-8 times before using your diapers. Drying in between prep washes is important! Even if you choose to hang dry your diapers later on, please do dry during prep. This properly fluffs (or quilts) the fibers into being ready to be used as a diaper.
Washing
There are two parts to washing diapers: the pre-wash and the main-wash. The pre-wash gets the pee and poo off, and the main wash cleans the diapers. Both are equally important! The pre-wash can be a rinse and spin cycle on your machine, or a short wash and rinse cycle. The main wash should be a longer wash and rinse setting.
For example: when I lived in CA my water was 280ppm hard and I had a standard machine. I used Tide liquid detergent and added 1/4c borax to both my pre- and main-washes. My machine had a pre-wash setting, in which the tub would fill, agitate for 7min, then spin and drain. I added line 1 of detergent to this cycle. The main wash was "normal" setting, and I set it to 15, which was the longest agitation setting. The tub would fill, agitate for 15min, then drain. Then fill again, agitate for 4m, then drain and spin (rinse cycle). To my main wash I used line 3 of detergent.
I now live in AZ. My water is 100ppm. I switched to Tide powder and ceased using borax. My new washer doesn't have a pre-wash setting. So I do a "light" wash cycle, followed by a "heavy" wash cycle. Both cycles fill twice (wash and rinse), then spin and drain. I still use the same amount of detergent (line 1 pre-wash, line 3 main-wash). [I've had some stink issues since writing this, and have altered my routine to address them. I now use line 3 in both pre- and main-washes, and add 1/4c borax to the main wash only.]
It is a common myth that cloth diapers require hot water to wash. Many prefer it, I personally wash on warm. But if you get your routine down, and detergent levels figured out for your watewasher type, washing diapers in cold water is just fine!
As mentioned before, getting the wash routine down can be the hardest part. If you are having issues, email the customer service of the brand of diapers you chose. They often have wash experts who can help you figure it out. Also, check for brand facebook groups. Other parents who use the same diapers often have good advice.
In general, avoid Fluff Love University groups. Their website is a great starting place to do extra research, but they like to believe their word is gold. When in reality, not all diapers/fibers and washers/water are created equally. There is no one-size-fits-all for washing diapers!
You will sometimes see "stew vs soup" talked about, and this is in regards to water level. You want to make sure your machine is using enough water to properly distribute detergent, carry away soil, and allow your diapers to agitate against each other. In this sense you want a "stew" consistency. There should be enough water to cover and submerge all your diapers, but not too much water ("soup") that they don't rub against each other.
I like to wash my covers and wet bags separately from my diapers. Because they don't absorb, two washes is unnecessary and can be too harsh. I throw them in with regular clothes laundry, and lay them flat to dry.
Drying diapers is personal preference. I like to dry my diapers, others don't. Drying does lead to more wear, but even after over a year of using the same size prefolds, I am seeing minimal wear. Line drying diapers can cause them to feel stiff or rough. So it really is up to you. Just avoid high heat, and you'll be ok.
Finally, do not ever use fabric softener or dryer sheets with your diapers! Both of these function by leaving behind a film of chemicals on your cloth which makes the cloth feel soft. However, this can cause repelling issues. Once or twice will not ruin your diapers, and you don't need to re-wash or anything, but don't make a habit of it. If you need a dryer sheet in your dryer, look into wool balls instead. This is a natural option, and is better for your dryer anyway.
Shit
The next hardest part about clothing is what to do with the shit. Exclusively breastfed babies poops are water soluble and can be placed directly in the wash. Formula poops can sometimes be treated the same way, but you will need to look at the consistency of it. If it's too thick like paste or peanut butter, you will want to scrape or spray the poop off (into the toilet) before placing the diaper in the wash or your bin.
When babies start solids, all poo diapers will need to be scraped or sprayed first. Eventually babies will produce "ploppable" poops that are easily dropped into the toilet. Until then, a poop spatula (literally a spatula for scraping poop off) or a diaper sprayer are necessary accessories. There are many kinds of sprayers available, and you have roughly 6m to decide, so I won't go into that here.
[And since I've now dealt with meconium in cloth, I'll say it was very easy! Easier than my toddler poops for sure. I tossed the diapers straight in the wash, and they came clean no problem. There were stains, but they faded within 2-3 washes.]
