Cloth Diapering

Stinky diapers

Ugh, super frustrated with my diapers. A few smell like ammonia, and it isn't even the overnight ones. I just washed them once this morning, thinking I was going to hang them outside, but then I found a stinky freetime, so I washed again. I was thinking that I should bleach them, it has been a while. The thing is, I forgot how. I know I should use 1/8-1/4 cup of bleach but do I use it in the same cycle as I put detergent or just bleach only?

My wash routine looks like this: Cold rinse, hot wash with rinse, cold rinse. I have a top loader.

I'm sure I've asked this before, but can't seem to find it. Sorry. I do appreciate all of the help you ladies provide.
Wedding 08/08/08

BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

Re: Stinky diapers

  • Bleach will only mask ammonia. What detergent are you using, and how much?
    TTC with PCOS since November 2009
    IUI#1 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP, m/c
    IUI#2 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 5-9) = BFN
    IUI#3 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP!
    beta #1 11/23 = 270, P4 = 75
    beta #2 11/28 = 2055
    Our daughter E was born 7/29/2012!
    Surprise, our 2nd daughter P was born 5/22/14!
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  • Yeah you shouldn't have to bleach on a regular basis to avoid ammonia. I'm also wonderif what detergent and it seems like a warm or ht rinse to start helps people, too.

    If you bleach it's ¼ c and I always just do it in the cycle with my detergent, but I'm generally not doing it for ammonia.
    Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014! Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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  • I use the bumgenius detergent 1 scoop for a medium load and 1 1/2 scoops for a large load. Last time I had a stink problem (not ammonia) it was too much detergent, those were the amounts that rinsed out with no bubbles at the end. The only rinse I have is a cold rinse. I would have to run a wash cycle without detergent to have a warm or hot rinse. Should I do that instead?

    It is only one or two diapers that stink and it's not even the over night ones. I am about to head out so I will run a cycle with hot water and detergent with bleach and see what happens. Would I benefit from extra rinses (more than normal) when I got home?

    I'll keep checking and update again when I get back. Thanks so much for the suggestions.

    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

  • I use the bumgenius detergent 1 scoop for a medium load and 1 1/2 scoops for a large load. Last time I had a stink problem (not ammonia) it was too much detergent, those were the amounts that rinsed out with no bubbles at the end. The only rinse I have is a cold rinse. I would have to run a wash cycle without detergent to have a warm or hot rinse. Should I do that instead?

    It is only one or two diapers that stink and it's not even the over night ones. I am about to head out so I will run a cycle with hot water and detergent with bleach and see what happens. Would I benefit from extra rinses (more than normal) when I got home?

    I'll keep checking and update again when I get back. Thanks so much for the suggestions.

    Yeah, lots of people run a shorter wash as their initial rinse. Party because it helps to be warm, but mostly because there really needs to be agitation. Was there agitation in your initial rinse before? That could be the problem.

    Married 6/18/11
    BFP #1 10/26/12 DS born 6/30/13
    BFP #2 10/30/13 MC 11/25/13
    BFP #3 1/18/14 DS #2 born 10/7/14
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  • You could try a hot water strip to get the ammonia out. I had two diapers develop ammonia recently, I did a hot water strip in my sink. To gave water. Rinsed them out, fill sink with not water, wash by hand for a minute or two. Let them soak for 20 minutes, then repeat several times. Followed by a normal machine wash. It worked for me.
    image
  • I use an express wash as my initial rinse. Usually on warm. I like that it changes the water out more than once, too.

    Fwiu ammonia is usually one if three things: detergent build up, hard water build up, or bacteria. Hot water washes no detergent, rlr, or bleach can solve each of those issues respectively. Then you can try to figure out why you're getting build up in the first place.
    Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014! Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
  • I use an express wash as my initial rinse. Usually on warm. I like that it changes the water out more than once, too. Fwiu ammonia is usually one if three things: detergent build up, hard water build up, or bacteria. Hot water washes no detergent, rlr, or bleach can solve each of those issues respectively. Then you can try to figure out why you're getting build up in the first place.
    It was only a few diapers that I noticed it on, and I wash them all together, but it is possibly detergent. I know it is not hard water as we have city water that is of good quality.

    Thanks again everyone for all of the help.
    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

  • Most of the country has hard water.
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  • Yeah I have county water but it's still moderately hard according to the water dept.
    Mama to a little girl born July 2011 and a little boy born April 2014! Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

  • Mandmeesh said:
    Most of the country has hard water.
    This is frustrating. I just spent over an hour researching this and everything online says soft water. The water quality reports have a bunch of numbers. I am going to call on Monday.


    Mapleme said:
    Most of the country has hard water.
    This. We have good quality municipal hard water. "Hard" just means that it has minerals in it. The city can tell you if you have hard water, but the easiest way to tell is if your water faucets get cloudy over time and are noticeably shinier after cleaning. Hot water washes can make mineral buildup worse, but RLR is good for both mineral or detergent buildup.
    The bolded doesn't happen. I have no idea what RLR is or does. What should I do then if I shoudn't use hot water washes?
    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

  • You totally could have soft water. If so, you would need less detergent.

    Were the stinky diapers possibly used diapers you bought? Or did they all come from the same place?
    TTC with PCOS since November 2009
    IUI#1 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP, m/c
    IUI#2 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 5-9) = BFN
    IUI#3 Femara/Ovidrel (cd 3-7) = BFP!
    beta #1 11/23 = 270, P4 = 75
    beta #2 11/28 = 2055
    Our daughter E was born 7/29/2012!
    Surprise, our 2nd daughter P was born 5/22/14!
     image
    imageImage and video hosting by TinyPicimage
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  • TJ1979 said:
    You totally could have soft water. If so, you would need less detergent. Were the stinky diapers possibly used diapers you bought? Or did they all come from the same place?
    All of my diapers were bought new from the same two places. I will keep trying less detergent, I thought I had that all sorted out.

    Wish this happened a week ago. I go back to work tomorrow (teacher).
    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

  • Thanks. I washed 1/2 the diapers yesterday twice, once with bleach, then rinsed again with a full wash load no detergent.

    I'll wash the other 1/2 today the same way with less detergent. They are bumgenius so the bleach shouldn't be a big deal because it has been a while. Well except for the diaper MIL soaked in bleach water.

    I hope I can get this all sorted out tonight. UGH. Thanks again everyone. This board is so helpful, I am far from an expert.
    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

  • So you said it's a Freetime that was stinky? What other diapers are giving you problems? Which ones are not? I'm wondering if it's a problem of MF vs. natural fibers.

  • So you said it's a Freetime that was stinky? What other diapers are giving you problems? Which ones are not? I'm wondering if it's a problem of MF vs. natural fibers.
    We only have Freetimes and 4.0s. It seems to be the Freetimes that smell. We use the MF that the 4.0s came with during the day and a 4.0 stuffed with a Bummis prefold and Thirsties hemp at night, those don't even smell. I'm getting some fitteds from a friend but haven't gotten them yet.

    Cloth diapers are more complicated that I thought they would be. :)
    Wedding 08/08/08

    BFP #1 12/29/10 EDD 08/29/11 Blighted Ovum 02/09/11 D&C 02/11/11

    Clomid 50mg BFP #2 09/21/11 EDD 05/29/11 Chemical Pregnancy 10/4/11

    BFP #3 4/19/13 Beta1- 106 Beta2- 524 Beta3- 3500 EDD 12/22/13 LO born 12/31/13

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