Open or Closed Diaper Pail?

Allison - posted on 07/08/2009

I have a wet bag designed to hang on a clothes hanger, with a zipper. It just depends on how full my hands are as to whether I close it or not, but it rarely smells unless it is all the way full. Of course, I rinse out poopy ones first. It fills up in about 2 days so that's when I wash. I just run my diapers on an extra rinse cycle first, and then wash them in a long hot water wash. They never smell! I wash the wet bag every 2-3 times.



I used to use a dry diaper pail, with a trash bag in it. That was with only 1 baby, so it took longer to fill up and got stinky because it lasted 3-4 days.

Aislin - posted on 07/07/2009

I use a regular dry diaper pail that prevents smells from exiting the pail using a charcoal filtration system. I have enough diapers to wash them once a week. I'd estimates 48 AIO and 48 prefolds. I save the All-in-ones for day care and the prefolds I use at home. I make my own laundry detergent with washing soda and borax and fels naptha soap. I separate the diapers and put the poopy diapers in an apartment washing machine that agitates the diapers and separates the solid so I don't have to touch it. I put one scoop of the home made detergent in the washing machine with a little bit of dish washing detergent to help them be more absorbent and a scoop of oxyclean. I also make my own fabric softener with vinegar, water, and hair conditioner that really makes the diapers soft.

Lisa - posted on 07/07/2009

Good old fashioned, plain, open pail!
I tried with a wet bag/liner, but I was always washing it. I decided to stick with what worked for my foremothers- a simple open pail. I would say I had to wash every other day when my little one was a newbie, and I just kept the pail in the bathroom or garage, (where my washer/dryer were). Now that my kiddo is 2, I can go a little longer between washes, but I still use the open pail. If I get a pretty stinky poop dipe, I might start the wash load early. The pail is really easy to clean/maintain. Oh, and BAKING SODA will save you from smelly pails and smelly dipes! And vinegar in the rinse cycle helps too!

Carlyn - posted on 07/06/2009

I use a large step open trash can with a PUL liner for my diapers. When she was little, we frequently left the lid up with no issues, but once she really got into solids, I'm very glad to have the lid. Even after rinsing, those poopy ones smell!

Alyssa - posted on 07/05/2009

I do a cold/no soap wash of the diapers & covers then do a hot with soap wash with any other whites that need to be washed. I use All Free & Clear soap. I use Bummis covers, which don't have the laundry tabs, so I put my covers in one of those mesh laundry bags (I think it's supposed to be for sweaters) that way I can pull them out easily & toss everything else in the dryer. I just use prefolds.

Jen - posted on 07/04/2009

on their own!!

Lynlee - posted on 07/03/2009

I bought a bucket with a lid and use that for nappies. I do a wash everyday with the other laundry. BTW do you guys wash the nappies with your other clothes or on their own? I rinse the bucket each day and open the laundry window to air it out - if it gets a bit stinky I rinse the bucket with a little bleach.

Vilate - posted on 07/02/2009

k, so I do a dry closed pail. I have 6 kids and someone would be getting into the diapers if i didn't. :) I have a liner and it is just a bucket. I made the liner out of some PUL -but I heard one lady say she uses a pillow case and then just washes it with the diapers. I throw my liner in the wash too, so it keeps the smell down since it starts out clean! :)



I don't do anything special and don't use baking soda. I usuall go liek 2 to 3 days between washes.

Stacey - posted on 07/02/2009

People thought I was nuts but I used a dry pail system and my pail never smelled because I always rinsed the diapers and rung them out before putting them in the pail.

I have a bumgenius sprayer and that is what I used to rinse them out with.



So I always rinsed them and rung three times. Then I put it in a diaper pail that had a wetbag liner. Mine was the kind with a button you push and the center hole poppe up.



I washed every other day.

Rhonda - posted on 07/01/2009

I use a dry pail with a wetbag from monkey doodlez. I use a tall trash can with a lid that pops open. To keep the pail from stinking I have one of those stick-up air fresheners stuck to the inside of the can under the bag so that when I wash dipes it freshens the can. I usually only wash dipes about twice a week, I have a big stash and baby wears disposables at daycare b/c I feel they change her more often and have less chace of diaper rash in the disposables.

