Where Do You Store Dirty Cloth Diapers?: An Overview of the Thirsties Wet Bag

One of the most popular questions I hear at the boutique is ‘what do you do with the dirty cloth diapers?’ Most caregivers who are new to cloth already know they will be washing diapers, but they just aren’t sure what happens in that in-between stage when a wet bag is exactly what they need. Wet bags are the perfect waterproof go-between when you are out and about or it’s not yet time to wash. They will keep your dirty diapers contained and your diaper bag or storage area leak free. Wet bags are a cloth diaper necessity, no matter which cloth diaper system you choose. Beyond being a popular curiosity, Thirsties wet bags are also usually the first to sell out on release day because they are so multi-functional. (This always makes me wonder if there is a secret Thirsties wet bag vault that must be dipped into to compare past colors and prints.) Once you add wet bags into your daily life, their uses can seem endless. In this article, we are going to breakdown the capacity and use, laundry tips and care, and multi-functional uses of the Thirsties Wet Bag. Let’s start with capacity and use.

Capacity and Use

The Thirsties Wet Bag is suitable storage for a full day away from home as it can hold up to eight diapers. Waterproof TPU laminate and fully-taped waterproof seams prevent leaking and wicking, keeping everything else in your bag dry. This means you can store your dirty diapers in your wet bag and toss it in your diaper bag or vehicle without worrying about leaking or wicking onto other items or fabrics. The Thirsties wet bag also has a cute, color-coordinated snap handle that may be used to hang from a doorknob or to wrap the wet bag for easy storage in a diaper bag. In terms of capacity, Thirsties does recommend up to eight diapers per wet bag, but this will greatly depend on the diapering system you are using. You will find eight Thirsties One Size Pockets to be a tight squeeze, but easily be able to pack up to ten Duo Hemp Prefolds. Once your wet bag is full, you can remove your diapers, turn it inside out, and launder your wet bag with the rest of your cloth diaper laundry. #ThirstiesTip Remember to remove all solids (unless baby is exclusively breastfed) before putting your diapers in your washer. A diaper sprayer can help you make sure you remove all solids completely and your diapers come out clean.

Laundry Tips and Care

When doing cloth diaper laundry in general, it’s best to empty your wet bag into your diaper pail after use, if you are using a larger pail, or keep it unzipped until laundry day to allow air to circulate through your cloth diapers. Bacteria, molds and unwanted stink can begin to develop if your dirty wet bag is left closed for too long. Washing your wet bags isn’t going to be very different from washing your cloth diapers and best of all, they require hardly any prep. Before you use your Thirsties wet bag, wash once on warm with a small amount of cloth diaper safe detergent and hang dry or dry on low. That’s all the prep you need! To wash your Thirsties wet bag after use, prewash on WARM with half the amount of recommended, cloth diaper safe detergent. Then do a heavy duty wash on HOT with the full amount of recommended, cloth diaper safe detergent. Add an extra rinse and hang dry or dry on low. Although there are several cloth diaper safe laundry detergents available, try to avoid those with bleach, fabric softeners, pure soap or borax. They can damage your wet bag and void your warranty on your Thirsties products. #ThirstiesTip Wet bags dry so fast. I have always hung mine to dry because I don’t trust my dryer. Hanging your wet bags to dry will also prolong the life of your wet bag so when in doubt, hang it out.

Multi-functional Uses

So, are wet bags just for storing diapers? No way! Thirsties wet bags can be great for so many things. 2018 has brought some fantastic Thristies Swim Diaper prints and wet bags can be great for wet suits and towels, flip flops and clothes. Although camping isn’t my personal favorite pastime, it’s one of those activities where bringing multiple wet bags is a must. Muddy sneakers and clothes, pants that smell like campfire or even tee shirts that have taken a dip in the lake all need wet bags. Here are some of our favorite multi-functional ways to use wet bags:

For after sports practices to keep dirty clothes separate
For after swim class to keep wet suits separate
When traveling, to separate dirty clothes
As a reusable grocery bag
To replace lunch boxes
As an eco-friendly trash bag for your car or office
To separate toiletries while packing
For backup outfits while potty learning

#ThirstiesTip No matter how you use your wet bags, you can still throw them in with the rest of your cloth diaper laundry! No special cycles or maintenance needed. I choose to use my cloth diaper routine for all my wet bags, to keep them interchangeable. And, because I’m not responsible enough to remember for a fact which ones were used by the potty learning toddler and which ones weren’t.

#Momrealness

It’s hard to think of very many things you can’t do with a wet bag, so I’ll share some of my very favorite uses instead. I always carry a ‘mom’ wet bag in my truck. I am often the very last person I pack for (I say as I eat dried dates for lunch at my desk) and because of this, I’m often the one without so many things I truly need throughout the day. So, what’s inside MY wet bag? Always two tubes of Hurraw chapstick and at least one sample tube of my favorite lotion (Alaska problems). Two tampons, a single dose of Tylenol, an extra mascara and at least a few bobby pins, hair ties and a pack of deodorant wipes. (Deodorant wipes y’all, just trust me.) I also keep an emergency bar of the good dark chocolate, a $10 gift card to my favorite coffee house, an extra pair of contacts and this one pen I absolutely love and hate when it gets lost. Oh, and also this little rubber wine stopper that looks like a person that my toddler stuck in their ages ago and never seemed to retrieve. It’s my emergency mom bag. When I just need two minutes to put my hair up or an extra coffee or, more often than not, deodorant wipes because I ran out the door too fast. Or maybe our day was absolutely too much and now it’s hockey and I just need to grab some mascara and go. Either way, wet bags are for moms too. Do you use wet bags strictly for cloth diapers? Or have you branched out to using them for #allthethings? Tell us your favorite way to use the Thirsties wet bag in the comments! You can shop Thirsties Wet Bags at your local retailer or online with Thirsties. For more cloth diaper tips and tricks, you can visit Thirsties on Facebook or join the online community, Thirsties Groupies.