Hi, new here! I have a 3 month old and we've been in this size prefold for less than 4 weeks. They're starting to stink and are dingy already and I suspect it's an ammonia smell.
I have an HE front load and use Country Save, 2tbs. I do a short cycle on cold with a presoak and extra rinse. Then heavy cycle, hot water, extra water, extra rinse.
So if these need to be stripped, how do I decide which way to do it? Hot water rinses, bleach, blue dawn, vinegar? Thanks!
They smell unusually bad after he's peed. I do think it may be a problem with not enough water. I plan to go ahead and add the two wet towels, which I haven't done before, and use the delicate cycle instead of the speed wash for my first rinse. As for now - I'm running them through on a few hot washes, no detergent, to see if that works.
Is the detergent in your first cycle? The first cycle dosent really need detergent, it's just to get the pee out. The second wash is where you want the detergent, that us where the real cleaning happens.
No, the first cycle is water only, but I think I need to get more water in there - I'll change to the delicate cycle and add wet towels. I use detergent in the second long hot cycle.
I did about 3 hot rinses yesterday, we'll see how they turn out after drying.
They smell... I don't know... Like too much pee, or like they've been sitting wet too long.
It states it's cloth friendly and I don't see residue, but it's white too. I have a planet wise liner in a trash can with a lid.
I use wool covers, so the wash only has prefolds, a few flannel wipes and the pail liner. I also don't see the need for more water, I already use the water plus option. Our diapering system is so simple that I can't imagine what else could be done.
True. But still. Something isn't adding up here. Anyone else use Country Save? Is 2 tbsp too much? What type of water do you have? Ammonia smell makes me think detergent build up, but then the prefolds being dingy makes me think they aren't getting clean enough. Are you open to changing detergents?
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!
I love Country Save for our dipes. I use 3/4 of a scoop for a super plus sized load in an old school top loader with hard water. That is prob about 2 Tbsp. In an HE it may be too much.
I have 4 more boxes of country save, so it would be very impractical. I have started using less as one time I over did it and they came out very stiff. I don't think we have hard water.
The load that I just rinsed in hot a few times is ready for use, so I'll be able to report later today if that worked.
I have 4 more boxes of country save, so it would be very impractical. I have started using less as one time I over did it and they came out very stiff. I don't think we have hard water.
The load that I just rinsed in hot a few times is ready for use, so I'll be able to report later today if that worked.
It would be more impractical to keep using it if it is the problem.
Update: thanks for all your help! I ran everything through about 4 hot water rinses and they no longer stink as soon as he wets them. I've switched to a delicate cycle for the first rinse(more water), took the lid off the pail (I'm surprised this didn't cause more house stink), and I'll use slightly less detergent. Thanks!
I'm going to go against the grain and say you need more detergent. And more water.
I sort of get the concern about detergent buildup causing repelling with microfiber, etc., but cotton prefolds and flats are about the most forgiving type of diaper you can have. I've been using cotton flats for more than two years. I use Desitin for diaper rashes, use Tide up to line 2 on the scoop, and have never had problems with buildup, barnyard, or ammonia, and I live in an area with soft water.
If your clean diapers stink when baby pees in them, they are not clean, and IMO buildup on cotton prefolds is unlikely.
Re: Help me strip prefolds
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste,
It all revolves around you.
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!
I did about 3 hot rinses yesterday, we'll see how they turn out after drying.
They smell... I don't know... Like too much pee, or like they've been sitting wet too long.
Also, I use California Baby diaper rash cream and often skip the fleece liner. Is that my main problem?
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!
I use wool covers, so the wash only has prefolds, a few flannel wipes and the pail liner. I also don't see the need for more water, I already use the water plus option. Our diapering system is so simple that I can't imagine what else could be done.
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!
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!
The load that I just rinsed in hot a few times is ready for use, so I'll be able to report later today if that worked.
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!
Inconvenient, yes, impractical, no.
I sort of get the concern about detergent buildup causing repelling with microfiber, etc., but cotton prefolds and flats are about the most forgiving type of diaper you can have. I've been using cotton flats for more than two years. I use Desitin for diaper rashes, use Tide up to line 2 on the scoop, and have never had problems with buildup, barnyard, or ammonia, and I live in an area with soft water.
If your clean diapers stink when baby pees in them, they are not clean, and IMO buildup on cotton prefolds is unlikely.
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