Pail Liners
Large nylon tote bags work great to line your diaper pail because they wash with the rest of your laundry, eliminating the need to buy replacements that end up in a landfill anyway.

Pail Odors
If you experience or fear diaper pail odors, fight back!  A shake of baking soda in the pail every now and again goes a long way.  You can also buy deodorizing disks to put in your diaper pail.

Length of Time in the Pail
Cloth diapers will need to be washed every 2-3 days.

Use a Dry Pail
Using a wet diaper pail to soak diapers in until wash day has many negative sides.  Not only is it a hassle, the standing water breeds bacteria which can lead to diaper rash and is a drowning hazard.  Today's washing machines do a great job disinfecting diapers.

WASH DAY

Follow Manufacturer's Washing Instructions
The bottom line with washing your diaper laundry is to carefully read and follow each brand's specific instructions.  This will ensure the longevity of your diapers, and if your diapers are under covered under any warranty guarantee, following laundering instructions will be important.

Wash Before Use
As with all baby clothes, wash your diapers before use to remove allergens.  In the case of prefolds and flat diapers, it is recommended that you wash them 3-5 times before use to fluff up the Chinese/ Indian cotton and increase their absorbency.

Wash Diapers Separately from Other Laundry
Diapers are yucky things with potential for contamination.  Wash the loads separate from other laundry to avoid odor problems and to remain sanitary.

Wash with Hot Water
Wash your diapers on the hottest and largest setting to better kill bacteria and work out tough stains, unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise.

Use Detergent not Soap
Your favorite, mild detergent is the best tool for cleaning your diapers.  Only use about ⅓ of the recommended amount to prevent rash-causing, absorbency-reducing residue.  Do not use soap or fabric softener as these will leave a film on your diapers, reducing their absorbency and causing your diaper wraps to become less water-resistant.

Drying Recommendations Vary
Prefolds do great on high heat.  PUL (polyurethane laminate) products are known to better maintain their waterproofness with tumble drying. Check with the specific product manufacturer for their drying recommendations.

Stubborn Soiled Patches
Until Baby starts eating solid food, poop can go undisturbed, straight into the diaper pail to wait until laundry day.  Once the fun poo starts though, you'll want to shake what you can into the toilet before adding the remaining diaper to the pail. 

Scrubbing with Rubber Gloves is Unnecessary
Don't gross yourself out by pulling out the rubber gloves and washing the diaper yourself!  This is unnecessary with the efficiency of today's washing machines.  Any remaining b.m.s will wash off.  If you're still bothered by them, use one of these tips:  use flushable liners that help the poop shake right off into the toilet or use a special device to hold the diaper in place while you flush the toilet and the soiled part right off the diaper.

EXTRA TIPS

Don't use chlorine bleach
Do not use chlorine bleach on your diaper laundry!  Not only is it harmful to your health and the environment, it will wear down the fibers of your diapers, resulting in diapers that fray and wear out well before their time.

Removing Odors
Baking soda can be added to your wash (you may have already done this in your diaper pail!) to remove odors and whiten your laundry.  Vinegar also works well to counteract the smell of urine.  Simply add white vinegar to your liquid fabric softener container and you're set.  Make sure your diaper manufacturer doesn't advise against this.

Disinfecting
Hot water and modern washing machine efficiency produce safe, disinfected diapers.  If you're still concerned, you may wish to run your diapers through a cold prerinse or soak cycle before the heavy duty wash setting.  Furthermore, you can add tea tree oil or other disinfecting products to your wash to give you peace of mind.

Sunlight Whitens and Brightens
Hanging your diaper laundry out to dry works like magic!  Those tough stains come right off in a matter of a few hours on the line.

Cloth Wipes
Cloth washcloths work very well as cloth wipes.  Soak your wipes in a solution of tea tree and lavender oils in an old baby wipes container.  They clean well, are anti-bacterial, and smell great!