If you are well and truly into cloth diapering, you will need diaper covers to protect your baby from embarrassing leaks. Unless you are using all-in-one diapers (a kind of cloth diaper with a waterproof outer layer), you will need some sort of cover over the diaper.

Pull-on pants are excellent diaper covers, but are becoming less popular now. As baby accessories become more fashionable, we now have plastic wraps that can easily be wrapped around the diaper. They fit perfectly and come in colors and designs aimed to please.

Diaper covers are useful when your toddler is potty training, as they offer great protection for your baby’s clothes and your furniture too. These handy plastic covers are especially good for nighttime use. With diaper covers, you need not fear the occasional accident and can venture out of house with confidence.

Care of diaper cover:

• How long your diaper cover lasts really depends upon a number of things:
• Type of material that the cover is made of
• Whether you wash the cover with detergent and which kind of detergent
• Your washing method
• Use of bleach or bleach alternatives
• How often you use the same cover
• The type of drying method you use (line-drying or blow-drying)

Some of the best materials for diaper covers include polar fleece or industrial vinyl and poly-coated nylon. These materials can easily be machine-washed and dried, and even stand up to the occasional bleach. In case of other fabrics like wool, nylon, polyester or cotton, gentle treatment makes them last longer. Hand-washing with a gentle detergent and line drying is best.

Avoid mixing dirty diapers with diaper covers, especially if you are using nylon or polyester diaper covers. Polyester really locks in stench. So diaper covers that lie in poopy water for a few hours will end up stinking even after a wash. Store your diaper covers separately, or rinse your dirty diapers once before you mix them with diaper covers. Ideally, diaper covers should be washed within a day or two. If you are machine washing the diaper covers, put the covers in with your baby’s clothes and choose a gentle wash. Use warm water.

Additives like bleach can ruin the elastic and damage the waterproofing of the covers. The same applies to detergents with chlorine bleach, whitening agents like borax, and stain removers. Avoid rubbing detergent directly on the diaper cover as strong detergents may erode the waterproof covering.

Line-drying is the best way to dry your covers. Dry the covers only for ten minutes in the machine. If they are still damp, hang them to dry. Depending on how soiled they are and what material is used, diaper covers can be air-dried after use. Most covers offer a fold-back method that protects the Velcro at the time of washing.

It is not necessary to wash the cover after every change. This is especially true of covers made of nylon and vinyl. But if the cover is made of cloth, or has a cloth mesh inside, you will have to wash it with each change. If the cover is not soiled, you can just run cold tap water down the inside of the diaper cover to get rid of any urine residue. Hang to dry and re-use. Wool covers can go for a longer period without washing.

Wool fibers contain natural oils that pull dampness away from the skin. Wool fibers also do not ‘cling’ to odors because they allow any residual moisture to evaporate easily. Have at least 5-6 covers to rotate at a time and wash your cover as gently as possible.