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If you have a set of newborn twins, you've been thrown into the depths of dual diaper duty (quick math clocks you at 800 diapers per baby in the first 100 days), and you're likely waiting with bated breath for the day your dynamic duo no longer needs diapers.
That day will come. But until it does, don't hold your breath.
No, really.
Breathe freely. Because the right diaper pail will mask all of the unpleasant odors that come with changing double the babies around-the-clock.
There are other factors you'll want to consider when looking for the right diaper bin, too, like ease of use and capacity, but the main thing you want to make sure it has is a stellar odor-masking ability.
Where to begin?
Whether you're opting for cloth or disposable diapers for your twins, you want a diaper pail that's going to marry form and function. If you want to go down this rabbit hole, you can read about our favorite diaper pails for twins, here.
Some bins boast beautiful patterns on delightful, designer fabric sleeves, like the ones offered by Diaper Genie. Others embrace sleekness and neutrality to blend perfectly into any home's palette or nursery decor.
There are a lot of brands out there, and you're probably familiar with them, from Diaper Genie and Dekor, to Ubbi, Munchkin, and more. Each brand's bin brings its own strengths to the table, so it's a matter of considering which one is the right fit for your family.
See ya later, stink
There's no way to sugarcoat it; diapers stink. Obviously, the contents are a factor. No matter what's in that diaper, the longer it sits around, the bigger a chance bacteria has to flourish and make your nose wrinkle. That's why the type of diaper pail you go with for your nursery is such an important decision.
Some people insist that steel containers are the only way to go because plastic pails will absorb the smells associated with diaper duty, but that's sort of a misnomer, in my opinion.
As long as the bin has the right design and has been engineered to block unwanted odors, you can rest easy knowing your nursery isn't going to reek.
As long as the bin has the right design and has been engineered to block unwanted odors, you can rest easy knowing your nursery isn't going to reek. It IS possible for your babies' bedroom to smell as sweetly as they do.
The inside of the lid on the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail, for example, has a spot to insert an Arm & Hammer baking soda cartridge, and the bin comes with lavender-scented bags, which keep things smelling fresh.
Count on capacity
You've heard you should never judge a book by its cover. That's because looks can be deceiving.
Just because a diaper bin looks big doesn't mean it holds a lot of diapers. Some taller pails hold surprisingly few diapers and still need to be emptied quite often.
Just because a diaper bin looks big doesn't mean it holds a lot of diapers. Some taller pails hold surprisingly few diapers...
What's worse, some of the taller bins have a terrible center of gravity and threaten to fall over if they aren't full of diapers to help weigh the unit down.
This might sound like an overexaggeration, but I've literally caught a diaper bin as it was falling over and had flashes of the ensuing horror of having to clean up a pile of strewn diapers (more so, their contents). The memory of "What Almost Was" still sends shivers down my spine to this day.
Whether it's one or 30 dirty diapers, I don't want ANY of them on the ground after a bin has gone sideways. This is why you want your diaper pail to be sturdy AF.
This is why you want your diaper pail to be sturdy AF.
The Munchkin Step Diaper Pail is incredibly sturdy and holds an impressive number of diapers (quite a few more than other pails we've tried). It was shocking how long we could go before the bag needed to be emptied. And when it finally was time to empty the bin (with over 30 Size 5 diapers crammed in there, I might add), it was so easy—in part, because it's so sturdy that it's not falling over when you remove the bag.
In comparison, the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail can hold about 20 larger diapers and up to 55 newborn-size diapers. If you're Team Reusable Diapers, you'll want to consider the capacity of whichever pail you go with and the amount of diapers you'll be going through with twins versus how often you plan to do laundry.
Line it up
Some diaper pails are easier to refill with replacement liners than others. When you're running around taking care of two babies and changing one butt right after the other, the last thing you want is to be wasting time fighting to get the replacement liners set up.
