Now that I've been at this cloth diapering thing for almost 15 months, I've had a chance to give various products a good wringing through the washer, so to speak. I haven't tried them once or twice--I've really put them to the test with everything from "Did he really drink three cups of water today?" pees to "He just ate an entire pear!" poops. We've been through all four seasons and have grown from newborn to 18 month clothes, so we have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't.
Bum Genius diaper sprayer: Worth it. I can't tell you how easy it was to install into the back of the toilet because my husband (aka, the one who knows how to use tools) did it, but I can vouch for how easy it is to use. I wish I had this when my son was really little and had mushy poops because it would have made rinsing diapers that much easier. Even though in a previous post, I said that I would never swish a diaper in the toilet, I eventually did (a lot). Even when baby's poop becomes solid enough that you can toss it in the potty, sometimes it needs a little encouragement, and the sprayer helps power wash those nasty bits. However, be warned that if you are not careful, do not have good aim, or are cleaning a water resistant diaper cover, you're likely to get yourself and your entire bathroom soaked with ricocheted water.
California Baby Non-Burning and Calming Diaper Area Wash: Worth it. During diaper changes, I wipe with face cloths that I got on sale at Target and are used exclusively for the little boy's bum. For pee changes, I spritz some of the diaper area wash directly to the nethers, wipe with a face cloth, and we're done. For poops, I wet the face cloth under the faucet, do the dirty work, and then spritz with some diaper area wash and finish with a dry face cloth. IF he has a diaper rash, which is rare, I love the California Baby Calming Diaper Rash Cream, which is safe to use on cloth diapers and feels more like hand cream than toothpaste (ah-hem, Desitin).
Bummis Fleece Liners: Don't bother. The idea is that fleece tends to feel dry to the touch even when wet, so adding a thin layer of micro fleece to a typical trifold diaper will help baby feel drier longer and reduce diaper rash. But they bunch, shift, and wear quickly. They also don't protect your cotton trifolds from poop stains. These now sit in the cabinet, and my son finds great fun in throwing every last one of them on the floor.
Thirsties All in One Cloth Diaper: Don't bother. I love the Thirsties Duo Wrap, but my son can pee through the all-in-one in less than an hour. I bought two, and I've been keeping them in the diaper bag for on-the-go changes, and it never fails--I pick him up out of the shopping cart or car seat, and he's soaked. The Thirsties all-in-ones also run super small. I'm not sure they will make it past my son's 18-month birthday. Thank goodness I only bought two, because I'm taking them out of the rotation. I'm sticking with my Thirsties Duo wraps with cotton trifolds for at-home use, and the Bum Genius 4.0 One Size diaper for day care and nighttime.
Vinegar: Worth it. The smell of cloth diapers making your eyes water? Pour a cup or more of vinegar into your load of cloth diapers, and it helps cut down on the ammonia smell. I do use bleach every four to six weeks to sanitize, but vinegar helps with everyday washings. And if it doesn't work, at least you can cook with it.
For more information about cloth diapering, peruse my previous posts: What to do with all that poo? and What to do with all that poo? Part two!
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