How To Sun Your Diapers To Remove Stains

Let's talk about the power of the sun.

Have you heard of sunning your cloth diapers? Wondering how to get the yellow tinge out of your diapers or how to keep the poop stains off? They are diapers after all. But there are definitely natural ways to keep cloth diapers stain free.

Direct sunlight is a very powerful, natural, safe and FREE way to remove stains. Are you surprised? All you need to do is wash your diapers as you normally would, and then lay them out wet in the sun to dry for several hours. The UV rays from the sun will naturally bleach out any stains and leave your diapers looking bright and fresh. It's really quite amazing how well this works.

Simply lay them out on a table or porch railing in the direct sunlight or hang them out to line dry on a sunny day. A couple hours is all you need. Just until they are dry.

Now, couple things. Do the diapers need to be wet? No, but it works WAY better if they are. Second, what if you live in Canada like me and it's winter all the time (haha). Can you sun your cloth diapers in the winter? Yes. You might need to put them out for longer, or do it more than once for the full effect in the winter, but rather than putting them outside in the sun like you would in the summer, use a sunny window sill as best you can and it still works.

Now for a pro tip little secret:
If you have a super stubborn stain that won't come out with just sunning alone, or you want to really super charge the sunning, try the lemon juice trick. Simply cut a lemon in half and squeeze some lemon juice directly onto the damp diaper stain before laying it out in the sun. The combination of wet diaper + lemon juice + sun creates a powerful stain-fighting trio that gets out even the toughest stains.
*Just be sure to re-wash your diapers when using lemon juice before using them again on your baby.

In addition to being an effective way to remove stains, sunning your diapers also has other benefits. It helps to naturally sanitize your diapers too, killing any bacteria or germs that may be present. It's an easy, effective, and eco-friendly way to keep your diapers clean and free of stains. With just a little bit of sunshine and some patience, you can keep your cloth diapers looking bright and fresh for years to come.

Are there other natural stain-fighting products available? Yes. My favorite is the BunchaFarmers Natural Stain Stick. It's biodegradable, made in Canada, smells so good and does a really great job on any biological stain (think diaper stains, grass, red wine, ketchup, underarm stains, blood, grease, you get the idea).

Don't have time for sunning or stain sticks? That's ok. Stains don't mean your diapers aren't clean. As long as your wash routine is working and your diapers don't have any lingering smells, stain removal is largely aesthetic. So if they don't bother you, carry on and don't give it a second thought. Stains will fade over time and subsequent washes too.