Recycle old cloth baby diapers for cleaning and dust rags.
By Allie
Editor's Note: I still have some in my rag bag from when my kids were babies and they are my favorite rags.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How can cloth diapers be reused after your child is potty trained? We use the diaper service quality prefolds. I have more than 8 dozen diapers of various sizes so I need more clever ideas other than "use them as cleaning cloths".
By mutti from IL
If you are an avid sewer, you can use them as an inner lining for making kitchen hot pads, flat pot holders. Also zigzag several diapers together and use it as the lining for fabric place mats.
They make great cold compresses. Dampen them and place in the freezer for a little while. They are also great for cleaning eyeglasses (don't scratch), hot pads, lining for small pet beds, sew a couple together for seat cushions at the ball game (those bleachers can get uncomfortable), stitch two together and stuff with old pantyhose for a camp pillow (easily washable).
If you don't plan on having another child, offer them by the dozen on freecycle.org.
You could consider sewing them into pads/pantyliners for your own personal use. They are very absorbent and with a flannel backing they could be near leakproof.
Be sure and sterilize them first. E. coli, intestinal bacteria, transmission of disease from childhood immunizations, are all considerations. Talk to your pediatrician.
You could donate them to a women's shelter. They have tight budgets and do a great job of providing a safe place for women and their children.
One idea I just came across is using them as re-usable swiffer dry or wet mops. Maybe you could tie dye them and make into re-usable shopping bags or garden totes? Use your pinking shears to cut into small rectangles or squares to make fabric softener sheets that can be re-used. Clean your windows with them. I like the idea of making giant hot pads for tables to hold large casserole dishes.
Could you dye them and sew together for beach towels or make soft toys from them? I'm not sure what prefolds are.
Marg from England.
I like the idea of donating them to a woman's shelter. What an unselfish, generous act that would be.
I dont know how old your children are now but you could cut them in squares and have the children put their hand prints or draw pictures on the squares with paint and then sew the squares together to make a memory blanket for you.You could take some of their old baby clothes and make squares to put between the diaper squares this will give it more color.
Marg, I think "prefold" means these diapers have a double thickness area in the middle. Someone correct me if I'm wrong?
Those things make awesome rags & dishtowels! And they last forever, I've had some of mine for ten! I have a bunch for dish towels & as they get stained or torn I throw them in the rag box.I use them for everything from dusting,washing walls, cars, kids, cleaning dvds (they are virtually lint free), etc. Throw them in the wash with soap & bleach, throw them away when they finally fall apart.
I use mine as hand towels in the bathrooms! They can be dyed to match your color scheme. I've only got a few left but, my daughter is now 28yrs old! Not sure what pre-folded means though.
