Traveling with babies and little ones can be challenging on its own. But what if you are traveling with cloth diapers? Using cloth outside the home is just as easy as using it every day but here are a few pro tips and essentials that will take the guess work out of traveling and make it even easier.

Car travel

If you’re packing the family into the car you have the obvious advantage of space and weight, and because of this you will likely be able to bring an entire stash of diapers with you. However especially if you have access to a washing machine, we recommend to keep it minimal and stick to the basics with 15-20 diapers.

• Store the wet bag in the trunk: Even though a wet bag is helpful enough to block odors, it is best to store your wet bag in the trunk when traveling with cloth diapers. You could also bring an extra trash bag to put your wet bag in to help contain the smell.
• Set up a changing station: Especially great if you have a van with plenty of space, but we recommend putting all your diapers together and having a designated spot that you can lay out your diaper mat and change your little one on the go!
• Have a water bottle handy: Depending on what types of wipes you choose (wet or dry), we recommend a water bottle for additional moisture with extra-large messes. If you want to use cloth wipes while traveling, we would suggest pre-wetting them as well as keeping a water/ spray bottle in your diaper bag to spray each wipe as you use it.

Plane travel

• Check some, carry some: When flying we suggest checking the majority of your cloth diaper stash and carrying only the essentials you’ll need for the flight.
• Long flights: Longer haul flights call for a larger stash of diapers. Diapers pack smaller if you pack the inserts separately from the shells. Another tip to reduce the diaper bulk is to use compression sacks.
• PRO TIP: You can sneak an entire stash of diapers inside your car seat when you check it in. If you need to pack cloth diapers in your luggage consider sticking to enough for 1.5 days and wash frequently.

Dirty diapers on the go

If you plan to travel with cloth diapers, you must invest in a wet bag (or if you have one of our 7 packs you already do!). A medium sized bag that holds 5-6 diapers is perfect for day trips, whereas a large bag or diaper pail liner is best for overnight use. Another must have while traveling with cloth are flushable or disposable liners, they allow you to flush the liner (& mess) without storing a spoiled diaper for days.

Washing while away

Ideally, you will be traveling somewhere with access to a washing machine. That way, you can bring sample-sized detergents to save space and be able to wash when needed. But remember, bring your own detergent and a way to measure it - this is one that’s easy to forget. In a lot of hotels there is access to washing machines but the detergent may not be A-Okay for cloth diapers. If you bring your own you can wash & hang them up over shower curtain rods or suitcase holders to dry.

Things to consider:

• Water: Be aware that your destination might have a different water type and this could affect your washing routine.
• Gloves: If you are hand washing your cloth diapers while away make sure to pack latex gloves.
• Ask ahead: If you are staying with family you might want to ask them ahead of time if they are ok with you washing your cloth diapers in their washer.

Alternative options

A great option for continuing to use cloth while traveling is a diaper service as it allows you all the benefits while getting to leave behind your diapers and laundry! A typical cloth diaper service will drop off a large bag of clean diapers and pail/bag at your hotel or destination and will pick them up once your trip is done. To find a list of diaper services simply use a search engine for your destination’s city to discover local companies.

• PRO TIP: If you cloth diaper until the last moments before leaving home toss that final dirty diaper or two in the washer and run a rinse cycle with a bit of detergent. This way you won't come home to a scary (& smelly) surprise.

Be flexible

When traveling, you want to enjoy your time away from home and welcome all adventure. And despite what you may hear, traveling with cloth is no harder than using disposables. If you are already comfortable using cloth at home, using cloth while traveling simply takes a bit of planning ahead. However, it’s important to be realistic and allow flexibility. It’s great to try to cloth diaper but if you don’t have access to a washing machine or plan to use a cloth diaper service it may not be the best (& most enjoyable) option.

Welcome a backup plan - it is perfectly fine to have some disposables with you if things get stressful. Even if you don’t end up using them it is nice to know you have them just in case. Especially if this is a first time traveling with cloth it is great to have an emergency stash until you get the hang of it. 

Share your tips

If we've missed any travel tips, comment down below with what you find most helpful when traveling with cloth diapers.