If you are like me, you probably have dealt with your baby’s diaper rash. It is not fun to watch.
So you look around and around, trying to find a solution to end the diaper rash for good, or at least, reduce it to the minimum level. The thought of cloth diapers go through your mind. And you ask yourself, why not?
Know that even though babies still do get diaper rash with cloth diapers, cloth diaper is very comfortable and helps reduce rash significantly.
But one thing arises, how do you store the dirty cloth diapers to the next wash, or between garbage times? You certainly don’t want to stink up the whole house.
So here’s the solution to keep the house tidy a little easier, a diaper pail.
"Do I need a diaper pail?" You might ask.
Let’s join me to get to know about diaper pails, and review some of the best diaper pails to help you decide.
There are diaper pails for cloth diapers, and diaper pails for disposable diapers.
And trust me, you don’t want to buy the wrong pail.
Normal diaper pails are meant to completely seal the diapers in a bag to be thrown away later. A completely sealed environment will promote mold and bacteria in the cloth diapers. If not being washed carefully, your baby’s bottom will have to pay for this.
Types of diaper pails for cloth diapers
When it comes to cloth diaper storage, there are two options: wet and dry, depending on your preferred way of treating the cloth diapers.
Wet diaper pails
Especially when the cloth diapers are soiled badly, you want to rinse off the diapers thoroughly first. Then put them in the pails with a little bit of water.
To reduce the stain and help to clean the diapers better, you can add some borax or vinegar to the water.
A quick tip is not to add detergent to the water, as it can damage the cloth diapers and create a bad smell in the bag if the diapers are stored for a long time.
Some moms prefer this type, even though it means more work because it means cleaner cloth diapers.
Dry diaper pails
A more convenient solution is a dry diaper pail. It means you dump the poop from the diapers, and then put the diapers directly into the pail. The pail consists of a waterproof bag to prevent leaking.
When it’s time for laundry, simply dump all the dirty diapers from the bag to the washer.
If you choose to use dry diaper pails, get 2 liners so that when you do laundry, you can wash the dirty bag as well.
How to choose a diaper pail
Knowing your (and, of course, my) little pee-and-poop-generating machine, you will have to change a lot of diapers during the day. So make sure you get a diaper pail that is designed to do a good job of storing those pee and poop diapers.
Large capacity
Cloth diapers are often thicker than disposable diapers. And after changing your little one more than 10 times a day, your diaper pail can get full quickly.
So take note that when you choose a diaper pail, you want the pail to be able to store quite a lot of cloth diapers, especially if you don’t do laundry every day.
Lock in odors
You don’t want your house to smell like pee all day, so make sure you get one pail that can lock in odors. So that at least you get to breathe some fresh air.
Easy to open and close
The scenario is, you change your little one on the bed, or on the changing table, or the couch. Then with one hand holding onto your baby, the other hand will put away the dirty diaper.
Give yourself an ease of mind and get a pail that is easy to open and close, so that you don’t risk touching the pee or poop before using the same hand to touch your baby (because when he will not stay put to wait for you to finish changing).
Generally speaking, a diaper pail that opens with a foot pedal makes things easier.
How To Choose Your Diaper Pail
All parents hate diaper rash, but not all of them go for cloth diapers. The thing with cloth diapering is that parents need to find a solution to work for all of them, their babies, and themselves too!
It doesn’t do any good to anyone if you are already exhausted, and still have a full pail of dirty diapers that need washing.
So find something that works for you.
If after you consider all the factors, and still think that cloth diapering is a good thing to go for, then definitely find a good diaper pail that can work for you.
Type of diaper pail
The first thing you have to make up your mind about is the type of diaper pail you will use: wet or dry, or maybe a combination of both. From then, you will decide things you need to prepare for this whole cloth diapering thing.
How often you do your laundry
If you do not have time to wash clothes daily, then you need a pail that is bigger and can hold more diapers, and of course, more cloth diapers.
This will greatly affect how you will deodorize the pails and diapers too.
Pick your diaper pail
Some pails come with deodorizers, some don’t. Some pails can open with a foot pedal, some with sliding lids. Pick one you prefer.
Pick a liner if needed
Some pails don’t require a liner, some do. If a liner is required, make sure you get one that fits the top of your pail.
Do I need a diaper pail - Best diaper pails for cloth diapers
Ubbi Steel Odor Locking
As one of the best sellers of diaper pails, this Ubbi pail does a great job of locking the odor in thanks to the rubber seals around the rim and sliding lid.
You need to use your hand to slide the lid though, so you can really consider if you can do it one-handed. However, a feature to compensate for this sliding lid is that it is made of steel, which makes it very durable and it won’t absorb any smell. If something goes wrong, a quick spray and rinse will make it clean as new.
The child safety lock and slow-close lid keep children safe from potential injuries and provide parents with peace of mind.
Another great feature is that it can be used with any regular, tall kitchen bag or cloth liner.
This one works for both cloth diapers and regular diapers, so in the case that you get sick of cloth diapering or use disposables once in a while like a lot of parents do, it’ll work for that as well.
What we like
What we don't like
Dekor Plus
This pail is a totally hand-free pail thanks to the foot pedal, which is my favorite feature.
Not only it makes life easier with this hand-free feature, but emptying it is also much easier than other pails.
When you empty it, pull out the liner and use the child-safe cutter conveniently mounted on the door to cut the liner. Tie a new knot at the bottom of the liner to form a new bag and you are done. It is ready for the next diaper.
It has a child-proof safety lock to prevent any accident from happening. It is made of Closed-Cell ABS Plastic which can hold the odor in very well, but not very durable.
It can be used with both cloth diapers and disposable diapers.
What we like
What we don't like
Ubbi Steel Odor Locking Diaper Pail
This is specifically made for storing cloth diapers. It has a Carbon filter that lets air in and keeps odors from escaping. Once the air can get it, the less mold and bacteria develop.
Ubbi Steel diaper pail is composed of odor-free carbon filters that help eliminate odors. The lid also snaps shut on two sides to ensure a tight seal.
This pail has a large enough opening to fit everything inside without having to push or squeeze it through. And it í versatile enough to work with both dry and wet diaper pail method.
What we like
What we don't like
Safety 1st Easy Saver Diaper Pail
If you aren’t quite sure about whether you want to use the wet or dry pail method, this diaper pail works for both.
You won’t have to worry about spending the extra money on specific plastic liners, because this pail can work with any kind too.
It is also a one-handed pail, made 100% from plastic. It has a small flip-up hole in the middle to reduce the smell when you have to open it.
This pail is the most versatile, you can use it for almost everything: from cloth diapers to disposable diapers or simply a trash bag which keeps the odor in pretty well.
What we like
What we don't like
Summing it up - Do I need a diaper pail?
I strongly recommend so.
My top pick is the Dekor Plus diaper pail. You can use this hands-free pail by stepping on the pedal at the bottom. No bending or twisting involved.
However, keep in mind that diapers are always diapers, holding and absorbing the most unpleasant things: pee and poop. They will always smell and bacteria when you store them for a long time before washing. No matter how good the diaper pail is, you cannot remove 100% pee-pee and poopy smell from your life when your baby is so young!
If you are ready to step on the journey of cloth diapering or maybe just want to give it a try, get a good diaper pail for those cloth diapers so that your house doesn’t smell like pee all day.
What is your experience? Let me know in the comment below.