You have many different options when it comes to storing DIRTY CLOTH DIAPERS. You can toss them in any ol’ bucket, you purchase a hanging wet bag, or you can opt for something specialized like the Mother-ease Diaper Pail. That’s what this blog post is about.
- Cloth 101: Goodbye Rubber Pants, Hello Modern Diapers
- What Can I wash With Cloth Diapers?
- My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine
If you’re in Australia, you might consider a Strucket. Check it out, I definitely dream of having one.
This post was originally written in August 2018, and updated in 2021 with additional information and does include affiliate links. this is not a sponsored post.
Storing Dirty Cloth Diapers
For most of my cloth diaper journey, I relied on the Planet Wise Hanging Wet Bag. It’s a good size for about 2-3 days worth of laundry and really got me by. There are many different brands of hanging wet bags including popular ones by Smart Bottoms, bumGenius, Esembly Baby, and many other cloth diaper brands. Hanging wet bags work by hanging on a wall hook and collecting dirty diapers. I kept mine in the bathroom on a towel hook.
In 2018, I also tried using a pail liner method. Buttons diaper had reached out to me to try out their pail liner so I thought I’d give the system a go. I purchased a general plastic trash can from Walmart, and then used the pail liner with the system. In general, I didn’t love this dirty diaper storage solution because I didn’t love my pail, or garbage can. For me, finding the right size that I really loved, and I found the pail clunky for my small house.
There are many different brands of pail liners – most of the big brands make some sort of pail liner from GroVia, to Buttons, to Planetwise and beyond. Think of them like reusable trash bags. They have a very similar function and can be used like a garbage bag for almost any bin or container. I swear the hardest part is just finding a container you like – but you could use just any ol’ rubbermaid container.
Many pail liners will work with diaper pails like the Dekor.
Mother-ease Pail & Liner
I never considered using a pail liner before I chatted with Melissa when visiting Mother-ease in St. Catharines, Ontario. When there, she explained to me why Mother-ease uses a mesh pail liner with their buckets, and I was instantly sold. I knew that this was the solution I was looking for when handling dirty cloth diapers with a front loading wash machine.
About the Mother-ease Diaper Pail
The Mother-ease Diaper Pail is a 7 gallon container made of durable, recycled plastic. It features a main container and a lid that has an optional space for a carbon filter. The lid snaps on, and the pail is a good size, about the size of a toddler. It stores nicely under counters.
Measuring 12.5″ x 14.5″ the Mother-ease pail is a good size. The container holds about 20 diapers, and I would agree with that. When full I would usually do my laundry. If you have two kids in diaper you might want an additional pail or a larger system.
What I love about this pail is that the air can circulate. Even without a carbon filter you get full air circulation reducing odours and potential mold. It might seem counterintuitive, but airflow is key, but the lid system helps reduce some of the lingering smell into the room.
The pail is a little pricy… it retailers for $110.95 Canadian with pail liners, shipped to your house. You can also add additional carbon filters to filter the smell and reduce bathroom odour from cloth diapers.
The Mesh Bag is a Cloth Diaper GAME CHANGER.
I know you’re thinking but Bailey, what’s the deal with a mesh bag – well, this polyester (recycled polyester bag) is 18.5″ square with a drawstring top and toggle. Most diaper pail bags are made of PUL, but this mesh liner bag provides the ultimate in airflow, while being one of the easiest things to ever wash.
Diaper Pail liners are great, but honestly I hate cleaning them. The PUL is always getting potential snags and it’s just a big bulky thing in my wash that doesn’t seam to clean nice as I want to. But because the bin is the waterproof part in this contraption, you really don’t need that PUL liner besides if you dont’ want to wash your bin.
This is also where a Strucket would be a game changer… can you tell I’m strucket obsessed right now?
But where the Strucket looses and the mesh bag wins, is you don’t have to dump diapers into the bin. With this toggle based bag, all you do is toss it full of cloth diapers into your front loading wash machine, loosen the toggle all the way, and everything washes out. A few diapers might get caught up in the bag but because it’s mesh everything washes fine.
I do find the mesh bag less handy in a top loader with agitator, but you can gently shake around and it will come loose. The breathable diaper pail mesh bag has stood up to over a years worth of use before I finished potty training and was one of my favourite discoveries late in the cloth diaper game.
It’s also awesome for roadtrips…
Ya, a hanging pail would take up less room, but every time I’ve travelled with a pail bag, it gets closed and stinks up the entire vehicle. Seriously.
Have you ever driven 8 hours in 30C/90F weather and dirty cloth diapers zipped into a wet bag? Don’t. It’s miserable. The diapers also take some serious washing when you get home.
But travelling with the little extra bulk of this tiny bin gives my diapers the ability to breathe, and my van stinks less. Now it only stinks of dirty kids and yesterdays cheese sandwiches.
I seriously love the Mother-ease Pail
and I think it’s worth the splurge, but I can understand why it might not work for you.
If you’re tired of handling dirty, wet/dry cloth diapers into a front loading machine, then this bag will change your life. You could easily pop it into a 10-gallon cheap pail from Walmart if you’re on a budget.
I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I wish it was just bigger to fit all my dirty cloth diapers because I’m a 25-30 diaper wash day kinda girl.
Where can you buy it? Order directly from Mother-ease or find a Mother-ease retailer near you. Many Canadian retailers carry Mother-ease.
Other Alternatives to the Mother-ease Pail & Mesh Bag
Bambino Mio also sells a bucket and laundry bag system. I have not tried or seen it. It’s a little smaller measuring at 20cm square, and available on Amazon Canada , Amazon USA, or direct through Bambino Mio.
Australia based Strucket provides a similar set up using a mesh plastic bin inside another bin.
Many North American families tend to go with a traditional diaper pail product like the Dekor or other systems shown below. But you really don’t have to be fancy, you can keep it simple
Now if you’re looking for a diaper pail that also washes your cloth diapers… you might want to consider this new product coming to market. Or check out a diaper service near you.
I am so intrigued by this! Do you find that poop or pee get through the mesh and onto the pail? (I mean, do you have to wash the pail itself very often?)
Do you use pocket diapers? We are going to use prefolds and covers so im wondering if it would hold more for me.
I have the same question I’m going to use the Alva pocket diapers that have the inserts so how would this work?