How to Dry Vinyl Diaper Covers

If you're using waterproof vinyl diaper covers over your baby's cloth diapers, then you're in luck: Not only do vinyl diaper covers protect your baby's clothes from becoming soiled, they allow a small bit of air to circulate, and can easily be machine washed with the cloth diapers. However, you shouldn't just toss them into the dryer with the diapers. Waterproof diaper covers will last longer and be stronger if you follow these instructions for drying vinyl diaper covers properly.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clothespins or plastic hangers
• Clothesline or closet rod

1. Remove your diaper covers from the washing machine when you're taking the diapers out. They should have been washed thoroughly and completely rinsed clean. Set them aside as you're putting your cloth diapers into the dryer.

2. 
    
   Waterproof diaper covers.

   Shake all of the water free. This won't work for drying diaper covers completely, but it will make sure that there isn't water puddling inside of the waterproof diaper covers. Since they don't absorb, they need to be shaken out.

3. Open up the diaper covers so that they aren't wrinkly and wadded up. Lay them flat as you're working. Many parents just sit them on the side of the washing machine as they unload the cloth diapers that have just been washed.

4. 
    
   Broken hangers are great for drying diaper covers.

   Hang the diaper covers up using a plastic hanger or clothespin. This is a great way to use a broken plastic hanger, because you can put five diaper covers on a hanger that has a broken bottom. Discount plastic hangers often have a weak spot at the bottom center. If they break, just set them aside and keep them by the washing machine so that you can use them to dry diaper covers.

5. 
    
   Take the time to dry diaper covers properly.

   Hang waterproof diaper covers outside on a clothesline if you don't have plastic hangers. Diaper covers can get damaged from high temperatures, so as soon as they're dry you'll want to remove them from the sun.

6. Hang your clothesline in the bathroom if you don't have access to an outdoor clothesline. Make sure you remove them when it's time to shower. You don't want them to stay wet or to get soap and cleansers from the shower or from bathroom cleaning. Chemicals can lead to diaper rash and break down the strength of cloth diapers' fibers. Bleach is especially bad for cloth diapers.

Tips & Warnings

• You can thread the rope or clothesline through the legs of the cloth diaper covers if you don't have clothespins.
• Damp elastic at the leg bands of diaper covers can cause irritation, so make sure the leg hole elastic is dry before using.