Question: Do I need to throw out my diapers after a yeast infection? We can’t seem to eliminate the yeast.
If your child gets a yeast infection just remember that you don’t need to get rid of your cloth diapers. With some basic sanitizing and treatments you can be back to using cloth in no time at all.
Bleach is the easiest and most effective way to rid your cloth diapers from yeast. You can use bleach on flats, prefolds, fitteds, and pocket inserts. If you are using pockets or all in one diapers please contact the manufacture to make sure that bleach is safe to use on your diapers. Do not use bleach on a regular basis since will cause your diapers to deteriorate slowly.
Just add a ¼ cup of bleach to your initial wash and wash on hot. Make sure to rinse thoroughly. When washing it is important to turn up your water heater to its hottest setting. Typically yeast can’t survive in anything over 120 degrees Fahrenheit so if the bleach doesn’t kill the yeast the water temperature should.
Another natural way to effectively kill yeast spores is with grapefruit seed extract. We suggest using 1tsp. of grapefruit seed extract in your normal wash cycle. A lot of our customers who are anti-bleach have had great luck using it in conjunction with tea tree oil. If you choose to use tea tree oil we suggest about 10 drops of it used along with the grapefruit seed extract. Once again make sure to rinse out the diapers extremely well. You don’t need a yeast rash and irritation from the grapefruit seed extract on top of it.
If the manufacturer of your diapers opposes the use of bleach on their diapers you can always turn to vinegar or oxygenated bleach. Add a ¼ cup of vinegar to your rinse cycle. Vinegar neutralizes yeast and will leave your diapers feeling softer. Make sure to do an extra rinse cycle after adding the vinegar since it can leave your diapers smelly if not completely rinsed out. If using oxygenated bleach, just add the suggested amount to your normal hot wash cycle. When using either vinegar or oxygenated bleach you should still turn up your water heater to ensure the yeast is eliminated.
Lastly, you can always sun your diapers. Leave your diapers out in direct sunlight for as long as possible. In addition to helping with yeast, the sun naturally helps remove stains from your diapers. We would advise fluffing them up in the dryer afterwards since sunning diapers can make them non-absorbent if done regularly.
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