Our laundry family just got bigger! We've added four new products to the Esembly laundry collection: Hard Water Helper, Water Hardness Test Strips, Softening Rinse, and Enzyme Stain Buster.
Rest assured, a bigger laundry collection doesn’t mean a more complicated routine. The new products are here for the specific moments that call for a little extra help, like hard water, stubborn stains, or diaper rash-prone skin.
Think of this post as your cheat sheet: what each product does, and exactly when to reach for it.
Meet the System
The Esembly laundry system was designed to keep cloth diaper laundry simple: two everyday basics, plus four mix-and-match add-ons. Which ones you'll want depends on your specific laundry needs (like your water quality, your washing machine, or your baby's unique biochemistry!) and what you'd like out of your laundry. Every one of them works on your whole family's laundry, not just diapers. Here's the lineup:
| Product | What it does | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Washing Powder | Our patented, EWG Verified detergent, made to power-clean the dirtiest laundry and rinse clean | Every wash. It's what we find works the best, but here's what to look for if you’re considering another detergent |
| Agitators | 4 spiky silicone balls that pound into the fabric as your washer spins, forcing soil and stains to the surface (and they help things dry faster, too!) | Optional, but highly recommended |
| Softening Rinse | pH-balancing, all-natural fabric softener that leaves fabrics silky-soft without synthetic residue | Extra-sensitive skin (and rash-prone skin) that appreciates a lower-than-neutral ph, or anyone who simply loves extra-soft laundry |
| Enzyme Stain Buster | Natural enzyme powder that breaks down poop, spit-up, food, and other tough stains, even in a hot wash | Diaper artists (aka heavy stainers), solid-food eaters, and anyone who loves stain-free diapers and clothing! |
| Hard Water Helper | All-natural water softener that neutralizes minerals so your detergent can do its job and your fabrics don’t develop holes and tears. | Homes with water over 90 ppm |
| Water Hardness Test Strips | A pack of 4 strips plus a color chart that tells you your water's hardness (in ppm) in seconds | Anyone who isn't sure if they have hard water |
Not just for cloth diapers!
While these products were created to support and integrate seamlessly into your cloth diaper wash routine, they can (and should!) be used on all of your household laundry, too. We share more on this later in this post!
The Everyday Wash: Washing Powder (+ Agitators)
This is the “core” of the Esembly Wash Routine, and for most families it works beautifully just as detailed below. Wash every 2 - 3 days:
Cycle 1 (Normal, warm): 1 scoop of Washing Powder + your Agitators. This lifts off the top layer of soil and flushes it away.
Cycle 2 (Heavy Duty, hot): 2 scoops of Washing Powder. This is the deep clean. (Skip Sanitary, Extra Hot, or Steam settings, which get too hot for your diapers.)
Dry: Toss everything in the dryer, Agitators included, to help things dry faster.
No soaking, rinsing, or other pre-treatment needed.* That's it! Your diapers should come out smelling fresh and neutral.
*While your baby is on a milk-only diet, poopy diapers can go straight into the wash. Once solids start, just remove the solid poop before washing. Our Tossers or Stay-Dry Liners make it easy! Learn more in The Truth About Removing Poop from Cloth Diapers.
Want every detail? Read The Complete Guide to Washing Your Cloth Diapers at Home.
What to Use When
| If you're noticing… | Reach for | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| You're not sure if you have hard water | Water Hardness Test Strips | Fill a cup from the faucet nearest your washer, dip a strip for 3 seconds then match it to the color chart. Over 90 ppm? Add Hard Water Helper. |
| Diapers that smell funky after washing, feel stiff, or are developing holes | Water Hardness Test Strips, then Hard Water Helper | Test first. If you're over 90 ppm, add Hard Water Helper to both wash cycles (dosing below). |
| Stains! Poop, spit-up, formula, blueberries, etc | Enzyme Stain Buster | Add 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop) to Cycle 2 along with your Washing Powder. |
| A red, sunburn-like rash where the diaper touches, or extra-sensitive skin | Softening Rinse | Add 1 capful (¼ cup) to the fabric softener dispenser. It lowers the pH of your diapers to just below neutral, where sensitive skin is most comfortable. |
| Diapers or clothes that feel less soft than you'd like | Softening Rinse | Add 1 capful (¼ cup) to the fabric softener dispenser. (It only works from the fabric softener dispenser.) |
| A strong ammonia ("barnyard") smell | Optional Refresh with chlorine bleach | Run the Optional Refresh, then check your water with Test Strips. Water chemistry can be a common culprit. |
A new way to tackle stains
First, a reminder: stains are not a sign your diapers aren't clean. If they smell fresh and neutral, they're clean, and a little "diaper art" is purely cosmetic. When you do want them gone, start with our two natural options:
1. Enzyme Stain Buster: add 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop) to Cycle 2 along with your Washing Powder, as often as you need it. (No soaking. It also isn't needed in Cycle 1.) Its blend of natural enzymes* each tackles a different kind of mess. Most laundry enzymes lose their power in hot water, but ours are specially designed to withstand the heat of the hot, heavy-duty wash cycle that cloth diapers require. A bit more about each enzyme:
Protease breaks down protein-based messes like poop, breast milk, and formula.
