Diaper Swappers

SugarBooger · 06-10-2011, 10:39 AM

How to get your diapers stink free the first time, every time:

Forget everything you've heard! Forget all of the conflicting information going around out there! Take a deep breath and clear your mind.

Now....think to yourself, "what would I do if my baby pooped on my shirt?"

Would you use the recommended amount of detergent, if not a little more for good measure, to make sure your shirt got CLEAN? Would you bleach it if it was an all white cotton shirt? If it still stunk like poop when you got it out of the laundry would you re-wash it with more detergent?

IF You Have:

Flats
Prefolds
Cotton fitteds
Cotton Inserts and Doublers
Microfiber Inserts and Doublers
Hemp Inserts and Doublers
Bamboo Inserts and Doublers
PUL Covers
PUL Pocket Diapers

THEN:

Use the recommended amount of the detergent OF YOUR CHOICE, powder or liquid, as specified on the bottle/box for your load size, or more. For Tide, that's up to the "1 line" at least.

Do a normal wash or a rinse wash on COLD with no detergent to rinse everything out and prevent stains from setting in. Then do a wash with plenty of detergent on HOT, and add an extra rinse cycle if you're worried about buildup. That's it! Bacteria will be killed in the heat and cleaned out in the detergent, and you will have fresh dipes again! If need be and you're comfortable, add some bleach for extreme clean!

(Fabric softener has been known to cause issues so it's best to leave it out. If you choose to use fabric softener, understand that you won't be "ruining" your diapers, but you might find they don't absorb as well and will need to be rinsed thoroughly once in a while to increase absorbency.)

IF you have an HE machine:

Use HE specific laundry detergent and follow the directions on the bottle/box for your load size.

IF you have hard water:

If you notice that it takes a lot of shampoo to get a good suds going when you wash your hair, you have hard water. With soft water, you only need like a dime sized amount of shampoo to get plenty of bubbles. With hard water, that is unheard of, you need a ton of shampoo to get bubbles in your hair.

THEN:

Use MORE soap than the recommended amount until your diapers don't stink when they come out of the wash.

IF you have waaaaay to many bubbles when you do your laundry and you're starting to notice "build up":

Rinse rinse rinse rinse rinse until the bubbles are gone and until you are satisfied that your diapers don't have extra soap built up in them.

Then, use a little less soap next time in your laundry.

IF your LO has developed an allergic or sensitive reaction to the laundry detergent you are using:

Try a different detergent. Possibly, you need to go with the milder, "free and clear" detergents that are out there, or a special detergent, etc. I am not familiar with allergies and that is a whole different issue.

Bottom Line:

Don't spend too much time researching the "best" way to care for cloth diapers. Remember that:

They are cloth, just like everything else. They are washable. They don't need special treatment unless they are made from some kind of delicate or special material, like wool.

Your babies are pooping on them. When in doubt, use MORE detergent, not less. And you will never have "stink problems"

Stink problems = Poop and Pee. They just didn't get clean enough the last time you washed them. Try bleaching them to kill all that bacteria. If you're not comfortable bleaching them (especially if they're patterned and colored diapers) then use plenty of detergent and try a strong store bought detergent like Tide.

(ETA) "Build Up" is less common than you think. Don't worry about it until you have it. If you do get build up, don't panic. All it means is that your diapers aren't absorbing as well (and have the potential to also chemically react with your baby's pee and poo to cause a strong smell) because they are full of detergent and/or fabric softener residue. Build up does not mean your diapers are ruined, it just means they just need to be rinsed thoroughly, possibly with a little Dawn, until all the residue is cleaned out.

Your diapers will eventually one day wear out and need to be replaced. There is no way to prevent this. You can treat them delicately in the wash but then they're not getting clean and you will forever be tortured with stinky diapers.

Don't stress out about which detergent to use, and which detergent is "safe". That is a myth IMO. They are all "safe" if they're safe for your favorite clothes and don't give your family any rashes or problems.

