This is the third in our series on common cloth diaper washing myths. I will be reviewing Cruncy Clean, Rockin Green, Tiny Bubbles, Thirsties NEW cloth diaper prewash and detergent, and some other cloth diaper detergents in coming weeks. For now, back to mythbusting:

* “PUL should never be put in the dryer” According to Linda Byerline, of Happy Heiny’s (who oughta know something about PUL since she has been selling pocket diapers longer than all but a handful of people on the planet), PUL is designed to go in the dryer. It is a medical grade fabric designed to be sterilized in high heat conditions. Most PUL used in the US is made by Fabrite. Their PUL has been tested and tested and tested in the dryer. From time to time someone reports a bad batch, but according to Fabrite, putting PUL in the dryer at least occasionally actually makes it work better.

Now, that said, some cloth diaper manufacturers recommend against putting PUL in the dryer. Some elastic does not do well in the dryer. Cotton PUL prints tend to wear out faster in the dryer. Some companies use PUL from other factories. Most of the time it is fine, a few have had major problems with the laminate coming off the fabric.

If the manufacturer says not to put them in the dryer, pay attention. But, if they say it is ok to dry (most say to use medium heat) feel free to dry them. Line drying will likely extend the life of your diapers and save you money. So if you have the space to line dry and the extra diapers to wait a bit longer while they dry it can’t hurt.

If you use pocket diapers – never stuff them while they are hot from the dryer. Stretching hot elastic is sure recipe for ruining them!

Ok, I hope this has helped clear up some things about cloth diaper washing for you. If you have more questions, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to find you an answer.

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