Don't know what else to do

emandjp

I have tried everything. (at least I think I have). My BG freestlyes smell like ammonia after she pees no matter what I do. I've changed the way I wash, I've changed detergent, I've tried more detergent, less detergent, I've Dawn stripped, RLR, I even tried the fish tank ammonia remover some of you suggested. I feel like the fish tank stuff helped some of them but not all of them.

Anyway, what do I do now? Is there anything I haven't tried?  Or do I just deal with the ammonia?

topaz7777

have you determined if you have hard or soft water?

emandjp

topaz7777:

have you determined if you have hard or soft water?

We have hard water.

Into+the+Kitty

Is your whole stash the free times?

Honestly this is a reason that I hate microfiber, is because I think getting rid of (and keeping it gone) ammonia is much harder with synthetic fabrics.

I can't remember, have you gotten the ammonia out from anything? I know it returns later, but have you done anything where you diapers smell clean for like a week or so?

emandjp

Into+the+Kitty:

Is your whole stash the free times?

Honestly this is a reason that I hate microfiber, is because I think getting rid of (and keeping it gone) ammonia is much harder with synthetic fabrics.

I can't remember, have you gotten the ammonia out from anything? I know it returns later, but have you done anything where you diapers smell clean for like a week or so?

Freetimes and Flips. We love love love our Freetimes but are pretty discouraged with this whole ammonia nonsense. Honestly, nothing has really worked that long. Maybe the one time I did a hot water strip. And SOME of the diapers are ammonia free after the fish tank stuff but not all of them. They look and smell SO clean after they are dry.

Into+the+Kitty

emandjp:

Into+the+Kitty:

Is your whole stash the free times?

Honestly this is a reason that I hate microfiber, is because I think getting rid of (and keeping it gone) ammonia is much harder with synthetic fabrics.

I can't remember, have you gotten the ammonia out from anything? I know it returns later, but have you done anything where you diapers smell clean for like a week or so?

Freetimes and Flips. We love love love our Freetimes but are pretty discouraged with this whole ammonia nonsense. Honestly, nothing has really worked that long. Maybe the one time I did a hot water strip. And SOME of the diapers are ammonia free after the fish tank stuff but not all of them. They look and smell SO clean after they are dry.

I'm trying to remember the detergents you used too. Rockin Green and Tide, correct?

emandjp

Into+the+Kitty:

emandjp:

Into+the+Kitty:

Is your whole stash the free times?

Honestly this is a reason that I hate microfiber, is because I think getting rid of (and keeping it gone) ammonia is much harder with synthetic fabrics.

I can't remember, have you gotten the ammonia out from anything? I know it returns later, but have you done anything where you diapers smell clean for like a week or so?

Freetimes and Flips. We love love love our Freetimes but are pretty discouraged with this whole ammonia nonsense. Honestly, nothing has really worked that long. Maybe the one time I did a hot water strip. And SOME of the diapers are ammonia free after the fish tank stuff but not all of them. They look and smell SO clean after they are dry.

I'm trying to remember the detergents you used too. Rockin Green and Tide, correct?

1st we used Rockin Green, up until now, no problems. We swtiched to Tide last week. When she was a newborn we used GMD prefolds and NEVER had an ammonia issue. And for 3 months of using the Freestyles-no problems. Until now.

angelfire02

Oh my god I got on here to write this exact post.  I am at a total loss of what to do, I have tried everything you have done except the fish tank stuff (?), we used the same detergent, I have stripped them twice and use bleach nothing helps.  I am so frustrated and at a total loss.  They were SO expensive and we have 32 of them so replacing them with something else is not an option for us.  But I'm so mad that they STINK!!!!  

emandjp

angelfire02:

Oh my god I got on here to write this exact post.  I am at a total loss of what to do, I have tried everything you have done except the fish tank stuff (?), we used the same detergent, I have stripped them twice and use bleach nothing helps.  I am so frustrated and at a total loss.  They were SO expensive and we have 32 of them so replacing them with something else is not an option for us.  But I'm so mad that they STINK!!!!  

I'm sorry you are going through the same thing but I am also a little relieved to see someone else is dealing with it and it's not just me. There has to be an answer! I know it's out there. They work so well and yeah, we have 24....not replacing them!! lol! I hope someone can give us another suggestion.

Do you have hard water?  

yodasmistress

Have you bleached them? 

emandjp

yodasmistress:

Have you bleached them?nbsp;[/quote

Not yet. Should I try that? How do I do it and what kind of bleach?

Olive2528

I'm in the exact same situation! I haven't been on this board in a long time but used to lurk a lot, and came looking for an answer to the same problem.  I have a decent size stash of BG Pockets as well as some others (FB, Softbums etc) and I am starting to HATE them!  They stink all the time, sometimes out of the washer and the diaper pail is toxic.  I've tried using Rockin Green, Tide powder, Charlies Soap (more detergent and then less), stripped with Dawn, stripped with RLR, stripped with Sensi-clean, and finally bleached them, which sort of worked but even though I did 4 or 5 rinses they gave my daughter a rash.  I've basically given up and was just putting her in disposables.  I actually bought a dozen brown edge prefolds from GMD to use at least until we solve this problem, but its been on and off for months and I'm close to giving up on the rest of my cloth diapers.  

I think the whole problem started when she got a little older and I went from washing every day or every other to more like every 3 days but they smell awful and I just don't have the energy to wash more than that, especially since right now the only thing that works is

-cold wash/extra rinse (no detergent, highest water setting)

-hot wash/extra cold rinse (2 scoops Charlies soap, medium water setting for extra agitation of diapers against each other)

-hot wash/extra cold rinse (1 scoop Charlies soap medium water setting)

-final cold wash/extra rinse no detergent

... I am not kidding thats what it took to get them clean, and even then one of the inserts smelled like poo when I took it out of the washer, I almost cried

I'm sorry to hijack the post with a rambling vent, just wanted to say I FEEL your pain and hope someone has some ideas? other than prefolds/sposies?? 

topaz7777

I only had this problem once.  I usually use original tide and I have a top load washer.  I do a cold cycle rince, then I wash with half way to the 1 line on the scoop on hot.  I then put them through rlr and rinsed again.  The next time I washed I did the same, but put a dash of bleach in it.  Now I just do the rinse and wash and they are better.  I don't have hard water though.  Might also be worth a try to sun them.