Don't stress about preventing problems with diapers. Wait until a problem arises, then address it. They are just cloth, and any problem can be fixed. If they get build up, it can be washed out. If they have a manufacturing defect, they can be replaced.

...If you made it this far, I apologize.

I hope I didn't come across as harsh. But I feel bad for all the parents that are just getting into CDing that are being confronted with an overwhelming amount of laundry information when it really should be simple. It makes no sense to me how complicated diaper laundry has become. I was so confused when I first started out, and tried to "preserve" my diapers and clean them the "safe" way, and all I got was stinkies. Then I switched to Tide and used a lot of it since I have hard water and I've never had a problem since. My diapers smell so good when they come out of the laundry and they're still in great shape and they don't repel or build up or stink.

alaskamum · 06-10-2011, 10:46 AM

Amen!

KimA · 06-10-2011, 10:50 AM

The problem with this is that clothing and diapers can be made out of different materials and not every laundry detergent is safe to use on diapers.

days_fly_by · 06-10-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimA

The problem with this is that clothing and diapers can be made out of different materials and not every laundry detergent is safe to use on diapers.

Um, yes, they are. That's one of the points the OP was trying to make, I believe. Just wash them. You don't have to buy this specialty "CD safe" crap to "safely" wash your diapers. It's BS. If some diaper company is going to try to intimidate you (*cough* cottonbabies *cough*) into ONLY using a "CD safe" detergent by telling you anything else will void your warranty, just don't cop to it if you need to make a return for whatever reason. I swear to you that washing in Tide isn't responsible for whatever is wrong with the dipe and they aren't going to test the diaper to figure out what it's been washed in ANYways. It's on the honor system. Is it wrong to lie about it? Not so much. They lied to you in the first place by telling you only "CD safe" detergents were safe to use on diapers. Right? Right.

AZmommy · 06-10-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimA

The problem with this is that clothing and diapers can be made out of different materials and not every laundry detergent is safe to use on diapers.

I dont know of any laundry detergent that is cloth diaper UNsafe.. Some bight have things we don't care to have on our diapers such as fragrances dyes fabric softners but nothing is just forbidden with CDs.. Not every detergent will work for all for various reason I actually have issues with most all so called CD friendly detergents while others find them ideal. But this idea that their are CD unsafe detergents is a VERY VERY recent thing.

averysydneymommy · 06-10-2011, 10:51 AM

Thank god someone has some practical sense! I can't believe that people think that 2 Tbsp. on detergent . . . the amount recommended on some "CD safe" detergents can get poop bacteria and smell out of cloth . . . EWwww.

HeidiMarie · 06-10-2011, 10:58 AM

kelliekimmy · 06-10-2011, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by averysydneymommy

Thank god someone has some practical sense! I can't believe that people think that 2 Tbsp. on detergent . . . the amount recommended on some "CD safe" detergents can get poop bacteria and smell out of cloth . . . EWwww.

Just to note, I dumped two tbsp. Of All F&C into the measuring scoop they provided, and it came to the 1 line. My Trader Joes scoop is small as well. I think you may be underestimating the size of 2 tbsp of homemade detergent vs. the amount in a commercial scoop

Not to belittle the point, because I agree as well with OP about cleaning like they have poop in them and not like diapers are made of gold.

KingsDaughter76 · 06-11-2011, 01:38 PM

After cloth diapering ALL my kids over the past 14 yrs....I have to AGREE 100% with your posting! I use the FULL amount or more of detergent and I get nice clean fresh diapers everytime. I would never use a tiny amount of detergent to wash things vomited on, pooped or pee'd on or anything else gross. Detergent is necessary to get things clean. I think more moms would use cloth if it wasn't made to sound SO complicated compared to just using sposies....let's keep it simple ladies, and more will be willing to try cloth! :-)

NATTYBATSMOM · 06-11-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingsDaughter76

