Frustrated! :(

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I started to do the more detergent route and chickened out.

I'm going to give my modified wash routine a chance after the RLR strip.

Current routine-

Initial rinse--Rinse and spin cycle. Warm/warm. Extra water extra rinse. No detergent.

Wash--Normal wash. Hot/cold. Extra water extra rinse. Heavy soil. One cap of calgon and 1 teaspoon of tide.

Final rinse--Rinse and spin. Warm/warm. Extra water. Extra rinse.

tjkdlhb · November 2014

It's not enough to get them clean.

freezorburn · November 2014

I agree with TJletters, you likely need more detergent. If you are concerned about suds even with this small amount of detergent, I would consider switching to a clean-rinsing detergent.

You might also consider adding Calgon to your initial rinse.

How long is your main wash? According to Grovia's website, they recommend giving your detergent at least 45 minutes to fully work.

tjkdlhb · November 2014

I agree with @freezorburn with needing something to soften the water for the initial rinse. That's why I use Tide Line 1 in the first wash I do. Calgon would likely help too.

The suds haven't caused any issue with me almost 3 months later.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I think I'll order Tiny Bubbles. Does it have any softner in it?

So I should use calgon in each of my cycles? The initial rinse, the main wash and the final rinse?

My main cycle is an hour and 45 minutes.

PipSqueak0313 · November 2014

Unlike @tjkdlhb‌, I have to rinse thoroughly enough to have no suds or I get ammonia so bad ON that ds is red when he wakes up.....and that's using flats with a cover or a flat stuffed pocket. I used 2 tablespoons of detergent and tried increasing the load size for the extra rinse when I washed them today so I am curious to see what result I have tomorrow morning. The only other way I have successfully washed my diapers is with soap nuts - but I don't think they work as well on synthetic fibers, hence my search for a detergent I like with the results I want.

freezorburn · November 2014

Tiny Bubbles has sodium carbonate in it, which is basically washing soda. It softens water, but it doesn't do that fancy non-precipitating thing that Calgon does.

There's a lady in the FB group who called up Grovia for some laundry recommendations, since she is struggling with crunchy diapers (she line dries, which may be contributing to her problem). I think she was using RnG but I can't remember how hard her water was. She said they actually recommended she use a mainstream detergent, and that the person she spoke to said Tiny Bubbles didn't perform well in hard water. :-??

BUT I've used Tiny Bubbles, on and off for the past two years, and I also add Calgon to both my pre-rinse and main wash. Water hardness is +/- 300 ppm. Notwithstanding the minor issues I am having with our ON fitteds, I've been very pleased with it.

Here's where it will really help to know just how hard your water is. If it's only slightly hard, you might be able to get away with just adjusting the detergent amount. If it's extremely hard, then you might be using lots of Calgon like I do.

tjkdlhb · November 2014

@Pipsqueak0313

Do you have hard or soft water?

Our theory is hard water needs more detergent and soft water needs less. Curious if your experience lines up with this.

I used Tiny Bubbles for most of my diapering with DD. It did not work well for us. Making the switch to Tide and using enough of it is what got rid of the build-up from Tiny Bubbles.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I washed like I stated above and my inserts are fine. I have to wait until tomorrow night to try out his S'bish. (I'm going to use the same one I didn't notice ammonia in yesterday) We were at my sister's house late, so he's in a disposable tonight.

PipSqueak0313 · November 2014

tjkdlhb said:

@Pipsqueak0313

Do you have hard or soft water?

Our theory is hard water needs more detergent and soft water needs less. Curious if your experience lines up with this.

I used Tiny Bubbles for most of my diapering with DD. It did not work well for us. Making the switch to Tide and using enough of it is what got rid of the build-up from Tiny Bubbles.