You'll also want to consider the continual cost of the bin liners you choose to go with. While specialty bags cost more than regular garbage waste bags, there's a reason; they're designed specifically to contain the eye-watering odors that come with changing diapers.
For most diaper pails, you can find compatible (and more economical) bin liners made to fit your particular pail. For our pail, we opted for Nursery Fresh's refill roll of seven-layered unscented bags that you just zip off as you empty the bin.
They do a good job of containing odors, whether the pail is opened / in use or closed, and they're available in eight-packs estimated to last a year (so, with twins, two of the eight-packs will last a year). We've been using these bags for two years, and their math is pretty accurate.
With reusable diapers, you'll use reusable diaper pail bags / liners, which are made of a different material than standard plastic bag liners, so they tend to empty more easily from steel bins, like Ubbi's. Plan to have two reusable, waterproof liners: one to toss right into the washing machine with the soiled diapers and one clean liner to replace the one you just removed from the bin. Whichever diaper liner you choose, check if they can go in the dryer or need to be air-dried.
So easy, a baby could do it
When it's time to dispose of the dirty diapers, you want it to be easy enough that a baby could do it, but secure enough that your actual babies will never be able to figure out how to do so, while still being easily doable with one hand, or even just a few fingers.
Some diaper bins, like the Munchkin Step, have a handy (read: hands-free) foot pedal that opens the pail with the tap of a foot for easy diaper disposal when your hands are full, which, as a twin parent, is all the time.
Other styles incorporate a handle or lever that needs to be pulled firmly with one hand (if not two) to open the bin. I feel like this is a slight oversight during the design stage, as changing babies is very involved and often requires at least two hands, if not two hands and a dexterous foot, to keep your child safe and clean while you dispose of the diaper and its impending stench in a neat and timely manner.
Disposable vs. reusable diapers
The best diaper pail, hands-down, for disposable diapers is the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail. It will have you breathing a sigh of relief instead of fighting to hold your breath while you change your babies' diapers.
This unit is thoughtfully designed to trap odors inside, even when the lid is open and the pail is in use. We have this bin, and it truly works.
Munchkin Step Diaper Pail
This is the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail. It's our pick for the best bin for disposable diapers.
If you're opting for reusable diapers, the best diaper pail is the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail. It works well for reusable diapers because of its powder-coated stainless steel structure.
Because it's made of steel, it does a good job of containing the wide array of smells—when it's closed. For an extra one-two punch on the odor affront, you can sprinkle some baking soda into the bottom of the pail and avoid using cotton bag liners, which tend to absorb the foul funkiness and encourage bacteria growth.
Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
This is the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail. It's our pick for the best bin for reusable diapers.
One other consideration when choosing a pail to use for cloth diapers is how you will be storing the dirty diapers until laundry day. There are two methods: the dry method and the wet method.
The wet method is more advanced, so most people who use reusable diapers choose to go with the dry method, which includes emptying solid waste into the toilet before storing the diapers (without rinsing or pretreating stains) in the pail until laundry day.
Diaper pail deliberations
Parents making their way through the newborn twin stage may be doing diaper duty dutifully, yet drowsily, with one eye closed (not sleeping, just resting). It's hard to keep track of unless you're really paying attention, but by the time your dynamic duo turns one year old, they'll have gone through about 2,500 diapers—each.
...by the time your dynamic duo turns one year old, they'll have gone through about 2,500 diapers—each.
With so many diapers in play, you need to make sure your bin is up to the task. Whether you opt for cloth or disposable diapers, do yourself a favor and invest in a diaper pail that has the capacity to hold a colossal stash of diapers AND keep all of the despicable smells at bay.
That way, you can breathe a sigh of relief—and fresh air—and focus on just how cute your babies are…not the fact that you're on a steady (but not endless!) loop of changing your little ones' inexplicably disastrous diapers.
What do you think is the most important factor to consider when choosing a diaper pail? What bin did you use with your twins? Did it hold up to double the diapers? If you had to do diaper duty again, would you use the same pail? Let us know in the Comments section below.
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