Why Everyone Needs a Handful of Gerber Prefolds

Gerber prefolds are the cheapest of the cheap when it comes to cloth diapers. There are a couple of different versions, though. The mainstream Gerber Birdseye Prefolds are the least expensive, and they are the most readily available (you can find them in Target, Walmart, Fred Meyer, etc.), but the center "absorbent" panel is actually a polyester pad sewn between the cotton layers. Polyester is non-absorbent. What that means is that the cotton exterior does all the absorbing, and the pad is basically there to make you think it's more absorbent than it really is. That being said, I do use these as actual diapers from time to time, despite most internet recommendations to the contrary. They are great between naps because they are trim, and absorbent enough to do the job for an hour or two. I would never, never, never use them overnight or on a longer car ride, because they will leak after a short time. Gerber also makes different varieties that are 100% cotton throughout, but they are more expensive and probably much better as actual diapers.

What they are utterly fabulous for, though, is an all-purpose household cloth. I've used them as burp rags, changing pads, dish towels (in a pinch), bibs, dust rags, napkins, handkerchief, face wipes, and so much more. Basically, there are a few of these sprinkled through each room of my house, several in the diaper bag, and a couple in the car. You simply cannot have enough of these lying around. More than anything else, though, I've used these to sop spills out of carpet. We have had an entire Guinness spill on our off-white living room carpet, and these bad boys soaked up the beer so well that we didn't even have a stain. We used no carpet cleaner at all, but merely soaked up all the beer into the Gerber prefolds, and it is completely gone. I don't care if you even have a baby; you need some of these in your house.