According to what I read on my water company's website, my city water is softened to 170 by the water company. I don't add any water softener to my laundry on a routine basis (and don't notice a difference when I do). I know the recommendation to use more for hard water and less for soft, but I have never used more detergent for hard water (and I have lived in some places with crazy hard water). The max I routinely used was Tide to line 2 for a full load of clothes. Then again, I wasn't washing diapers in those locations, and I never really paid much attention to concepts like detergent build-up or mineral build-up until recently. I find it interesting now that two people can do the exact same thing and get very different results.

tjkdlhb · November 2014

PipSqueak0313 said:

tjkdlhb said:

@Pipsqueak0313

Do you have hard or soft water?

Our theory is hard water needs more detergent and soft water needs less. Curious if your experience lines up with this.

I used Tiny Bubbles for most of my diapering with DD. It did not work well for us. Making the switch to Tide and using enough of it is what got rid of the build-up from Tiny Bubbles.

According to what I read on my water company's website, my city water is softened to 170 by the water company. I don't add any water softener to my laundry on a routine basis (and don't notice a difference when I do). I know the recommendation to use more for hard water and less for soft, but I have never used more detergent for hard water (and I have lived in some places with crazy hard water). The max I routinely used was Tide to line 2 for a full load of clothes. Then again, I wasn't washing diapers in those locations, and I never really paid much attention to concepts like detergent build-up or mineral build-up until recently. I find it interesting now that two people can do the exact same thing and get very different results.

I don't do anything different for regular clothes. That's why I'm interested to find out the exact numbers of Doeie and myself to see how they compare. I remember the strip went dark brown, but I don't remember the number associated.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I'm hoping the strip comes soon. Their website said it could take up to ten weeks!

tjkdlhb · November 2014

doeie04 said:

I'm hoping the strip comes soon. Their website said it could take up to ten weeks!

I ordered one from Lagoon Baby (Canada) and it's on the way. Expected in less than 2 weeks. ten weeks seems long! esp if you've got issues

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I'm sure it will be here faster.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

Chad said the S'bish didn't smell bad. Yay!

I'm trying two FSTs in a cover tonight just for shits and giggles.

I had a few inserts smell again, so I'm trying tide in my rinse, line 1, and line 1 in my wash. I am going to rinse until no bubbles, though. I also used calgon in my initial rinse and wash cycle. I probably can skip that since I'm using more tide. We'll see how it goes.

freezorburn · November 2014

Hooray for progress! I'm really curious to know how the flats work out for you.

As of this morning we've gone through a full rotation of ON fitteds with the most recent laundry routine adjustment. Only 3 out of 8 mornings we had a mild bit of ammonia in the morning, and 2 of those were TTs (the other was a Sbish). So I'm not sure if it makes sense to make any more adjustments at this point. I'm wondering if, on the mornings when there is no stink, maybe DS is just staying dry for a longer time overnight and then peeing shortly before or after he wakes up.

The adjustments I would consider at this point would be to either lengthen my initial rinse or to increase my final rinse/wash to hot. I have to give it a little thought, though.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

That's what im thinking. The two FSTs did really well. They didn't leak or have ammonia. I might just give up using the fitteds. They aren't worth the hassle.

tjkdlhb · November 2014

doeie04 said:

That's what im thinking. The two FSTs did really well. They didn't leak or have ammonia. I might just give up using the fitteds. They aren't worth the hassle.

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been ridiculous about checking in each day to see your progress. So happy the flats worked for you!

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

The diapers I used more detergent on are dry so the boys will be in those next. Cross your fingers!

freezorburn · November 2014

Fingers crossed ... I'm so curious to know -- if the higher amount of detergent works, maybe it will turn out that your water is harder than you thought?

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

So I ordered Tiny Bubbles. Man it comes in a tiny box! My diapers were still off even after adding more Tide.

I'm using disposable diapers at night because I am sick of dunking smashed and smeared poo diapers. He mostly poops early morning, before he gets up. I can't handle soaking and wringing them out. I don't have the patience. I will go back to cloth eventually, but not right now. It's only one diaper a day, so it's not too bad.

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