Gave up on cloth and want to come back- help please

annie357s

I used cd's on DS in the past but I gave up over ammonia frustrations.  I want to try to go back to using cds at night, but I'm afraid of fighting another losing battle.

I always washed by doing a cold rinse, hot wash, cold rinse.  I tried several types of detergent, RG hard rock, thirsties, charlies, and 7th gen delicate free and clear.  I have hard water and tried using calgon too. I even bleached the inserts but the smell would be overwhelming once he peed in it.  Occasionally there would be funk (not ammonia) after washing them.  I wound up getting so frustrated that I stopped using cloth at night and sold my stash.  I use g-diaper inserts in flips during the day (no ammonia to wash out!!), but this won't work at night for us.

I was also washing so frequently that our water bill went up (when desperate I would add in a wash with no detergent to see if that helped- it didn't).

What do y'all suggest?  Our sposie overnight solution no longer works (it gives ds a rash) so I need to go back to cloth.  Thanks!!!

StellarStina26

Does Tide bother your son?  I have used Tide original powder and had no stink issues.

Dr.Loretta

Have you stripped?

mamakback

I'd strip them and play around with detergents more. I'd recommend trying bumGenius detergent. We've never had stink issues with it and it always works great for us!

annie357s

Dr.Loretta:

Have you stripped?

Nope, I didn't strip.  Do you think that would help?  

 

kdello

Strip.

Then switch to Tide.

annie357s

kdello:

Strip.

Then switch to Tide.

Can you use a free and clear tide or do you need to use the scented version?

 

irishmom2010

I would strip your diapers. Then play with detergents, but you might need to do a soak or strip in-between detergents. The change in detergents can also cause a build-up. 

I was having stink issues when I switched from Tiny Bubbles to EcoSprout.  The EcoSprout was making matters worse.  I stripped using Calgon, wash & dry 5 times, and went back to using Tiny Bubbles and I have notice we only have an ammonia smell if I don't wash every other day (like wait until the 3rd day).

ALYEATS84

I'd try stripping.  I use Planet detergent and it works great for us we also have hard water. 

Not sure if this will help but, my wash routine for my top load is:

30 minute cold soak with detergent

Long wash cycle cold - cold rinse

Delicate hot cycle - cold rinse (if the diapers have been in pail longer than 3 days I add detergent again)

occasionally I do an extra cold rinse cycle and I always set the load size to super for the extra water

SCtoDC

I've not had issues, so here is my routine (I have super hard water, too)

wash every other day
- cold wash, no detergent with an extra rinse
- hot wash, cap full of Allen's Naturally

strip every 3 months
- hot wash, 1 TBS of Dawn (blue dish detergent) + 1/4 cup bleach
- 2x hot wash, no detergent (more washes if there are still suds)

I'll use 1/4 cup of bleach in between stripping now and then if they start to have a smell.  Hope that helps!

flyer23

1. Are you using microfiber? If so, get rid of it. It's awful at hanging onto the ammonia stink. Hemp can be bad, too. I prefer bamboo for overnight.

2. Ditto pp's on trying Tide, if your baby doesn't react to it. I've always heard that F&C is a no-no, but maybe someone else can chime in on that.

3. Try a hot soak or a cold "rapid wash" (this is a setting on my FL'er) in place of the initial cold rinse, to get more water going through the diapers to get the nastiness out.

4. If you're washing less frequently than every two days... stop. Occasionally going 3+ days is OK, but don't make a habit of it.

5. If you can, wash diapers in the morning, so that overnight diapers don't sit so long before being washed.

6. If you have a "sanitary" setting on your washer, use it. It's likely too hot for PUL, so make sure you separate out your PUL stuff before washing, but it's VERY effective for getting stink out of inserts/prefolds/fitteds.

annie357s

flyer23:

1. Are you using microfiber? If so, get rid of it. It's awful at hanging onto the ammonia stink. Hemp can be bad, too. I prefer bamboo for overnight.

2. Ditto pp's on trying Tide, if your baby doesn't react to it. I've always heard that F&C is a no-no, but maybe someone else can chime in on that.

3. Try a hot soak or a cold "rapid wash" (this is a setting on my FL'er) in place of the initial cold rinse, to get more water going through the diapers to get the nastiness out.

4. If you're washing less frequently than every two days... stop. Occasionally going 3+ days is OK, but don't make a habit of it.

5. If you can, wash diapers in the morning, so that overnight diapers don't sit so long before being washed.

6. If you have a "sanitary" setting on your washer, use it. It's likely too hot for PUL, so make sure you separate out your PUL stuff before washing, but it's VERY effective for getting stink out of inserts/prefolds/fitteds.

 

I was using BG 3.0 for night time so the microfiber probably made it worse.  I need to find a new night time solution for a super soaker toddler.  I was thinking that I might need to go with a fitted and wool.

Thanks for the info!  I wish I had more settings on my washer, we don't have a rapid wash or sanitary.  

 

kdello

annie357s:

kdello:

Strip.

Then switch to Tide.

Can you use a free and clear tide or do you need to use the scented version?

 

Free and Clear is not recommended, as far as I know.

flyer23

annie357s:

I was using BG 3.0 for night time so the microfiber probably made it worse.  I need to find a new night time solution for a super soaker toddler.  I was thinking that I might need to go with a fitted and wool.

DD was a super duper heavy overnight wetter literally until the day when I said, "Screw this, I'm putting her in underwear overnight." (She was 3.5 years old and had never woken up dry, but did great with it!) Fitteds and wool are FABULOUS for a heavy wetter overnight, and I have way fewer stink issues with my fitteds vs. microfiber.