After cloth diapering ALL my kids over the past 14 yrs....I have to AGREE 100% with your posting! I use the FULL amount or more of detergent and I get nice clean fresh diapers everytime. I would never use a tiny amount of detergent to wash things vomited on, pooped or pee'd on or anything else gross. Detergent is necessary to get things clean. I think more moms would use cloth if it wasn't made to sound SO complicated compared to just using sposies....let's keep it simple ladies, and more will be willing to try cloth! :-)

What is up with that anyway? Why do people make it so difficult? Who has the TIME?! I remember having page upon page upon page of cloth diaper websites saved in my bookmarks and I wanted to get into cloth so bad but I was totally overwhelmed and had no idea what to do and I wasn't part of DS then either. I did cloth when DD was six months old until she was 10 months when a friend of mine gave me a bunch of her stash and gave me some suggestions. When we moved to a place that didn't have a washer/dryer that kind of went out the window (we were lucky if we got our regular laundry done more than twice a month). This time, since I was living with the friend, she got me started from the beginning and even when I moved to my own place, she did the washing for the longest time because she enjoys washing diapers. Now that I'm doing the washing (she's moved out of the area), it's getting more difficult but reading this helps a lot. I loved my friend's washer and dryer though, it had all of these settings and it didn't take much to just put it all in and use the longest washing setting. Don't have that luxury here though but reading this helps a lot. Now I can simplify things a little more. HOPEFULLY, the drain that was backed up the other day isn't so I can go down and actually WASH the diapers.

06-10-2011, 10:39 AM	#1
SugarBooger Registered Users Formerly: hooah_momma Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,589 Ratings: 39 Feedback: 100%	The No Stink, No Complications Laundry Solution! How to get your diapers stink free the first time, every time: Forget everything you've heard! Forget all of the conflicting information going around out there! Take a deep breath and clear your mind. Now....think to yourself, "what would I do if my baby pooped on my shirt?" Would you use the recommended amount of detergent, if not a little more for good measure, to make sure your shirt got CLEAN? Would you bleach it if it was an all white cotton shirt? If it still stunk like poop when you got it out of the laundry would you re-wash it with more detergent? IF You Have: Flats Prefolds Cotton fitteds Cotton Inserts and Doublers Microfiber Inserts and Doublers Hemp Inserts and Doublers Bamboo Inserts and Doublers PUL Covers PUL Pocket Diapers THEN: Use the recommended amount of the detergent OF YOUR CHOICE, powder or liquid, as specified on the bottle/box for your load size, or more. For Tide, that's up to the "1 line" at least. Do a normal wash or a rinse wash on COLD with no detergent to rinse everything out and prevent stains from setting in. Then do a wash with plenty of detergent on HOT, and add an extra rinse cycle if you're worried about buildup. That's it! Bacteria will be killed in the heat and cleaned out in the detergent, and you will have fresh dipes again! If need be and you're comfortable, add some bleach for extreme clean! (Fabric softener has been known to cause issues so it's best to leave it out. If you choose to use fabric softener, understand that you won't be "ruining" your diapers, but you might find they don't absorb as well and will need to be rinsed thoroughly once in a while to increase absorbency.) IF you have an HE machine: Use HE specific laundry detergent and follow the directions on the bottle/box for your load size. IF you have hard water: If you notice that it takes a lot of shampoo to get a good suds going when you wash your hair, you have hard water. With soft water, you only need like a dime sized amount of shampoo to get plenty of bubbles. With hard water, that is unheard of, you need a ton of shampoo to get bubbles in your hair. THEN: Use MORE soap than the recommended amount until your diapers don't stink when they come out of the wash. IF you have waaaaay to many bubbles when you do your laundry and you're starting to notice "build up": Rinse rinse rinse rinse rinse until the bubbles are gone and until you are satisfied that your diapers don't have extra soap built up in them. Then, use a little less soap next time in your laundry. IF your LO has developed an allergic or sensitive reaction to the laundry detergent you are using: Try a different detergent. Possibly, you need to go with the milder, "free and clear" detergents that are out there, or a special detergent, etc. I am not familiar with allergies and that is a whole different issue. Bottom Line: Don't spend too much time researching the "best" way to care for cloth diapers. Remember that: They are cloth, just like everything else. They are washable. They don't need special treatment unless they are made from some kind of delicate or special material, like wool. Your babies are pooping on them. When in doubt, use MORE detergent, not less. And you will never have "stink problems" Stink problems = Poop and Pee. They just didn't get clean enough the last time you washed them. Try bleaching them to kill all that bacteria. If you're not comfortable bleaching them (especially if they're patterned and colored diapers) then use plenty of detergent and try a strong store bought detergent like Tide. (ETA) "Build Up" is less common than you think. Don't worry about it until you have it. If you do get build up, don't panic. All it means is that your diapers aren't absorbing as well (and have the potential to also chemically react with your baby's pee and poo to cause a strong smell) because they are full of detergent and/or fabric softener residue. Build up does not mean your diapers are ruined, it just means they just need to be rinsed thoroughly, possibly with a little Dawn, until all the residue is cleaned out. Your diapers will eventually one day wear out and need to be replaced. There is no way to prevent this. You can treat them delicately in the wash but then they're not getting clean and you will forever be tortured with stinky diapers. Don't stress out about which detergent to use, and which detergent is "safe". That is a myth IMO. They are all "safe" if they're safe for your favorite clothes and don't give your family any rashes or problems. Don't stress about preventing problems with diapers. Wait until a problem arises, then address it. They are just cloth, and any problem can be fixed. If they get build up, it can be washed out. If they have a manufacturing defect, they can be replaced. ...If you made it this far, I apologize. I hope I didn't come across as harsh. But I feel bad for all the parents that are just getting into CDing that are being confronted with an overwhelming amount of laundry information when it really should be simple. It makes no sense to me how complicated diaper laundry has become. I was so confused when I first started out, and tried to "preserve" my diapers and clean them the "safe" way, and all I got was stinkies. Then I switched to Tide and used a lot of it since I have hard water and I've never had a problem since. My diapers smell so good when they come out of the laundry and they're still in great shape and they don't repel or build up or stink. __________________ Jesus paid it all! All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow! Sugar Booger Knits. Ebates. Celebrating Home. Last edited by SugarBooger; 07-18-2011 at 08:31 AM.

