Used diapers...you're kidding right?

     I buy used cloth diapers.  Yep, you heard me right.  They're not my entire stash, but they're there.  In fact, my entire beginning stash for the first three months was entirely second hand diapers.  If you're like I was in the beginning, this is really making you squeemish.  In the end, turns out used diapers are like any other piece of used clothing so long as you make sure you wash them well before putting them on your little one.  Before running out to find some great steals, here's a few points to make sure you're getting a great diaper and not a dud:

• Ask about the wash routine.  You want to know what temp of water they washed in, if they line or machine dried, how often they washed and what detergent they used (very important). A harsh routine (VERY hot water, always machine drying, etc) could mean the diapers will be very worn down.
• Ask if any laundry additives were used (bleach, oxyclean, etc) that may have prematurely worn the fabrics down.
• Check the PUL.  If you're buying anything with PUL, take a good look to make sure there's no damage to it and that it's not starting to bubble and pull away from the fabric it's lining.
• Sniff them!  I always sniff diapers before buying. Might sound gross, but which of us cloth diapering mamas hasn't sniffed a few dozen diapers?  If they stink, you know you have a residue or ammonia issue to deal with at home.
• Check the velcro and snaps.  Make sure they're all in good working order.
• Pull on the elastics and make sure they have lots of strength left in them.

Once you get your diapers home, you'll want to give them a good wash.  I prefer to strip all new diapers using several HOT washes on the inserts (just one hot wash on the covers is usually fine) with a little bit of detergent in the first wash.  I also use a 1/4 cup of bleach on the inserts in the first wash just to be sure.  If you're opposed to using bleach, just skip this step.  Finally, I hang them out on the line to let the sun and fresh air finish off the sterilizing and cleaning...then they're good to go!


Some great places to find second hand cloth diapers:

• kijiji
• ebay
• diaper swappers
• children's consignment shops
• friends
• some online retailers such as The Cloth Diaper Shop