If you have diapers, you need a quality diaper pail.

Types of Pails
The sort of diaper pail you select depends on the type of diapers you use. In the past, cloth diapers were tossed in a wet pail, where diapers soaked prior to washing. Even though some parents still use wet pails, dry pails are far more common in today’s nurseries. And, of course, there are a wide variety of pails to be used with disposable diapers. Regardless of the type of diaper you plan to use, quality materials and safety features remain the bottom line in selection of the right diaper pail.

What to Look for
Wet diaper pails need to be waterproof and contain a lid that seals or locks. Adding baking soda and/or essential oils to the water keeps smell to a minimum. Most parents avoid the wet pail because the standing water is a potential drowning hazard for infants.  

Top-of-the-line dry diaper pails offer both convenience and options. A trash can with a flip-top lid that is lined with a garbage bag offers a cost-effective option. Yet, better alternatives exist.  Quality pails have a foot pedal for convenience. A built-in deodorizer compartment contains odors. Carbon filters best minimize smells. Deodorizer tablets should be changed monthly; carbon filters last for three months.

A dry pail uses standard plastic bags for storage.  Superior pails come with bags designed specifically for a particular model of diaper pail. If you want to be good to the environment, and to your pocketbook, a nylon tote works wonderfully as a liner. The nylon bag is reusable, washable and water resistant.

Disposal Systems
Disposal systems for throwaway diapers vary both in price and features. With this type of pail, you lift the lid, insert a tightly rolled disposable and shut the lid. Certain models wrap the diaper when it’s placed in the pail, eliminating odor. Most contain either a plastic bag or a type of plastic that forms the diaper pail liner. Several models contain a built-in cutter that cuts the liner when the bag is full.

Don’t be fooled by expensive equipment. Diaper pails don’t need to be a costly investment for superior quality.