Accessories
wetbags If you decide to use cloth outside the home, you will want a few smaller wet bags as well. Different brands have different sizes, but anything that holds 2-4 diapers is usually large enough. When you remove a dirty diaper out in public, it will go into the wet bag. When you get home, open it up and drop the dirties in your normal pail. Once they hold a dirty diaper, wet bags should be washed, so having 2-4 is a good starting point. Wet bags can also be used long after diapering as trash bags in the car, packing clothing or toys for trips, holding craft projects, etc. I have 12+ [17+] wet bags and still feel like I could use more.
snappi If you use prefolds or flats, you will want a way to hold the diaper on underneath the cover. Pins, snappi's, or boingo's are all popular. Pins are just what they sound like, old school diaper pins (safety pins). Snappi's are silicone "Y" shaped grabby device, kind of like the grabby things to hold on an Ace bandage. Boingo's are similar, but are "l" shaped and you use one on each hip. Whatever you decide, having 3 sets is a good minimum. They are smaller pieces and can get lost or broken, so have an extra set or two on hand.
cloth wipes Some people also cloth wipe. I tried it for a while, but am currently using disposable wipes. I will probably try using cloth wipes again soon. [I did swap back to cloth wipes for a few months, and am back to using disposable again. I'll be swapping back to cloth once my current pack of wipes is done.] Cloth wipes also come in a variety of sizes and fiber types and is really personal preference as to what is "best." Cloth wipes are usually stored dry, and sprayed with water or wipe solution just before use. They can be stored wet in water or solution, just be sure to use them fast enough that they don't get mold or mildew growth. They can then be tossed in your pail with diapers and washed the same way. Extra poopy wipes should be sprayed like a poop diaper before putting it into your pail.
liners serve two purposes, and are placed next-to-skin. Firstly is as a stay dry liner. These are made of fleece and can be bought or made (walmart fleece blankets for $5 can get you all the liners you need). Fleece is absorbed through, so when baby pees, the liquid move through the liner and into the diaper, but leaves baby feeling dry. Second purpose for liners is to make poop easier to clean up. You simply remove the poopy liner and you spray that instead of the diapers. There are disposable liners out there, but the key thing is to never flush them! Only human waste and toilet paper should ever be flushed down a toilet. I don't use liners.
Rashes
Rashes are pretty uncommon in cloth, and when present is usually a sign your wash routine needs changing up. The two most common causes of rashes are mineral build up, or detergent build up.
Mineral build up occurs when you have hard water that is not being softened. If you suspect mineral build up, you will need to "strip" your diapers and start adding a softener. Most people will never need to strip their diapers. There are a few ways to strip, but the easiest is using a product called Mighty Bubbles. Use 1 pod for 24 diapers, and follow the instructions on the package.
Detergent build up occurs if you are using too much detergent, your rinses are too short, or your water is very soft. This is solved by doing a wash cycle with no detergent. You will see suds coming out of your diapers. You may need to do 1-3 detergent-free washes to get all the excess detergent out of your diapers. From there, use less detergent going forward, or check that your washer is actually filling the tub for the rinse cycle. "Spray rinses" are not effective enough for diapers and will cause detergent build up.
The other common cause of diaper rash in cloth diapered babies is wetness sensitivity. Basically, their little bum just doesn't like being wet. Changing more often, or adding a fleece liner can help with this.
Things of Note
Bleach is not needed, pretty much ever when cloth diapering. There are 2 main reasons you'd ever need to use bleach and those are buying used diapers, and yeast rash. Buying used diapers means you don't know the history of the diaper, and so they should be sanitized before going on your baby. Yeast is a common fungus that is present in/on most people's bodies. It is not harmful, except when it grows out of control. Yeast rashes need to be diagnosed by a doctor. If you have a yeast rash, you will want to bleach your diapers to kill off the yeast, and put baby in disposables until the rash passes (2-4 weeks). [I just recently dealt with a yeast rash, my first in 2y of cloth diapering. Both my babies got it, and were in disposable diapers during treatment, and 1w afterward, 3w total.]
