Are you thinking of buying a pre-loved stash of cloth diapers? Maybe you are confused by the process, or perhaps the thought of used cloth diapers is kind of gross to you. This article will remove the mystery of used diapers and help you tackle the buying (or selling) process.
NWOT = New Without Tags
NWT = New With Tags
EUC = Excellent Used Condition
VGUC = Very Good Used Condition
GUC = Good Used Condition
Play Condition / Play Quality = May have some function issues
Seconds = The factory has determined these as functional, but they did not pass quality control
PPD = Postage Paid Domestic
Health Concerns
Yeast can transfer from child to child via used coth diapers- not to mention other bacteria. But dont let that scare you away from the valuable and brilliant commodity that is Secondhand Cloth Diapers. Bleach is an amazing thing. Used cloth diapers are unlikely to be covered by any manufacturers warranty, and so that little note on the tag which reads “do not bleach” can be dismissed. It is recommended that you always ensure a used diaper stash is put through a Bleach Soak before using them on the next child.
In addition, if the previous owner used a questionable wash routine and you are concerned of mineral buildup from hard water or poor detergent choices, you can also choose to Strip your cloth diapers. I always do a Strip and then Bleach Soak for all my used cloth.
Strip and then Bleach your used cloth diapers easily in your bath tub
How To Strip Cloth Diapers:
Add 3 pods of GroVia Mighty Bubbles (or 3 packets of RLR Laundry Treatment) to half a bathtub of hot water, and then add your diapers (and wipes and liners). Soak until cool, then drain, squeeze water out of the diapers and set them aside.
How To Bleach Cloth Diapers:
Add 1/2 cup disinfecting bleach to half a bathtub of cold water. Add your diapers (and wipes and liners) and soak for 30 minutes. Rinse with hot water, squeeze the water out and then transfer to your washer to wash once normally with detergent.
Where to Buy
My favourite place to buy used cloth diapers is on my local Facebook group called Calgary Cloth Diaper Moms. Just about every city/town has its own cloth diaper group on facebook nowadays. You can also shop on a national group that covers your whole country, or on Brand Specific B/S/T groups. Here are a few to get you started, but many more can be found on Facebook.
- Cloth Diaper Destash Canada
- Cloth Diaper Swap and Sell
- Funky Fluff Official B/S/T
- Thirsties B/S/T
- Best Bottom Cloth Diaper B/S/T
- Official GroVia B/S/T
- B/S/T bumGenius
Ebay
Ebay is a popular choice for people that are selling rare and hard to find prints, and limited edition colours. It’s a valuable tool for cloth diaper collectors, but I haven’t had great success buying general used stashes. I prefer Facebook for that.
Kijiji / Craigslist
Online Buy and Sell websites like Kijiji and Craigslist can be a valuable resource for finding used cloth diapers. You can choose to search locally or broaden your search to include areas that you may be travelling to. I love to check the listings in a city that I’m planning to visit- you never know what you might find!
Shipping
If you can find a local seller, you will save yourself on shipping costs. If your used diapers are coming from across the country, or border, expect to pay for the shipping on top of the sell price. Many people include domestic shipping (ppd) in the price, but be sure to ask. Lettermail is the cheapest option, but does not have tracking. In order to qualify as Lettermail, it must be able to fit through a lettermail slot (in canada that means less than 20mm thick). I prefer to ship my diapers in a vacuum sealed Ziploc bag (or if you have a foodsaver, use that!) inside a lettermail envelope. It’s usually only a couple of dollars and I can fit up to two diapers if I really work at compression.
You can build a pretty great stash one used diaper at a time buying from sellers that include PPD lettermail pricing!
Selling Your Stash
One of the main selling points for my getting hooked on Cloth Diapers is resale value! When was the last time you could sell a used disposable diaper? Cloth diapers can earn back some of your investment by selling them on local or national buy/sell/trade boards! It’s the same principles as above. As a seller, you are responsible for properly labelling your diapers’ condition and setting a fair price. Most Facebook groups have Files that will help you with pricing, but I tend to just copy the trend of what I see. I expect to lose at least 25% of their retail value.
If resale is important to you, you should choose brands and diaper styles that are well known and popular. Picking high quality brands may cost more up front, but they will last you through your needs and still be in great shape to sell later. Brands like Funky Fluff, Thirsties, Best Bottom, Blueberry, bumGenius and AppleCheeks all have thriving B/S/T groups and will be easier to sell.
love all the tips and ideas that I can use for my cloth diapering. I am new to this and am looking for tips and ideas.. TY !
These are wonderful tips! Thank you so much for sharing this! 🙂
Found this useful…thanks for sharing.
I found this useful. Thank you for sharing.
Good tips! I spy my favorite, Best Bottoms. I wish I could still buy used covers. But I’ve learned if they need to go through several kids, new may be cheaper in the long run than buying used and replacing. And some of these diapers people try to sell for so close to new price that it’s just not worth it to me. When I buy anything else used I’m looking for 1/2 off, lol, and diapers don’t come close to that unless there’s something wrong with them!
This would be my first time using cloth diapers. Praying all goes well. Looking for any tips to help.
Hi Miriam! Im so happy you’ve decided to try cloth diapers! The best advice I can give you is to establish a great washing routine from the beginning and to choose a quality, reputable brand of diapers. If you ever have any issues please feel free to reach out! I’d love to help you. Take care!
Candace / themamaknows
check out my page Cloth Diapers 101 from my menu.
This is really awesome, I cloth diapered my 3rd and 4th child in used cloth diapers then sold them and bought new diapers for my 5th child. I have even bought used cloth diapers from a thrift store for $5, stripped them, mended them and sold them for $50. They were bummis brand. I live extending the life of diapers when possible! Love this blog!
I’ve bought used cheapies just to get started and slowly built up a better stash and bleached and did a vinegar and baking soda strip and never had any issues. I like being able to get better diapers at prices I can afford.
Hi, I bought used cloth diapers and used GroVia mighty bubbles and then bleached them in the tub. After washing, they still smell like bleach. Are they safe to use on baby’s bum?
how much bleach and water did you use?
Half the bathtub with cold water, and half a cup of bleach. The disenfecting bleach that isn’t thick. After drying them, they don’t smell as strong. I don’t typically use bleach so I didn’t know if it makes the laundry smell like bleach afterwards or if it should have come out without an odor.
As long as you washed them regularly with detergent afternoon the strip and bleach they should be just fine. Sometimes I do smell a hint of bleach after but as long as it was all done right (sounds like it was) you should be okay 🙂
Okay thank you for your help! I’m new to cloth diapering and I love all of your cloth diapering tips!
I bought at least 1/2 of LO’s stash through B/S/T groups and have really liked saving postage by using my local diaper group on FB. It’s a cheap way to try a new brand for less. Plus NB diapers are usually still in excellent condition because they are used for a short time.
I found it best to buy prefolds and fitteds locally to save the high cost of shipping since they weigh so much. Another resource are local pop up and store front consignment shops and Marketplace on FB.