06-10-2011, 10:46 AM	#2
alaskamum Registered Users Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Aurora, IL. Party on. Posts: 3,449 Ratings: 171 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: The No Stink, No Complications Laundry Solution! Amen! __________________ Happy my soldier is home! mom to B and A and M

06-10-2011, 10:50 AM	#3
KimA Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 6,451 Ratings: 224 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: The No Stink, No Complications Laundry Solution! The problem with this is that clothing and diapers can be made out of different materials and not every laundry detergent is safe to use on diapers. __________________ Wife to A mama to DS (96) & DD (07), proud surro mom (10) Missing my younger sister Ashley RIP 7/26/07 and our Booda RIP 5/3/09 everyday NH's only dedicated cloth diaper retail store! All of our in stock diapers are prepped! www.petitebottoms.com

06-10-2011, 10:51 AM	#6
averysydneymommy Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 738 Ratings: 60 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: The No Stink, No Complications Laundry Solution! Thank god someone has some practical sense! I can't believe that people think that 2 Tbsp. on detergent . . . the amount recommended on some "CD safe" detergents can get poop bacteria and smell out of cloth . . . EWwww. __________________ Wife, Educator, Christian, frugalista, and trying to be more GREEN mama to DD1 (6/07) and DD2 (4/10)and TT#3!

06-10-2011, 10:58 AM	#7
HeidiMarie Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,097 Ratings: 125 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: The No Stink, No Complications Laundry Solution! __________________ Heidi~RN mama to Maddy (17), Caroline (14), Sarah Jane (12), Joseph (8), Daniel (6), Will & Tate (3)