Best Diaper Pail for Cloth Diapers

6 Best Diaper Pail for Cloth Diapers that Hold in Odors

Diapers are a must for every parent. There is no right or wrong way to diaper your baby, but you do want to have something to catch the hourly explosions. Our family uses cloth diapers, and we have for over seven years. If you are going to use cloth diapers, you want the best diaper pail for cloth diapers to hold the dirty ones until washing day.

Storage Options for Cloth Diapers

With disposable diapers, they just get tossed out after each use. Cloth diapers are different. There are three different storage options you might want to use for cloth diapers.

Dry Pail: This method is the most common choice for storing dirty cloth diapers. It is the method we have used for the majority of our time parenting. A dry pail is essential just a large, washable, waterproof bag. You can hang them from a hook or put them in a lidded trash can. You should have two dry pails available, so when one is the washer, you can put dirties in the next one.
Wet Pail: Wet pail is simply a bucket of water and vinegar. You put the dirty diapers into the water. It is important to change the water each day. However, wet pails aren’t recommended by cloth diaper manufacturers. It isn’t necessarily the best idea to let your cloth diapers soak in a solution.
Combination of Both: Some parents like to use a combination of both wet and dry pail. You can put covers into a dry pail and things like prefolds or flats into the wet pail. Many prefer to rinse out their diapers before putting them into their dry pail. Be careful with this method. It can lead to mildew if washing day is a few days away.

Why You Shouldn’t Use a Diaper Genie

Your first thought may be to buy a Diaper Genie like millions of other parents. They are the standard diaper pails that keep the scent and air sealed inside. However, these aren’t recommended for cloth diaper use. The odor is sealed inside, but it encourages the growth of bacteria and mold. You need air circulation to reduce the stink and keep them mold free.

Important Features for Cloth Diaper Pails

Before you make your selection, there are some important features to consider. Not all pails are the same, and you want to make the perfect selection for you.

Capacity: Your cloth diaper pail should be able to hold at least two days of cloth diapers. It is best to wash every two to three days to reduce bacteria growth. If you do decide that a wet pail is the way to go for you, you will want to stick with a smaller pail because it gets heavy faster. Those using a dry pail will want a large bag. Newborns can use 24 diapers in two days!
Type of Model: There are a few different types of cloth diaper pails on the market. There are some that are bags or liners. A liner does what you might assume; it lines a trash can. A bag doesn’t necessarily need a trash can. It can hang by itself on a hook or door knob.
Easy to Use: Just like anything else, your diaper pail should be easy to use. You will use it multiple times a day. It should open with one hand. Those with a foot pedal are even more appealing! Hands-free diaper pails are the most attractive option. You don’t have to worry about touching lids with your hands. Sometimes, you don’t have hands free with little kids running around.
Material Used: It is best if you select the right type of materials high-quality plastic, such as ABS, or stainless steel. These materials don’t absorb all of the nasty odors that will be contained inside of the pail. Cheap plastics absorb odors, making it, so the stink always stays in the area.

Choices for the Best Diaper Pail for Cloth Diapers

Now, let’s take a look at the options you have!

Dekor Classic Hands-Free Diaper Pail

Dekor is one of the most popular choices by cloth diaper parents. It wasn’t created for cloth diapers, but it has all of the important features that you may want.

PROS:

You can store around two days’ worth of dirty cloth diapers!
It works with most reusable cloth diaper pail liners. There are plenty of liners on the market that you would love to use with this!
For easy and quick emptying, there is a lateral access door. It makes it much easier to empty out the pail.
The lid and door are children and pet proof. This feature is great! My dog once ate our hanging cloth diaper pail.
It is made with high-quality ABS plastic that is odor and scratch resistant. There is a rubber seal around the top that holds in all of the nasty smells even if the lid is up.
To open it up, you use a step-on pedal. This feature is great because you can be hands-free. You can also use this as a trash can later, once your child is no longer in diapers.
There are three different colors available, so you can find one that works with the nursery décor.

CONS:

The top of it is small, so you might have trouble fitting in larger diapers.

Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail

The next choice for the best diaper pail for cloth diapers is the Ubbi Diaper Pail. Instead of plastic, the pail is made out of steel. You never have to worry about it absorbing odors, and it will last for years to come. If you plan to have multiple kids, it is a great choice.

PROS:

To stop odors from coming out, there is a rubber seal that keeps the odors inside the pail.
The Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail is sleek, with a modern design. It is slim and will fit well into any nursery design. Ubbi offers it in multiple colors, so you are sure to find something that fits your theme. In fact, Ubbi comes in 11 different colors; that is more than most companies offer.
You can use the Ubbi Pail with several cloth diaper liners or even a regular trash bag. However, it is best to use a cloth diaper liner.
Instead of the typical lid, Ubbi created their pail with a unique, sliding lid that minimizes air disruption. You operate the lid with your hand.
For child safety, the lid is a slow-close system that avoids pinching his fingers.
You might think that, because of its size, it wouldn’t be able to hold many diapers. You will be surprised to know that it can hold around 50 disposable diapers or two days’ worth of cloth diapers!

CONS:

The largest negative to consider is that you have to use your hand to open the lid. If you have your hands full with a baby, this feature falls into the cons category. It would’ve been more appealing with a foot pedal.
It is more costly than other cloth diaper pails.

