Diapering procedures involve many steps; each step is important and must be followed to reduce the risk of contamination, especially when using cloth diapers. Below is specific information on proper handling cloth diapers. If cloth diapers are being used, be sure to follow your licensing agency or service specific guidelines for use of cloth diapers.

If cloth diapers are used, soiled cloth diapers and/or soiled training pants should never be rinsed or carried through the child care area to place the fecal contents in a toilet. Reusable diapers should be laundered by a commercial diaper service. Soiled cloth diapers should be stored in a labeled container with a tight-fitting lid provided by an accredited commercial diaper service, or in a sealed plastic bag for removal from the facility by an individual child’s family. The sealed plastic bag should be sent home with the child at the end of the day. The containers or sealed diaper bags of soiled cloth diapers should not be accessible to any child.

Containing and minimizing the handling of soiled diapers so they do not contaminate other surfaces is essential to prevent the spread of infectious disease. Putting stool into a toilet in the child care facility increases the likelihood that other surfaces will be contaminated during the disposal. There is no reason to use the toilet for stool if disposable diapers are being used. Commercial diaper laundries use a procedure that separates solid components from the diapers and does not require prior dumping of feces into the toilet.

This material has been adapted fromHandling Cloth Diapers3.2.1.2 from the Caring for Our Children, National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs 3rd Editon by the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education.