How to Choose the Best Diaper Rash Cream for Cloth Diapers - and What to Avoid

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What to Look For in a Cloth Diaper Safe Diaper Rash Cream, Plus Some Carefully Selected Product Recommendations.

If you’re thinking about cloth diapering your little one, you’re probably wondering how to choose the best diaper rash cream for cloth diapers.

And, quite frankly, does it even matter which brand you choose?

The short answer: Yes, if you are cloth diapering your baby or toddler, you will need to use a diaper cream brand that is safe for cloth diapers.

Diaper rash is no fun to deal with, and when our babies’ bottoms are irritated, we turn to creams, ointments, and pastes to help clear up the redness.

However, traditional diaper rash treatments often contain ingredients that clog the fibers in cloth diapers, meaning they won’t absorb properly. Which naturally leads to leaking.

So, how do you find the best diaper rash cream for cloth diapers?

pinterest graphic that has a photo of a toddler wearing a cloth diaper, plus text urging readers to find out about the best diaper rash cream for cloth diapers

In this article, we’ll find out:

What to look for in a safe diaper rash cream (and what to avoid)
Our favorite bottom balm for cloth diapers
More safe diaper rash cream options

What to Look For in a Safe Diaper Rash Cream (and What to Avoid)

You’re at the store and there’s a dozen different creams, ointments, and pastes to choose from. What’s the difference? How can you tell if the one you choose is safe to use with cloth diapers?

First of all, let’s talk about the difference between creams, ointments, and pastes.

Diaper Rash Treatments

Cream: soothes the skin and helps heal an existing rash.

Ointment: helps work as a preventative measure while allowing the skin to heal.

Paste: heals severe diaper rash and helps protect baby’s skin.

Safe Ingredients

Here is a list of safe and healing diaper rash cream ingredients to look for.

calendula
chamomile oil
beeswax
olive oil
jojoba oil
grapeseed oil
shea butter
cocoa butter
almond oil
Vitamin E
coconut oil

Ingredients to Avoid

Avoid these ingredients when looking for a safe diaper rash cream for cloth diapers. These ingredients are NOT cloth diaper friendly! They will cause staining, odors, or clogged fibers in cloth diapers, reducing absorbency.

petroleum products (petroleum, white or amber petrolatum, mineral oil)
calamine
fish oil (cod liver oil)
zinc oxide (stains but won’t cause repelling)
paraffin

Also, you’ll want to look out for the following ingredients if you’re concerned about using safe and natural products on your child.

parabens
fragrances
sodium borate
talc
BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole)
phenoxyethanol

Our favorite bottom balm for cloth diapers

We have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a safe diaper rash cream for cloth diapers.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had to wade through all the options and make a choice. We ended up choosing Earth Mama Baby Organic Diaper Balm, and it has served us well through the years.

A few reasons why we chose this diaper rash cream:

Earth Mama’s diaper balm is 100% organic.
This organic salve is dermatologist tested and clinically tested for irritation.
It is rated ONE on the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, the lowest hazard rating a product can achieve.
Earth Mama’s organic diaper balm is chosen by hospitals for even the most fragile NICU babies.
It doubles as a multi-tasking skin salve for everyone in the family.

Earth Mama Baby Organic Diaper Balm ingredients list:

Organic Olive (Olea Europaea) Fruit Oil, Organic Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Organic Beeswax (Cera Flava), Organic Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis) Seed Oil, Organic Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Flower Oil, Organic Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) Leaf Oil, Organic Calendula (Calendula Officinalis) Flower Extract, Organic St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum) Extract, Organic Chickweed (Stellaria Media) Extract, Organic Plantain (Plantago Major) Extract

Where can I order it?

Order online and have it shipped directly to your door.

You can quickly grab a tub from Amazon, and if you like it, you can even Subscribe & Save.

Try it out and let us know in the comments how it works for you!

More Safe Diaper Rash Cream Options

One thing I know for sure is that you are NOT limited in your choices of safe diaper rash cream for cloth diapers! There are a lot of other great options.

I did quite a bit of research on the subject and wanted to save you a lot of time by sharing my findings right here.

I personally looked at all of the ingredients lists for each of these products and would be comfortable using any of them on my babies.

Some of these products contain essential oils, so I recommend looking over the ingredients yourself prior to purchasing and making sure you are comfortable with them.

This list does not include products containing zinc oxide, although you may be fine with using it on your children. Just know that it may cause staining on your diapers (but shouldn’t affect absorption).