Laundry Care

Machine wash, tumble dry. Do not use fabric softener (leaves a water repelling residue and can deteriorate waterproofing). Do not bleach. Do not use pure soap products to wash. We also recommend using a more natural laundry detergent like Seventh Generation or Bi-O-Kleen; anything free of perfumes, dyes and fabric softener.

The most recommended way to wash cloth trainers and diapers is to do a cold water rinse, a hot wash, ending in a cold rinse spin. It is best to use less detergent that usual (who would have thought?!) per load; 1/4 cup or less is sufficient. This is so that soap residue does not collect on trainers, which may lead to odor buildups.

Since families that practice ec may not use as many diapers, though, as those who are not practicing you may not have to wash training pants separately. I have always thrown them in with the regular laundry load (even in cold when our baby was exclusively breastfed!) This may not work for everybody, but it worked for us.

I have never noticed odor buildup with ecaPants. However, if it does occur, try running through a cold water wash with no detergent to get soap residue off. If this doesn't help, it is recommended to soak and wash the trainers with baking soda and add vinegar to the rinse cycle (no more than 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar).

On the front wing of the training pant, there is hard part of the velcro type material (actually aplix hook) that keeps the trainers secure. Next to that on the inner fabric you should see a fuzzy 1.5" rectangle of fuzzy loop material. Please adhere the aplix hook to the loop before laundering. This will prevent the rough edges of aplix from catching on any of your clothing. These are called 'laundry tabs'.

Pre laundry Care

"What do I do with these before I put them in the wash?" you may ask. "Do I have to swish them around in the toilet and boil them on the stove?" Nooooo!!!! Those days are long gone, thank goodness. Simply shake any 'shakables' in the toilet and then put the trainer in a pail or your laundry basket. For stubborn ones, use some toilet paper to help it on its way. If its still too messy, you can hold the outside of the trainer near the top and the bottom on the outside layer. Run it under water, holding it sideways, and if needed rub the inside of the trainer together to remove the most stubborn messes. Keep your hands on the outside of the trainer for this and they should emerge unscathed!

Some people prefer to just shake out the diaper and put it immediately in a pail, skipping any additional steps.

If you use a pail, it can be either wet or dry. With a dry pail, you may want to sprinkle a little baking soda on the bottom of the pail and on the trainers to contol any odor. With a wet pail, make sure it is tightly covered to prevent any little ones from playing in the water, or worse yet, falling in! Fill the pail 1/4 with water and add 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup vinegar, or a few drops of tee tree oil.

These are all just suggestions; you may find a method that works better for you.

For more tips, visit:
diaper pin, diaper jungle or google it of course!

Last but not Least

All shrinkable fabric on ecaPants have been prewashed with natural detergent (Seventh Generation) on hot and tumble dried to prevent shrinkage. It is still advised to wash ecaPants before wearing to ensure cleanliness after the manufacturing process. Elastic on the waistband will shrink 1/2" to 1" after a few laundering cycles. EcaPants are a light training pant and are designed to dry quicker than most all-in-ones. For many people they will dry in one regular drying cycle. Results vary due to dryers and the settings used.