Bubula JR Steel Diaper Pail

Did you want to a steel diaper pail but not like the Ubbi Pail? The Bubula JR is a fantastic diaper pail made entirely of steel and aluminum. It features a neutral design, so you can put it in any nursery design without it standing out like a sore thumb.
PROS:

The steel and aluminum design make it so this diaper pail will last for years to come. Later, you can use it as a regular trash can. It is sturdy, resistant and durable.
At the bottom of the pail, they added an anti-slip bottom. You don’t have to worry about scratches on the floor. Some pails have a metal rim that leaves marks, but not the Bubula Jr!
The pail has a childproof locking system that stops your child from opening the pail.
Bubula Jr added an anti-odor system that locks in all the nasty smells you don’t want around your house. It uses a strong, rubber seal to lock in those smells and prevent any leaks.
You can use cloth diaper pail liners or trash bags. Using pail liners save you money in the long run; they can last through multiple children as well.

CONS:

You have to use your hands to open up the trash can. It would’ve been nice if they added a foot pedal for those times when your hands are full.

Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer

Munchkin is one of the largest brands for baby products. They make everything from diaper pails to bath toys. Their Step Diaper Pail is a sleek design that holds in any odors that you don’t want filling your nursery.

PROS:

The pail is easy to use with a step-on pedal. You don’t have to use your hands at all to open it up. This feature makes it very easy.
Munchkin added an anti-odor system, so you never have to worry about smells creeping out to fill the bedroom. On the inside of the lid, Arm & Hammer added a baking soda cartridge that absorbs the smells. You can even select scented cartridges, such as a nice lavender scent.
There is a childproof locking system under the lid, so your toddler doesn’t decide to pull out dirty diapers.
For easy emptying, Munchkin added a lateral access door, allowing you to empty the pail quickly and easily.

CONS:

Most cloth diaper pail liners don’t fit well into this liner. You are probably going to have to use a disposable bag for the pail.
It might be harder to get the cloth diapers out of the door because of their size.

Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail

Until now, all of these pails were just trash cans or pails designed for disposable diapers. The Odorless pail is the only one that is specifically designed to be used for cloth diapers. That makes it a popular choice with cloth diapering parents.

PROS:

The entire pail is made of recycled plastic and has a carbon filter to reduce the odors from dirty cloth diapers. Many parents use cloth diapers because they worry about the environmental impact of disposable diapers. Recycled plastic is environmentally friendly. You can also replace the carbon filter with a bamboo or microfiber filter for even better odor control!
One of the best reasons to use the Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail is that it has one of the largest capacities on the market. It has a capacity of seven gallons that holds two to three days’ worth of dirty cloth diapers.
You can use any cloth diaper pail liners with it. You, of course, could use trash bags if you wished.
It has a wide opening that allows you to fit the cloth diapers in with no struggles. It also means you can remove the pail liner without any trouble.

CONS:

The one thing that the Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail misses is childproofing. They added nothing extra that would stop your child from opening it up himself, leading to a disastrous mess.

Dekor Diaper Plus Diaper Disposal System

The Dekor Diaper Plus helps to store the dirty diapers in an odor-free system discreetly. The pail features a contemporary design that will match any nursery. Later, you can use it as a trash can in your kitchen or wherever you need it.

PROS:

You open it up with a foot pedal, perfect for when you have your hands full of children. It also helps to stop pets from getting into your pail. The top of the pail is quite wide, making it easy to remove the pail liner and to put in large cloth diapers.
It features a large capacity, able to hold up to 46 disposable diapers. You can fit two days’ worth of dirty cloth diapers easily into the Dekor Diaper Plus.
The entire pail is made with scratch resistant ABS plastic. You could clean it with bleach if you so desire. The bottom of the pail is scratch resistant, so you never have to worry about it leaving marks on your floor.
There is a built-in door in front of the Dekor Diaper Plus that makes it easier for you to remove soiled cloth diapers.
You can use it with multiple types of cloth diaper pail liners.

CONS:

At times, it doesn’t hold the smell in as well as other pails. It doesn’t have any additional features designed to hold in odors.
It doesn’t take much pressure to open up the Dekor Diaper Plus with the foot pedal. This means your child could easily open up the pail.

Why Cloth Diapers?

You might still be on the fence about using cloth diapers. After seven years, I know the clear pros and cons. The pros outweigh any negatives. Here are my favorite reasons to use cloth diapers.

Money Saving: The starting investment to use cloth diapers is costly. You could spend anywhere from $200 to $600, depending on the style of diapers. However, you don’t have to buy diapers again. After you are finished, you could either sell the used cloth diapers (there is a market for them) or save them for your future kids.
Better for the Environment: Instead of adding hundreds of more diapers to the landfill, we are reducing the environmental damage done by our family. We don’t have to throw away more trash bags each week than necessary.
Fewer Diaper Rashes: One thing I have noticed while cloth diapering is that my children very rarely have diaper rashes in comparison to other children who use disposable diapers.
Early Potty Training: Many children, as they come to the age of potty training, learn to use the toilet faster because they are cloth diapered. They dislike the feeling of being wet. Disposable diapers fully wick away the wetness. Cloth diapers do pull away some of the wetness, but children can still tell. If they don’t like, they prefer to learn how to potty train earlier.

Conclusion

There are quite a few options for the best diaper pail for cloth diapers. You could select any of these or go with a hanging wet bag. No matter what you select, you need to pick something that is easy to use and holds in the odors.

Out of the list, the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail is the most popular and trusted choice. It is stylish, sturdy, reliable and has a large capacity. You can use any cloth diaper pail liners. Ubbi features a childproof closing system and a slow-close lid. The major negative to consider is that there is no step-on pedal. Despite the lack of this feature, it has most of the important features that you need in the best diaper pail for cloth diapers.

Do you have a pail you consider the best diaper pail for cloth diapers? If so, let us know in the comments. There are some great options on the market!