Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How much is your service?
  2. Do you accept credit cards?
  3. What is your service area?
  4. How does the service work?
  5. What days of the week will you pick up my diapers?
  6. What if I need more or fewer diapers than the 84 allotted?
  7. Can I wash the diapers and/or laundry bag?
  8. How do you wash the diapers?
  9. What if I have more than one child in diapers?
  10. How many covers do I need?
  11. Will you wash my covers too?
  12. Where can I get a diaper pail?
  13. What if my pail gets stinky?
  14. Where should I leave my laundry bag for pickup, and by what time does it have to be left out?
  15. What is a Snappi® fastener? How do I use it?
  16. Can I get extra Snappis®, Proraps covers, deo-disks, or laundry bags from you?
  17. What if I start service and decide I don't like it?
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  1. How much is your service?
    Our service is $25 per week for one child, and includes up to 84 (7 dozen) diapers. We start you off with 84 diapers per week and adjust from there as needed. The total number of diapers is split between two semi-weekly deliveries. For additional children, we offer a significant discount; please call us for details.
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  2. Do you accept credit cards?
    We do accept credit cards through PayPal only. We also accept cash, check or money order. There is a returned check fee of $30.
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  3. What is your service area?
    Currently we service the greater Western New York area. This includes Grand Island, Hamburg, Elma, Lackawanna, Buffalo, and most points in between. Our service area does change periodically, so please call us to inquire about specific locales that are not listed.
    Our online cloth diaper and accessories store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and serves the entire United States and Canada.
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  4. How does the service work?
    Your first service day, we drop off to you 48 diapers for a newborn (for older babies, we start you off at 36). A few days later, we pick up your soiled diapers and drop off 36. This brings you to 84 diapers (7 dozen) for the week. Each service day after that, we drop off roughly the same number of diapers that we picked up from you the time before. You should never turn in clean diapers, because this will throw off your count for the week.
        You never need to soak, rinse, wash, or do anything else to the diapers. If your baby is on solid food (and therefore has some solid waste), you should "flip" the solid matter, if possible, into a toilet before disposing of the diaper in the pail. Otherwise, don't worry about it — just drop diapers in your pail when used and leave us the full bag of dirty ones in exchange for your next batch of clean ones.
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  5. What days of the week will you pick up my diapers?
    This depends on where you live and what our route looks like at that time. You will always have pickups on the same days of the week; however we cannot guarantee a certain time of day due to route changes, temporary weather conditions, traffic factors, and so on.
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  6. What if I need more or fewer diapers than the 84 allotted per baby per week?
    Just let us know and we'll bring you more (or fewer) — we want to make sure you get the correct number of diapers for your baby.
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  7. Can I wash the diapers and/or bag?
    Please, don't ever do this... for several reasons. While washing diapers at home isn't exactly rocket science, washing diapers so that they are suitable for use by customers is another story entirely. Every diaper must be perfectly spotless and pristine. In addition, our process uses carefully controlled formulas for minimum ecological impact, strict bacteria control, and maximum fabric life. This process CANNOT be replicated reliably at home, despite what you may read on the internet.
        If we have strong reason to suspect that a customer is washing their own diapers (for example, they have disproportionately large numbers of clean diapers every week for several weeks, or a bag comes back pink — and yes, it has happened!), we reserve the right to discontinue that customer's service. In addition, the customer will be billed for diapers and/or bags that are returned to us with damage. We take our quality control very seriously.
        Just don't do it! If you need more diapers to get you through the week, let us know and we'll be happy to adjust your number.
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  8. How do you wash the diapers?
    Our diapers are professionally laundered in a commercial facility, by caring staff who are specially trained and experienced in processing this type of linen. After laundering, we personally inspect every single diaper for stains, tears, and overall wear.
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  9. What if I have more than one child in diapers?
    We offer a significant discount for multiple children, and we also offer two different sizes of diapers. Call us to determine the number and size(s) of diapers needed for your family.
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  10. How many covers do I need?