I am going to put baking soda on my dipes right now - never thought of that!

Megan - posted on 06/27/2009

I have to agree on the size of the safety first ones... they are a tad small... actually i am having my husband take me to k-mart tonight to get a second one to take care of the overflow! (ive been using old grocery bags when my diaper pail is full) lol!

Jen - posted on 06/27/2009

Megan that's funny, I read your other post and found it very helpful!! I have a safety 1st step can also, that's what I've been using, but it doesn't fit all of the dirty dipes for, oh, maybe 2 days. Maybe I have bulky diapers or change my baby too much!! So i bought a $4 trash can w no lid ... hoping that the open concept might work. BTW already tried your Tide Original "trick" and it's the most expensive laundry soap I've bought EVER ... BUT my diapers are clean and I only did one hot wash/cold rinse cycle. Crossing my fingers and hoping all will be well with baby's skin. If not, it's back to the drawing board!

Andrea, I go about the same amount of time between washes, for the SAME reason. That's funny! Power to ya! As for solids ... it's not that bad. Yet. (My baby is 7 mo, mostly breastfed but lovin the baby foods!!)

Megan - posted on 06/27/2009

i use a stepcan diaper pail from safety 1st. I use no liner but i quick was the pail when then diapers are in the wash. Before dirty diapers go in i use one squirt or plain dish soap in the bottom. It takes away the odor (mostly) and keeps the pail from getting icky. I keep the pail just outside the bathroom and swish all the poopy diapers before they go in. We do diapers twice a week and my daughter is 6months. I dont use baking soda because i have *heard* that it can cause buildup on my pocket diapers.

Oh and since i use pockets I stuff them, size them, and fold them before they go in the drawer so changes are just pop em on the baby and go! Huge time saver.

this is more info from a different post:

i use happy heinys which are similar and we have a coin operated laundry room and use just one hot cycle with tide original. If you do it in one wash you need the extra stuff in the detergent to get them clean enough, so dont use free and clear detergents or all natural ones like charlie's soap. and use half the amount you use for laundry. if you want to avoid residue affecting the diapers (it shouldnt) but you can dump about a gallon of plain tap water over your diapers when they go in. when you dry them... dont use and fabric softeners or dryer sheets... they will cause build up.

h another thing... if you use communal laundry facilities you may want to strip your diapers once every few months. it is an easy process and will make them like new.

check out how here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2225268_cloth-di...


Dont do it all the time but just if you feel they are getting a little "funky"

you can also put a couple tablespoons of distilled white vinegar in a rinse with you diapers every so often to break down any buildup.

By baby is 6 mo and i have only needed to strip once.

my baby has sensitive skin (rashes immediately with disposables) but not to the point she needs enzyme free laundry soap. I have used Tide free and clear and ALL free and clear laundry soaps as well on my diapers. If you use one of those i suggest ALL free and clear... but i found that Tide Original gets my diapers a little cleaner. a great thing to do is soak your diapers for a few minutes in h20 right before they go in the wash... just pour water in yoiu dry pail and set for 5 minutes or so and then dump the whole thing in the wash

Naomi - posted on 06/27/2009

open pail
we bought a "diaper pail" that does have a lid but we don't use a lid and it's basically a tall garbage pail
dry
we wash about once/week

I have baking soda in a shaker that I sprinkle on the diapers if they start to smell. doesn't happen too often, so it doesn't go on every load/pail
we separate poop diapers now that he's eating solids. we rinse the poop off and put them in a separate pail. I think that's helped minimize smell issues more

in the wash we use detergent (bio-kleen)
vinegar in the rinse if they have a strong ammonia smell (maybe once/month)

run 2 washes, first on cold, 2nd on hot then dryer dry

Andrea - posted on 06/27/2009

I use an open diaper pail (just a large plastic kitchen trash can) in my laundry room. For the nursery, I have a small wetbag hanging on the door handle, which I empty every night when I wash the diapers. I never go more than 1.5 days between washes, but that is just because I don't have a really large stash yet. I have enough to probably go three days, but I don't like the "backup" diapers I have, so I wash more often.



I haven't given my son solids yet, so haven't experienced any foul odors from the diapers. Yet.