What does your diaper pail smell like?
welly01
member
We use a trash can with a lid and a PlanetWise diaper pail liner. When we open the lid to put in a dirty diaper, you get a strong whiff of yuk! I can't really describe it as ammonia or barnyard, well maybe more ammonia. It doesn't really bother me because, well, its a bunch of dirty, urine-soaked diapers. But DH will wash diapers as soon as he smells anything, I think too often. We usually do laundry every 2-3 days.
We used to use a 7.5 gallon trash can and would wash when its full but we just moved up to GMD medium (red) prefolds, so they are taking up more space so DH wanted to get a bigger trash can. I think its 13 gallon. But he's doing laundry pretty much when its only half full. Today he told me he could smell the diapers down the hall...I think he's exaggerating. It just irritates me that he's so sensitive to smell. I feel like he's being dramatic.
Anyway, could you tell me what a diaper pail is supposed to smell like? I think I still need to tweak my wash routine, but I'm not sure if this is normal stink or an actual problem. Also, we have not started solids yet. Thanks!
Re: What does your diaper pail smell like?
You don't want to let your diapers sit more than 2-3 days. It gets harder to get them clean the longer they sit.
My diaper pail smells like pee. Probably because it's full of pee. I wash every 2-3 days, but I wouldn't be trying to go more than 3 days.
If he's doing the laundry, what exactly is your problem? I'd love if DH did diaper laundry.
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Do you have a diaper sprayer? I haven't taken this from experience (still preggo but I have all the stuff except that diaper sprayer!), but what I have been told from multiple CD mamas is that if you spray them (#1 or #2) it really helps to keep the smell at bay because you're getting rid of most of it.
Other suggestions I have heard are keeping the lid cracked/open. Also, Febreeze just made that sticky refresher thing so maybe you could stick one of those on the side of the can or on the inside of the lid. That essential oil idea sounds pretty good, too!