You will want to use regular (not splash-less) bleach, unscented. The bottle needs to say "kills 99% of bacteria". Special bleaches, natural bleaches, etc are cleaners, not sanitizers! To bleach your diapers, you want to do what's called a bleach wash. If you are starting with dirty diapers, do your normal pre-wash cycle. Then in the main cycle, add your detergent, then add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of bleach. This will depend on the type of washing machine you have, and how many diapers you are trying to sanitize. This amount of bleach will not discolor your diapers or covers. Covers can be bleach washed.
If possible, add the detergent and bleach, then allow your machine to fill with water most of the way before adding in the diapers. This will help minimize concentrated bleach from getting on your diapers. Bleach washes are harsh, but not harmful. I've had to do 3-4 bleach washes in almost 19 months of cloth diapering. Not a big deal! [Now 5 bleach washes in 25m.]
Afterward, do one more regular wash cycle (with detergent only, no bleach) to get out any remaining bleach or bleach smells.
Diaper Cremes can seem tricky with cloth, but it's really not. If you use natural fibers, you can use any diaper cream you want, as long as you wash with warm or hot water. If you use synthetic fibers, you want to avoid using petroleum-based creams because they can stick in the fibers and cause repelling. Zinc creams can cause staining, but don't always. Use a liner if it bothers you. However, in general cloth diapered babies experience diaper rash much less often than babies in disposables. The 2oz tube of creme I bought when baby was born still has some in it.
Stains are not an issue for function of your diapers and are not a sign they are not getting clean. If they bother you, the occasional bleach wash may help. But the sun is the best option. Place damp diapers, stain side up, in direct sunlight. If you live somewhere cold, they can be left on the dash of your car, or in a sunny window. The sunnier it is, and the longer you leave them in the sun, the more effective it is as removing stains. I've only sunned once.
Environmental Factors There are people out there who will tell you that after all the washing, cloth diapers are just as bad, or worse than disposables. You should keep in mind their motives. Many of the "studies" done on cloth diapers are paid for by disposable companies who want you to buy their product. Yes, cloth diapering uses water to manufacture, but so do disposables. After use, disposable diapers are put into land fills, where they sit for 100-500 years before breaking down. That's right, every single disposable ever used is still in a dump somewhere.
Cloth, on the other hand can be reused kid to kid, sold to new parents, or re-purposed. I have little booties for my kid made from an old cover. Prefolds are great dusting or polishing rags, etc. And if you do your research into cloth diaper companies, you will find many of them source their fibers from renewable and/or organic sources. There is good and bad cotton out there. If this truly matters to you, look into the companies you want to buy from, and avoid "China cheapies." Some of my diapers are made in China, but are made under strict regulations (fair wages for employees, safe working conditions, etc). Made in China doesn't equal bad, but there are China diapers that just don't compare to fair practice diapers.
Walking Another thing you might hear about cloth diapers is that they hinder kids from learning to walk properly. This is just silly. Disposables were invented in the 1950s, prior to that everyone was in cloth! If cloth truly affected ability to walk, the human race would have been in serious trouble far before now. In fact, the slightly-wider-than-disposables position your baby's hips will be in with a cloth diaper is better for baby's hip alignment. If you are curious, look up pictures of the casts babies with hip dysplasia are in. They hold their legs way outside the body to realign them.
Soaking Never soak a diaper! This is a thing of the past, and modern diapers are harmed by sitting in water too long. Plus, wet pails are a drowning hazard. There is no reason you'd ever need to soak a cloth diaper.
Clothing Some styles of pants can be too narrow to fit over a cloth diaper (which are, in general, more bulky than disposables). Just avoid leggings, or "skinny pants" for babies and you should be ok. Jogger type pants, or pants with a gusset (extra piece of fabric in the crotch) are both good options. Sometimes onesies can be a little short, so if you find this happens, you can buy or make onesie extenders (extra snap in part for the crotch). I never needed them. I just sized up clothing when it started getting too small/short.
What Helped Me I started on clothdiaps The people there, and especially the side bar is full of information. The other site I really loved was Green Mountain Diapers (links below). They have pages and pages of info, pictures of kids in cloth, step by step how-to's etc.
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/newmom
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/how-to-fold-diapers
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/diaper-pail-liner-info
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/faq
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/pictures-of-newborn-babies
https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/pages/washing-diapers
https://thiswestcoastmommy.com/6-ways-to-fold-a-prefold-diape
https://imgur.com/a/9SOPW0n