Amylase dissolves starches from colorful mashes like berries, avocado, and sweet potato.
Mannanase breaks down the thickeners and gums in formula and squeeze pouches.
Deoxyribonuclease clears the invisible film that leaves cotton looking dingy.
2. Sunshine: lay freshly washed, still-damp diapers in the sun. It sounds wild, but the sun zaps stains within a few hours! A sunny window works in a pinch.
For really stubborn stains: run our Optional Refresh with a small dose of chlorine bleach. Add the bleach to Cycle 1 and your Enzyme Stain Buster to Cycle 2 for ultimate stain removal.
Want to decode a specific stain color? Read The Diaper Staining Guide.
Do you have hard water?
If you're dealing with more than just stains, like stubborn odors (barnyard stink!), soil left behind after washing, stiff or crunchy diapers, or fabrics and elastics wearing out sooner than they should, it's possible you're dealing with hard water. (Lots of families have it and don't even know!)
Our Water Hardness Test Strips will tell you your water's hardness (in ppm) in just a few seconds. If you're over 90 ppm, add Hard Water Helper to both wash cycles along with your detergent. It softens your wash water so your detergent can do its job, and helps your diapers go the distance. (Borax and Calgon are other options, but Hard Water Helper is all-natural, fragrance-free, and won't leave stiffening residue behind.)
How Much to Use
| Your water | ppm | Hard Water Helper per wash cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-Normal | 0–90 | None needed |
| Moderate | 90–120 | 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop*) |
| Hard | 120–180 | 3 Tbsp (1.5 Blue Scoops*) |
| Very Hard | 180–250+ | 4 Tbsp (2 Blue Scoops*) |
*The Blue Scoop is the one that comes with your Washing Powder canister.
Want to dig a little deeper? Read Can You Wash Cloth Diapers in Hard Water?
Building Your Routine
Start with the everyday wash, then add only what your home and your baby need:
Soft water, no stains, happy skin? Washing Powder (+ Agitators). You're done!
Hard water? Add Hard Water Helper to both cycles.
Rash-prone or sensitive skin, or love extra-soft diapers? Add Softening Rinse to the fabric softener dispenser.
A diaper artist? Add Enzyme Stain Buster to Cycle 2 whenever stains show up.
Here's what a wash looks like with every add-on, so you can see where each one goes:
Cycle 1 (Normal, warm): 1 scoop Washing Powder + Hard Water Helper (if needed) + Agitators.
Cycle 2 (Heavy Duty, hot): 2 scoops Washing Powder + Hard Water Helper (if needed) + 2 Tbsp Enzyme Stain Buster (if you're seeing stains). Pour 1 capful (¼ cup) of Softening Rinse into the fabric softener dispenser, and it'll be released in the final rinse.
Dry: in the dryer with your Agitators, or in the sun for natural stain-lifting.
Doing an Optional Refresh? Add the chlorine bleach to Cycle 1, and keep Enzyme Stain Buster and Softening Rinse in Cycle 2. Bleach should never share a cycle with the Softening Rinse or Enzyme Stain Buster.
Every product in the collection is made to work together and to be gentle enough for the most sensitive baby skin. Our three new laundry boosters (Hard Water Helper, Softening Rinse, and Enzyme Stain Buster) are all-natural, Leaping Bunny Certified, and made in the USA.
Beyond Diapers: Using the Collection on All Your Laundry
Our laundry products were specifically formulated to clean cloth diapers (the dirtiest laundry imaginable!), but they can and should be used on all of your household laundry. If they can leave a load of poopy cloth diapers stain-free and smelling fresh, just imagine how well they'll work on your favorite t-shirt, sweaty workout wear, musty towels, or stinky pet beds!