    For one newborn baby, we recommend starting out with at least 4-5 covers. Covers do not necessarily need to be washed after every single use. If a cover is unsoiled, simply use a clean wipe to freshen the inside; at least once a day, rinse thoroughly in COOL water (heat damages waterproofing) and allow to air dry. When your covers do need to be washed, rinse or pre-wash them by hand, then just toss in with your other "baby" laundry.
    *** Always follow manufacturer's instructions for your brand and type of cover! ***
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  11. Will you wash my covers too?
    Because of the waterproofing material in the covers, they cannot be exposed to the same high temperatures at which the diapers are laundered. Therefore, logistics prevent us from washing customers' covers. Also, customers develop their own preferences for different types of covers. Caring for all the different types of covers our customers might use would not be cost-effective for us or the customer.
        You usually can throw your covers right in with your baby's other laundry (you might have to rinse them out first if they are heavily soiled). Make sure you follow all manufacturer's instructions for whatever brand(s) of covers you use!
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  12. Where can I get a diaper pail?
    We recommend a regular kitchen-sized (13 gal./54 qt.) trash receptacle with a lid. Any of the larger discount-type department stores carry them, and most carry several different styles. We found ours at a typical large discount retailer for around $15-20. After doing lots of searching around, we found that this is the most economical option and there is no reason to buy (nor for us to offer) a "special" diaper pail.
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  13. What if my pail gets stinky?
    Cloth diapers usually carry far less odor than disposables, because fabric (especially cotton) "breathes." Disposable diapers, with their chemicals and plastics, tend to trap and intensify odors.
        Since we pick up diapers twice per week, the time dirty diapers spend in your home will be 3 1/2 days at most — much less than the full week you'll find at most other services. Otherwise, the deo-disks should go a long way toward cutting down odor. You can sprinkle baking soda in the pail and inside your liner as well. Always use a diaper pail with a lid, and keep the lid closed! If you are having odor issues, let us know so we can help.
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  14. Where should I leave my laundry bag for pickup, and by what time does it have to be left out?
    It is best to leave your laundry bag in a place somewhat protected from the elements (such as a porch), so that it doesn't get soaked through if it happens to rain or snow. Though the bag is waterproof, it is not meant to be a container for liquids and it may leak or spill if it becomes soaked.
        The bag should be left out by 10:00am on your delivery day, since we can't guarantee a specific time of day for pickup. Our route may change at any time and therefore your pickup time may change without notice. Remember, you do not have to be at home for a delivery, so the time of day generally shouldn't be an issue anyway.
        You are welcome to leave your bag outside the night before if that is easier for you. If you forget to leave your diapers out on time, we'll attempt to contact you. Failing that, we will still leave you a bag of clean diapers the first time. After that, we may not be able to leave clean diapers without receiving the dirty ones in return.
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  15. What is a Snappi® fastener? How do I use it?
    Please refer to the official Snappi® website for complete illustrated instructions.
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  16. Can I get extra Snappis®, Proraps covers, deo-disks, or laundry bags from you?
    Absolutely! You can even order and pay for these items from our online store for ultra convenience, and there is no shipping or delivery fee to drop them off with your diapers.
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  17. What if I start service and decide I don't like it?
    We're not gonna kid you — like anything else that is new and unfamiliar, cloth diapering does take practice. Some people love it immediately and pick it up with no problem; others take a week or two to get used to it.
        We advise that you stick with it for at least the initial four weeks to really get the feel of things. If you feel overwhelmed (not unusual for new parents!), you can always continue to use disposables now and then during your learning phase. If, after your initial four-week period is up, you still feel that you just can't get it, you may cancel service. Your free cover and Snappi® are still yours to keep, resell, or give away as you wish.
        Incidentally, if you do cancel service and you really don't know what to do with your leftover covers, please do NOT throw them away. Return them to us (thoroughly clean, of course) and we will donate them to a local charitable organization.
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Have a question about our service that isn't answered here?

Email us at info@cottontailsdiaperservice.com
or give us a call at (716) 907-7227!