It just so happens that we were going on a camping trip during this challenge. So today's topic is on how to go camping with your SoftBums & Flats.
What you will need:
15-20 flats (depending on how often you need to change, and how often you want to wash)4-5 shells
Snappi's
Cloth diaper safe & environmentally friendly detergent. (We use Rockin Green)
Rubber gloves (bring both!! Lol)
Washing bucket & plunger (or 2 buckets one for washing one for rinsing to save time)
A bucket to hold dirty diapers, or a wet bag, but a bucket with a lid is easier to wash & dry.
4-7 Fleece liners
10-20 cloth wipes
Clothes line & clothes pins
Diaper rash cream
Diaper sprayer (either a hose with a sprayer nozzle, or a nice large spray bottle)
A bag to organize your diapers & accessories- optional. (I use a thirtyone organizing utility tote.)
Pot for boiling water
Access to water, or bring a couple gallons of water.
What you need to do:
1) Once your baby dirty's a diaper after you change them into a fresh one. If its a wet diaper toss the flat in the washing bucket and hang the shell to dry on the clothes line. If its a poopy diaper start with using your diaper sprayer (bottle) to spray off the solids into the washing bucket.
2) Place your dirty diaper in the other washing bucket or if you only have one put it in a plastic bag until you dump the solids out of the washing bucket.
3) If you are camping a place with toilets accessible bring your bucket with the solids and flush. Rinse out your bucket and then place the dirty diaper in it till wash time.
4) Once you have enough diapers dirty and ready to wash. Start by boiling water on the camp stove or over fire in a pot. Then while your waiting for that to boil, fill your bucket with cold water 3/4 full and agitate with your plunger. This will remove anything you couldn't get off with the sprayer previously. Dump the water again in a toilet if its really nasty water or if its not too bad just dump on the ground in a place your not going to be walking in. (If you have dogs dumping the solids on the ground will attract them... Eww)
5) Add the boiling water to your bucket a little over 3/4 full again & 1 tbsp of detergent. Then take plunger and agitate the diapers using an up and down motion, all around the bucket for about 5 minutes.
6) Then let the diapers soak for about 15-30 minutes.
7) Agitate the diapers for another 5 minutes.
8) Drain & fill with clean water cool or room temp.
9) Agitate for another 3-5 minutes & drain.
(Repeat this step if soap bubbles, smells, or mucky water is still present).
11) Dump out the whole bucket and run each diaper, wipe, and cover under running water individually and swirl and wring out the excess water. & line dry.
12) Once everything is dry, they will be a bit stiff.. You can beat each flat individually, or throw a couple of them in a pillowcase with a tennis ball.
First day camping with cloth was so much easier than I anticipated especially after this week of practice with flats we had. Although we did get a lot of looks from other campers, but I don't care they can think what they want. Lol
I will update this again once we're done camping if I have anymore tips to add.
Don't forget tomorrow is the last day of the challenge!! We will take the whole week and summarize it in a post on Monday evening & also announce the winner of our Flats & Handwashing Challenge Giveaway!! If you have yet to enter it follow the link now: http://loveclothdiapers.blogspot.com/2013/05/flats-handwashing-challenge-softbums.html
As always the heart of this challenge is to shine a light on the fact that there are families struggling to provide clean diapers to their babies and to offer an alternative solution not often discussed when the major media outlets cover these stories. There are diaper banks that can help families get started with cloth diapers for free or little cost. If you know a family or are a family in need please visit Giving Diapers, Giving Hope- the only nationwide diaper lending program that ships to any approved family in the US. I encourage anyone touched by this challenge to donate to their organization and help them provide more diapers to more families.
Love your use of Thirty-One! :)
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