Soiled nappy storage

Keep cloth nappies as dry as possible until it is time to wash, ideally in an airy basket without a lid.

Do not soak your cloth nappies. Soaking nappies degrades their elastics prematurely, forms a bacterial breeding ground and is a drowning hazard.

Where to store dirty nappies

The ideal storage for dirty cloth nappies and wipes is an airy basket without a lid. Plastic baskets have the advantage of being easy to wash and do not rust. Sometimes people refer to these as ‘dry pails’.

Before the first wash

Store items in a basket, bucket, wet bag (water-resistant bag made of polyurethane laminate (PUL)) or what suits you.

Run the first wash within 1-2 days.

After the first wash

Store washes items where they can receive air flow. For example, an airy basket, open bucket or laundry tub.

Store the items awaiting their first wash in the same receptacle or use a marker such as a nappy shell or cloth to separate washed and unwashed items.

A note about storing nappies in wet bags

Many early learning and childcare centres require dirty nappies to be stored in a closed bucket or wet bag during the day. This is short term storage and will not harm your nappies.

Run the first wash daily (either at 60°C or any temperature with chlorine bleach) if storing dirty nappies in a closed container. It is usually easiest to run this at the end of the day.

Wet bags are also extremely useful for storing both clean and dirty cloth nappies and wipes while out or during the day.

Wet pailing

Decades ago it was common to soak dirty nappies in a mix of Napisan and water. This is called wet pailing. Many modern cloth users have an ‘aha moment’ when they realise the term dry pailing is used to distinguish from wet pailing.

Napisan previously contained sodium hypochlorite (the active sanitising ingredient in chlorine bleach), however, it no longer does. Modern Napisan does not sanitise, and soaking dirty items in Napisan creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria to flourish.

Soaking nappies also degrades their elastics prematurely and is a drowning hazard.