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If you have searched online or been to a cloth diapering store you will know that there are so many cloth diapering accessories available that it can be overwhelming. What are all the accessories for, and what do you really need? I am going to give an overview of some common cloth diaper accessories, their purpose, and who may want to give them a go.
 

• Snappi– The Snappi is a great cloth diapering invention for those mommas who are using prefolds, flats, contour diapers, or closureless fitteds! The Snappi is a modern replacement to the pins of the past.  Snappis come in a variety of colors and are made from a stretchable non-toxic material, which is T-shaped with grips on each end. These grips hook into the diaper fabric to ensure a snug-fitting diaper with enough natural movement for the baby. So if you are skeptical about pinning diapers give the Snappi a try.

• Diaper Sprayer– The diaper sprayer takes the place of soaking or dunking soiled diapers in the toilet. In the past, mother’s would either soak their soiled diapers in a tub of water or dunk and swish them in the toilet. This was to get the bulk of the poo off the diaper before placing it in the wash. The diaper sprayer attaches to the toilet and is used much like a sink sprayer. You can simply hold the diaper over the toilet and spray off the dirties. If you are very squeamish this may be for you.  Though there is nothing wrong with the old squish and dunk.

• Flushable Liners– Flushable diaper liners can be used in place of a diaper sprayer or in conjunction with it.  Essentially, you place a liner in the diaper and when the baby poos you can simply lift up the liner and flush the whole mess. It is an easy alternative to dunking, swishing, and spraying.  When you are traveling these are also a great option because you most likely won’t have a diaper sprayer available. This way you don’t have to tote the poo in the wet bag with you! You simply remove the liner and flush.

• Fleece Liners– Microfleece liners wick moisture away from your baby’s skin and into the absorbent cloth diaper below, creating that “stay dry” sensation. If you use a diaper that is not “stay-dry” you can add a microfleece liner on top to create the dry effect. If you have a baby who is sensitive to moisture and you don’t want to splurge on a pocket diaper you can simply place a fleece liner over the diaper and achieve the same effect. The major downside to the fleece liners is that they can bunch up a little bit and don’t provide as great of coverage as a pocket diaper; however, they are much more economical in most cases.

• Wet Bags– Wet bags are a must-have for most diapering mommas.  Wet bags are waterproof totes that come in various sizes based on need. These bags are used to store soiled diapers until you are ready to wash them. Many moms keep a large and small size bag on hand. You can use a small wet bag when you are traveling or out and about. It will hold a few diapers and makes it easy to discreetly carry your soiled diapers with you without causing a mess. A large tote can be used at home to store diapers between laundering. Wet bags are not a must, but can be very helpful. (Check out how I started with diapering on a limited budget. No wet bags for me!)

• Wet/Dry bags– Wet/dry bags are like a standard wet bag only they also contain a pocket for dry items. This can be used as a diaper bag. You can keep dry diapers and items in the “dry” pocket and soiled items in the “wet” pocket. This is used mostly for mommas who are on the go a lot and want to keep everything in one simple place. Not a necessary item, but can be very handy.

• Cloth wipes– Cloth wipes are a natural extension of cloth diapering. You are already washing the diapers and you can easily incorporate wipes into your process. These can save you over $500 per child and make cleaning up your baby’s bottom a breeze.  Cloth wipes are designed to be absorbent and soft on the baby’s bottom, but if you don’t want to splurge on regular cloth wipes you can always opt to use baby wash clothes as well. Ultimately reusable wipes would be a great investment.

• Wipes solutions– There are lots of different brands of wipes solution on the market. Wipes solutions are not necessary but can leave your baby’s bottom moisturized and smelling extra fresh. There are also lots of recipes online for home-made solutions if you prefer that route. Many moms will just use water on their cloth wipes and that works great too. Wipes solution is just a nice smelling alternative to water and many are also designed to soothe minor rashes or irritations.

• Odor Eliminators– Odor eliminators designed for cloth are good if you just want some extra freshness. This is not required. Some people prefer to spray a little odor eliminator in the diaper pail or on soiled diapers to curb some of the smell. However, when stored and cared for properly you should not have much of an odor issue. This can just give a little extra boost of freshness.

 
There are many more accessories out there, but these are some of the more common ones.  There are advantages to some of these products, but none of them are necessary to cloth diapering. Personally, I started with the bare minimum and built up from there. It is up to you to determine exactly what you want to gain from cloth diapering which will help you decide which accessories may be right for you.