Eww, gross, is what our 13-year old selves would’ve said when it comes to dirty diapers and wipes, but now it is a reality. Diapers and wipes are the two very essentials of baby care. You can’t do without these!
Traditionally, parents have made use of cloth nappies and tissues for their babies. However, in the past few years, these have been replaced by synthetic throw-away diapers and baby wipes.
While these single-use products offer a lot of convenience in terms of ease of use, they have their own set of challenges as well. The most prominent challenge being handling diapers and wipes and disposing of them.
Dirty diapers, we all know they stink, create litter, and are hard to get rid of. Are you too experiencing this in your daily deeds with the baby? Well, you may find some respite here.
In this article, we share with you some really useful tips for handling dirty diapers and wipes. Let’s start!
Wrap and Seal the Diaper Before Dumping
One of the most important aspects of dumping diapers or baby wipes is to seal them properly before you dump them anywhere. Diapers and wipes are often spoiled with fecal matter, which is a source of foul odor.
Further, if you throw away diapers openly, it will attract insects and will also become a source of the spread of diseases and infection.
Therefore, here’s what you need to do. Roll up the diaper or wipes towards the inside, so that the spoiled side of it is not exposed anymore. Now seal it up in a polythene bag before you throw it away.
This is the best way to dispose of diapers and dirty wipes.
Dump the Diaper Contents Separately
Another very useful tip in handling dirty diapers and wipes is to separate the diaper contents fecal matter) before you throw it away.
Diapers are often full of stool, and because of it, handling them and safely disposing of them becomes almost impossible. In this case, the best way is to dispose of the fecal matter before you dispose of the diaper.
You can simply jerk of the stool into the pot and flush it away. This way, most of the matter will be disposed of, and you can follow the first tip we shared to roll up and throw away the diaper or wipes.
Make Use of Diaper Bags
Using diaper bags comes in very handy, especially when you do not have a place to dispose of the diapers and wipes immediately or when you are traveling.
Diaper bags are specially designed bags or containers which can accommodate several diapers, and do not let the foul smell from them spread in the surroundings.
There can be many instances when you will be unable to dispose of the diapers immediately. Therefore, it is always recommended to invest in a good diaper bag.
Dump at the Right Place
Finding the right place to dump and discard the diaper is also very important. It’s not a good practice to dump the dirty diaper anywhere in the open, in your surroundings, from where it will end up in a landfill, regarding the environment.
Instead, segregate it with recyclable/hazardous waste. This way, the diaper can be processed and disposed of properly by the waste management authorities.
Ensuring Personal Hygiene in the Process
Ensuring personal hygiene is very important in the entire process of handling and discarding dirty diapers and wipes. This includes your hygiene as well as that of the baby.
The best way is to use gloves while removing dirty diapers, wiping the baby, and throwing away the wipes as well as a diaper. This ensures no direct contact with the fecal matter.
Further, ensure that the baby is wiped off and cleaned properly, including in the cracks of the body. Once you are done with the process, you can use a good quality sanitizer to clean your hands, and you are good to go!
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that proper handling and disposal of dirty diapers/wipes are of utmost importance. You can make it easy by keeping the above tips in mind, and be a little extra careful while handling dirty diapers.