Here's what to reach for:
| If you're dealing with… | Reach for | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday laundry, from spit-up covered baby clothes to stinky gym clothes and sweaty sheets | Washing Powder + Agitators | Use Washing Powder as your everyday detergent, and toss in your Agitators to help get your laundry cleaner and drier. |
| Stubborn stains like baby poop, spit-up, blueberries, ketchup, wine, or grass | Enzyme Stain Buster | Add 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop) to your wash cycle along with your detergent, as often as needed. |
| Laundry you’d like to be softer, like bed linens, baby clothes, and anything that sits close to the skin | Softening Rinse | Pour 1 capful (¼ cup) into your machine's fabric softener dispenser. |
| Hard water | Water Hardness Test Strips, then Hard Water Helper | Hard water is tough on all fabrics, not just diapers. Over time it can lead to stains, smells, holes, relaxed elastics, and loss of waterproofing on performance fabrics. If your water is over 90 ppm, add Hard Water Helper to every wash cycle (see the dosing chart above). |
FAQ
Do I need all six products? Nope! Start with the two everyday basics: our Washing Powder and our Agitators. From there, mix and match the add-ons based on your water, your machine, your baby, and what you'd like out of your laundry.
How does Hard Water Helper compare to Borax or Calgon? All three soften your wash water so your detergent can do its job properly. But Borax can leave behind a fine mineral sediment that makes fabrics stiff, and Calgon relies on synthetic ingredients and artificial fragrances. Hard Water Helper softens your water just as effectively, without the stiffening residue, and it's 100% all-natural, biodegradable, and fragrance-free.
How is Softening Rinse different from other fabric softeners? Traditional fabric softeners rely on greasy synthetic chemicals and fragrances. Softening Rinse is a natural alternative: by balancing the pH of your wash water, it leaves fabrics silky-soft and gentle against even the most delicate skin, without leaving a synthetic, waxy residue on your clothes and washing machine.
Can I use these on the rest of my laundry? Absolutely! Our laundry products were specifically formulated to clean cloth diapers (the dirtiest laundry imaginable!), but they can and should be used on all of your household laundry. If they can leave a load of poopy cloth diapers stain-free and smelling fresh, just imagine how well they'll work on your favorite t-shirt, sweaty workout wear, musty towels, or stinky pet beds!
When should I use Softening Rinse? It's the perfect final step for cloth diapers, baby clothes, bed linens, and anything that sits closest to the skin. It's also the perfect solution if your baby is prone to rash. Just pour 1 capful (¼ cup) into your machine's fabric softener dispenser. Softening Rinse will only be effective when dispensed from the fabric softener compartment. Start with the Kit (1 refillable jug and 2 refill packets): mix 1 packet of concentrated powder with warm water in the jug to make 16 capfuls. When you run out, purchase or subscribe to Refills (sold as a 2-pack in Unscented or a very light Fresh Floral Scent) instead of buying a whole new jug.
What do I do with Softening Rinse if I don't have a fabric softener dispenser? First, double-check! If you have a top loader, it could be hiding in the center agitator. If you're certain you don't have one, you'll need to wait and pour the Softening Rinse into the machine's washer barrel as it fills up with water for the final rinse. But you can also use a Downy Dryer Ball, which will make it much easier :)
Do I need Enzyme Stain Buster every wash? Nope! Use it as often as needed to treat stains. Just add 2 Tbsp (1 Blue Scoop) to Cycle 2 along with your detergent.
Can Enzyme Stain Buster and chlorine bleach go in the same cycle? No, never mix them in the same cycle. If you're using both, add the chlorine bleach to Cycle 1 and Enzyme Stain Buster to Cycle 2.
Can Softening Rinse and chlorine bleach go in the same cycle? No, never mix them in the same cycle. If you're using both, add the chlorine bleach to Cycle 1 and Softening Rinse to Cycle 2.
Is there anything I should avoid adding when using Hard Water Helper? Nope! Just skip any additional water softener, since Hard Water Helper has you covered. And keep using your detergent, too. Hard Water Helper works alongside your detergent, not in place of it.
Can Enzyme Stain Buster and Softening Rinse be used in the same cycle? Yes! Add Enzyme Stain Buster to Cycle 2 along with your detergent, and pour Softening Rinse into the fabric softener dispenser. It'll be released in the final rinse.
Still have questions? Our team has washed a lot of diapers, and we're always happy to help you troubleshoot. Reach out to us here, or explore the full Laundry Collection. Happy washing! 🫧
Cloth Diapering 101
Our co-founders host a free, virtual, Cloth Diapering 101 class every month to help cloth-curious parents get all the tools and information they need!
You'll leave with the confidence to Live Less Disposably and a 20% discount code to use on your first order. 🥳 We hope to see you there!
