Before we get started with instructions on how to Sanitize Cloth Diapers…
Let’s be clear on something. Sanitizing cloth diapers IS NOT something you need to do every time you do your washing. With the right products and the right washing instructions, your diapers should get the deep and thorough cleansing they need with regular washing. (and your washing machine should be sparkling clean afterwards, too!) BUT, there are, of course, times when a deep clean and sanitize of your cloth diapers might be necessary…
You might need to sanitize your cloth diapers if:
You purchased your cloth diapers pre-loved and you want to re-set them before using on your baby
Your diapers smell like barnyard/ammonia as soon as your baby pees
Your little one recently had yeast rash and you want to prevent re-infection
You’ve just battled a tummy bug and want to disinfect
You’re seeing stains and want everything looking (and smelling) fresh
Sanitizing = killing bacteria, yeast, and ammonia-causing residue, not just removing stains.
You do not need:
🚫 Bleach soaks
🚫 Bathtub stripping
🚫 Boiling water
🚫 Dishwasher sanitizing (really, we’ve seen this come up before 😅)
🚫 “Sanitize/Allergiene/BabyWear” machine settings (These settings can actually damage elastics, waterproofing, and cotton fibers – which is why we recommend avoiding them altogether)
Instead, we will provide you with a super easy way to sanitize your cloth diapers with one simple tweak to your normal wash routine! No grape stomping your diapers required 😉
The Most Effective Way to Sanitize Cloth Diapers
(Without soaking or damaging them!)
The safest and most effective way we’ve found to sanitize cloth diapers is what we call the Optional Refresh. This adds a small amount of chlorine bleach during the second cycle of your regular wash routine.
Why chlorine bleach? After running our busy cloth diaper laundry service (more on that here!), we found it to be one of the only solutions for reliably killing bacteria, yeast and fungal spores, as well as neutralizing ammonia.
We like to think of it like giving your diapers a tiny dip in a public pool. Just enough to sanitize – not enough to damage.
You might also find this blog post helpful, too: https://esemblybaby.com/blogs/trash-talk/is-bleach-the-enemy-heres-how-to-use-bleach-with-your-cloth-diapers-safely
How to Sanitize Cloth Diapers (Step-by-Step)
Cycle 1 – Regular Wash
Normal cycle
Warm water
Detergent: 1 scoop Esembly Washing Powder (or measure for a normal load)
Helpful tip: When the first wash cycle ends, reach into the machine and grab each Inner to shake it open and push it inside out so the center pad is sticking out and is flat, not folded. This will ensure that the second wash cycle can fully access the surface of your diapers.
Cycle 2 – Heavy Duty + the Optional Refresh
Hot water (avoid sanitize/extra-hot settings)
Detergent: 2 scoops Esembly Washing Powder
Add: 3 - 4 oz of chlorine bleach to the bleach dispenser
Never pour bleach directly onto diapers.
If your washer doesn’t have a dispenser, wait until the drum fills with water, then add bleach.
🚨 If you like to add vinegar as a natural softener, don’t mix vinegar and bleach in the same cycle. If using both, move bleach to Cycle 1 and vinegar to Cycle 2 (in the fabric softener dispenser). But please note that white vinegar does not have the same sanitizing power as chlorine bleach.
Sanitizing After a Yeast Rash or Thrush
Yeast is unfortunately persistent. It can survive regular wash temperatures and re-infect if not fully eliminated. If your baby is dealing with:
Thrush
A persistent, bumpy diaper rash that doesn’t improve with routine care
A confirmed yeast diagnosis from a pediatrician
Then sanitizing your diapers is an important part of treatment.
When sanitizing for yeast:
- Run the Optional Refresh each time you do your washing until the rash is completely gone
Sanitize anything that touched the rash (wipes, liners, changing pad covers, pail liners, etc.)
Yeast is stubborn, but it is not stronger than laundry science. 🤓
FYI: There are anti-fungal creams that are safe to use with your Esembly diapers. You’ll want to use either Nystatin or Lotrimen CREAM (avoid using Nystatin OINTMENT). But, it's also not a bad idea to switch to disposables until the rash has fully healed.
Need more info on how to treat a diaper rash? Learn more here!
The Bottom Line
Sanitizing cloth diapers doesn’t need to be complicated or extreme.
You don’t need boiling water.
You don’t need days of soaking.
You don’t need a chemistry degree.
You just need:
• A good wash routine
• A powerful, cloth-friendly detergent
• A splash of chlorine bleach
And if you do need any more support, we have resources on a variety of topics here on our blog, helpful how-to videos on our How It Works page, or you can always reach out to our dedicated support team at hi@esemblybaby.com!
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!
