Before launching Esembly, we ran a busy cloth diaper laundering service in New York City. For years, we were quite literally washing thousands of diapers every single week. That experience taught us exactly what it takes to get cloth diapers and washing machines truly clean.

Everything we learned there is rolled into the simple two-cycle wash routine we recommend for home use. When a few key factors are in place, you can feel confident that your diapers, your machine, and even other household laundry that you want to add to the load will come out fresh and clean.

Here’s why…

Here’s what’s going on in your washing machine during our recommended 2-cycle routine – all of these elements will ensure your diapers, machine, and anything else you are washing gets totally clean.

Detergents are designed to lift, break down, and suspend soils (some better than others, but we’ll get to that in just a moment!) so they can be carried away in the wash water and fully drained from the machine. And it’s also important to note that heat helps speed up and support that process, which is why we do not recommend washing your cloth diapers in cold water. 

The wash water that is used during the cycle to help the detergent cleanse all the soil from the diapers is flushed away, then replaced with fresh water for rinsing. So after two-cycles of soil thoroughly being flushed away, your machine will be left clean. (and yes, even older “less fancy” machines still have this functionality!) 

Washing machines regularly handle heavily soiled items: underwear, workout clothes, cleaning rags, and if you’re not cloth diapering – the inevitable blowout soiled outfit and beyond (This is not something you have to worry about with Esembly cloth diapers; they’re blowout-proof! But a good reminder that even if you decide not to cloth diaper, it’s very likely you will need to launder items soiled with poop anyways. Where there is a baby, there is poop..) – cloth diapers aren’t introducing anything your machine wasn’t already designed to manage.

A two-cycle routine – a first warm wash to remove top layer soil, followed by a hot, heavy-duty main wash – ensures waste is removed from both fabrics and the machine itself. We do a deep dive into our recommended routine in this blog post, but here’s a general overview:

Cycle 1

Run a “normal” cycle with warm water and 1 scoop of Washing Powder sprinkled on top (or measure for a “normal” load if using another detergent)

Cycle 2 

Run a “heavy duty” cycle with hot water and 2 scoops of Washing Powder sprinkled on top (or measure for a “heavy duty” load if using another detergent)

If anything, lingering concerns about buildup are more likely when:

• Water isn’t hot enough

• Detergent isn’t powerful enough

• Loads are too small or too large for proper agitation

• Very hard water is a factor

You can check out the below blog posts if you’d like to explore more:

• 4 Key Factors for Getting Your Cloth Diapers Perfectly Clean

• Can You Wash Cloth Diapers in Hard Water?

• What Kind of Detergent Do You Need to Wash Cloth Diapers 

Which brings us to one of the most important pieces of the puzzle…

Dirty diapers are some of the most complex and heavily soiled items you’ll ever wash. Baby poop isn’t just one thing – it’s a mix of fats, starches, urea/ammonia, and bacteria.

It’s also important to note that not all baby poop behaves the same way in the wash. When babies are on a milk-only diet (breast milk or formula), their poop is water-soluble and designed to wash away easily in your washing machine with no pre-treatment required.

Once babies begin eating solid foods, poop becomes more solid as well. At that stage, you’ll want to remove the bulk of the solid matter from the diaper before washing – we cover everything you need to know to make this hassle-free in this blog post!

Early on, we realized that in order to clean diapers properly, we needed to understand exactly what was in them. So we did the dirty work (literally). One of our very first projects was breaking down baby poop to understand what makes it so stubborn.

Here’s the simplified version:

• Fats can form a greasy film on fabrics if they aren’t fully emulsified and rinsed away

• Starches can become sticky when mixed with moisture and may contribute to irritation if left behind

• Ammonia, a byproduct of urine breakdown, can cause strong odors (often called “barnyard stink”) and be harsh on baby’s skin if not thoroughly removed

All of these components need to be fully cleaned out of the diaper before it’s reused – which means the detergent you choose really matters.

At the same time, we know families want a detergent that’s not just effective, but also gentle on baby’s skin and mindful of the planet.

Cloth diapers don’t leave your washing machine dirty – improper washing does.

With hot water, a strong detergent, and a solid two-cycle routine, waste is broken down, rinsed away, and fully removed from both your diapers and your machine. It’s the same process washing machines rely on every day for all kinds of heavily soiled laundry.

We hope you’ve found this helpful!

Will washing cloth diapers make my washing machine dirty?
No – as long as you're using hot water, a strong detergent, and a proper two-cycle routine, waste is fully broken down and rinsed away. Washing machines already handle heavily soiled items like workout clothes and cleaning rags every day; cloth diapers aren't asking anything new of your machine.

How do you wash cloth diapers?
Run two cycles: a warm "normal" wash first to remove the top layer of soil, then a hot, heavy-duty wash to finish the job. This two-step approach ensures waste is removed from both the fabric and the machine itself.

Can you wash cloth diapers in cold water?
We don't recommend it. Heat helps speed up and support the detergent's ability to lift and break down soil, so cold water makes it harder to get diapers – and your machine – truly clean.

Can you wash cloth diapers with other laundry?
Yes, you can add other soiled household items to the load, but be sure to keep the load size ½ - ⅔ full. We also recommend avoiding bulky items like sheets or blankets – they take up too much room in the drum and can prevent diapers from getting the agitation they need for a thorough clean.

Do you need to rinse or pre-treat cloth diapers before washing?
It depends on your baby's diet. Milk-only poop (breast milk or formula) is water-soluble and washes away with no pre-treatment. Once your baby starts solid foods, you'll want to remove the bulk of solid matter first using our Tossers or Stay-Dry Liners. (no rinsing or spraying required)

What detergent should you use for cloth diapers?
Look for something powerful enough to break down fats, starches, and ammonia, but still gentle on baby's skin. That's exactly why we created Esembly Washing Powder.