Used Cloth Diapers?

Using cloth diapers is sanitary as long as you dispose of them properly, however, unless she has a washer and dryer in her home and doesn't live in an apartment with a shared washer/dryer, then I wouldn't recommend it. She'll be doing a lot more laundry then someone who is using disposable diapers so if she's looking to save money, she will only do that if she doesn't have to pay to wash clothes.

I've only bought maybe 3-4 brand-new diapers in my 3 yrs of cloth diapering. Wash well when you get them, and they work great!

Try www.diaperswappers.com -- TONS of women trade & buy used dipes.

I have to think that washing ANYTHING in very hot water and bleach would take care of the sanitary question. I am not sure about the green efforts, though. My 3 children are grown...26, 28 and 31 "Way back then" I was thinking the same way, save money...save the planet. (Keep in mind the disposable diapers didn't even have elastic legs yet LOL!) My findings were this: To maintain the cloth diapers was alot of work. When they are wet, THEY ARE WET. Disposables draw the wetness away from that sweet little bottom...fewer changes, healthier bottom. The diaper pail is a pain in the you know what, not to mention unless you launder every day with bleach (not green or good for the planet or human fannies) it can tend to get a bit stinky. HOT water for the laundry takes energy to heat it (not green), don't forget the use of the water itself. Now, on to drying the diapers. Gas or electricity to heat the dryer (not green and is expensive) I hung them on the clothesline...ah...very sweet smelling, white, STIFF diapers for my sweetie's bottom. So...in the big picture, yes disposables do take up room in the landfill and they are not reusable, but the cloth diapers take time away from baby and alot of energy, yours and natural resources, to maintain them properly. Having done both, I would opt for the "greenest" disposable diapers available and spend that precious time with my sweetie, not laundering the diapers. Happy medium?

I used a diaper service when my son was an infant. Those are definitely "used" in fact you're getting different used diapers every week. She should definitely wash them on a sanitizing setting or boil them in a pot before she uses them, but I'd think they'd be fine.

T.

After having used cloth, I would buy used the next time around, if it ever comes to it. I took very good care of my diapers and sold them when we were done.
If they are in good condition I would say go for it.
I would probably give them a run in the sanitary cycle or wash the inserts with a little bleach (NEVER the covers - it ruins them).
Run everything through the dryer on hot. It is the heat of the dryer that does most of the sanitizing.
Good luck!

How sanitary was it before the invention of disposable diapers? As long as your friend cleans them properly, there is no reason for it to be unsanitary. I, and everyone else I know I know who is in my age range, wore cloth diapers and we've all lived to tell about it!

Bleach them well and you should be fine.

yeah i know i did. i just washed them before i put them on my son. if it makes you feel any better just wash them twice and then hang them in the sun.

We've bought used diapers. I didn't worry at all about it being sanitary, as any mama would wash them well for their own baby. If you're REALLY worried, sun them a little, and wash them in a splash of bleach or vinegar when you first get them.

It's fine. Wash them in hot water, hang out in the sun. The sun will sanitize them well. A 1/2 cup vinegar in the final rinse will clean and soften them even more.

it depends like i just recently got a washer and dryer with a sanitary cycle so if i was to purchase or use these i would run them throughbut even though not having this option on yours you could run hot on hot and run a normal cycle maybe soak ever now and than i feel would be sufficient to santitize whatever you needed. Or take them to a wash place and use one of there washmachines for sanitary. Now a days you gotts do w you gotta do when we was growing up and te parents who used thse types of diapers and hd more than one kid didn't have santary cycles and thy used te same diaper on johnies bum as for sarah's ! Just a thought!

My thought is it is no different than buying clothes at a second-hand shop or garage sale.

Kudos for keeping it green! There are probably enough cloth diapers in the world to cover all the new behinds, anyways!

It does sound a bit yucky when you first think about it, but as I read the other responses I realized it is not really. I actually used diapers my mom handed down to me so I guess it is the same thing. I would do it, but make sure to sanitize them well!

I have a friend who does, only she received them as hand-me-downs from a friend instead of purchasing. She had no problem with it. My washing machine & dryer have "sanitizing" options, so I imagine that would be helpful. I've handed down toddler underwear from one daughter to the next. I've got no problem with it, though it doesn't sound that great necessarily! To each her own...

I've bought used cloth diapers for my son and haven't had any issues with it. I guess it's just an ick factor for some, but I wash them in hot water, and that pretty much kills everything. Tell her to try diaperswappers.com. The website is cluttered and a little confusing at first, but it's worth it to find what you want.

It's a good way to save money if she can get some good quality second hand diapers that were well cared for. I would wash them on hot, toss them in the dryer for 15 minutes (to keep them from getting stiff while drip drying), then hang them in the sun to finish drying. The sun disinfects the diapers and removes most stains if you get to them before they've set in.

It seems unsanitary but it really isn't a big deal. Just like diaper service diapers only instead of being heavily bleached and used by a number of children they are only used by one other child and may or may not have been bleached. I say it's not a big deal even if it does initially sound gross.

Best,
T.

I don't think it's a big deal. My mother gave me the cloth diapers she used for my brother and me when my son was born. I just washed them in really hot water a couple of times before using them. I would think she could also boil them if she was concerned.

It seems to be based on personal preference. I've bought used cloth diapers for my boys, and while my husband was not thrilled with the idea, he got over it.
I washed the diapers in hot water before putting them on them & also sunned them and/or dried them on hot if I could. Be careful with bleach and cloth - read the care labels and/or visit the manufacturer's website on washing instructions.

diaperswappers.com and craigslist are great places to seek used cloth.

I don't have any personal experience with cloth diapers but I do know that all of my friends that do use them are meticulous when cleaning them. I'd say go for it and follow tips from other readers to "sanitize" before first use.