How to Strip Cloth Diapers (by Boiling)

This article will show you how to strip prefold cloth diapers (as well as doublers/soakers and fitteds) in preparation to use them. This process can also be used if you notice your diapers are leaking after you've been using/washing them for a while.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Diapers (or doublers/inserts or fitteds)
• At least one LARGE pot of water
• Heat-proof container to put boiled diapers in
• Tongs or long handled spoon

1. 
   Pots of boiling water.

   Put at least one LARGE (at least 6 qt) pot of water on the stove to boil. If you have two large pots, use them both & it will go much quicker.

2. 
   Diapers, Soakers, and catch pot

   Lay out everything that needs to be stripped (boiled) and a container in which to put the boiled diapers.

3. 
   Dropping in diaper

   When water is boiling, drop in 3-4 prefold diapers (or 4 soakers or 2-3 fitteds), depending on the sizes.

4. Cover the pot & return the water to boiling. Watch the pot as they can boil over easily. You can remove the cover once boiling.

5. The diapers will have air bubbles, so every few minutes use tongs to turn over the diapers, putting the parts that are in the air under the water.

6. 
   Boiling diapers

   Boil diapers, turning over occasionally, for 15 minutes.

7. Remove diapers to your catch pot and set aside to cool off.

8. You can reuse this water ONE time to do one more batch. After the second (2nd) batch, you will need to empty and refill the pots with clean water.

9. 
   Boiled diapers

   After your diapers are boiled, you can see how much smaller they will be.

10. Put boiled and cooled diapers into your washing machine and wash & dry according to diaper specifications.

11. After drying, drop a few drops of water on your diapers and make sure it is absorbed immediately. If it's not, you can either re-boil or try washing on VERY hot a few more times.

Tips & Warnings

• If you only have one pot big enough to boil diapers in, you can fill up 2 or 3 smaller pots with water to boil & use those to replace the water in your larger pot.
• Make sure you replace the water after every other batch of diapers.
• If you don't want to wait for the diapers to cool off, you can rinse them under cold water and squeeze them out before washing them
• Watch your diapers carefully; the pots can boil over quickly.
• The diapers will be HOT when you take them out of the water; do not use your hands with them