Help with washing

kateandsiah

We are using Alva os pocket diapers. We have not been stuffing the pocket, but rather laying it on top ,kinda like a pad, so we can get a few uses out of a cover. Well the inserts have gotten very stained and smelly. I've tried lots of different detergents that claim to be CD safe. I'm at a loss of what to do. We also have hard water that we use a salt water softener for. Any tried and true wash routines that are working for people especially ones using Alvas this way or if you have hard water using a softener salt system. Thanks!!!

ForeverEverAfter

We have hard well water with a salt softener. Depending on your softener setting you may still need special detergent. Rockin Green sells indicator strips that tells you which formula to use. RLR can be used occasionally in a soak to strip mineral build up from hard water. Stains aren't a problem (putting them in sun will help), but if they smell, they aren't clean. More detergent or different detergent should help, but you may need to use RLR to start over.

What is your wash routine and what fabric are your inserts? The Alva bamboo can go against skin, the microfiber can't. I had a couple in my stash and they washed up the same as my other pockets. I have a top loader and use Nellies, 1tsp in a warm quick wash, then 2 tbsp in a hot heavy duty wash with extra rinse.

freezorburn

There is no such thing as a tried and true wash routine. What you CAN do is take a sensible problem-solving approach.

PPs are asking the right questions.

Other questions I have: what kind of smell? Barnyard or ammonia? Do they smell coming out of the washer, or after they have been peed on? Do you know how hard your water is in ppm?

I'm not going to have regular internet access over the next few days so may be slow to respond. If you need faster help, you might try looking for the old regs.

misskaylenn

Soak you diapers over night I use the tide no fragrance powder deterrent and oxy clean works wonders

kateandsiah

Sorry for the slow return, I'm only accessing bump through my phone app and it wasn't updating the responses I guess. We are currently living with our in laws so I know nothing about the water other than that it is hard well water (if it helps tell you more about water there is a red ring in the toilets once the salt starts running low). And out of washer and dryer they do not seem to smell, but as soon as they are peed on they do. It seems to me to be a kind of ammonia smell. I have been drying them in the sun more and it seems to be helping.

freezorburn

People seem to get mixed results with whole house softening systems. I'm really not sure why. 

You could try adding Calgon to your CD-safe detergent.

Some people get good results with Tide, or with Rockin Green Hard Rock in extremely hard well water situations.

Your wash routine should look something like this:

warm rinse and spin (no detergent or additives, unless you are having issues)

hot wash with detergent, use the longest cycle your machine has available (this is where you would also add Calgon, if needed)

extra rinse

Also check your water levels, depending on what type of machine you are using. 

kateandsiah

It's an HE machine, is it possible it isn't using enough water? I believe it auto senses the load.

kateandsiah

I am so discouraged, and I've began almost exclusively disposable diapering.

shantyrae

@kateandsiah It could definitely be the washer - I've heard not enough water being a common issue.

Chichigo

With hard water, the extra rinse might cause the problems.

freezorburn

Chichigo said:

With hard water, the extra rinse might cause the problems.

I think this would depend on just how hard her water is. Certainly there are extreme situations where this could be the case, but I feel like there is this idea circulating that rinsing diapers in hard water is somehow going to lead to problematic mineral buildup.

It is far easier to develop a detergent buildup problem.

CanadaMom17

Somewhere, I read a suggestion to add a wet bath towel to the diapers for the soap/heavy duty wash to help the the front loading washer 'think' there was a big load in there and add more water.  I've been trying this and everything seems to be fine so far.  Also on a well with a water softener/iron remover system.