Diaper Swappers

NiftyB · 04-22-2012, 09:32 PM

Mamas, help!

Our diapers (and other laundry) feel sort of sticky when I pull them out of the washer! I can really feel it on my flats when I run my fingers along the edges to smooth them out. The thing is, we use Charlie's Soap, have been using Charlie's for ALL of our wash since we started CD'ing (17+ months ago), and I don't think we have a build-up issue! I'm flummoxed!

I hand-stripped all my pockets (scrubbed each with Dawn with a toothbrush) a week ago and boiled all my inserts, wipes, flats and prefolds. The water from the boiling didn't stink or even seem "dirty." We don't have stink issues when any of the dipes get peed in. The ONLY "stink" problem we're having is that the morning diaper is heavy with ammonia smell (how do you know if you have a heavy wetter? I'm stuffing the pocket with 1 Baby Kicks Joey Bunz Premium large hemp insert...both layers..., 2 WAHM double-layer long/large hemp inserts, and 1 WAHM medium-length 4-layer bamboo insert, the whole thing is drenched in the AM. LO is 17 months old). I will say that the morning diaper after the big boil didn't smell near as badly of ammonia but after that we were right back to the knock-you-over ammonia smell in the morning (only when I take off the diaper, though). I even rinse each of the inserts from the night time diaper in the sink in the morning before tossing them into the dry pail. LO doesn't have any rash and when I look in the in the washer (a front-loader) I see no bubbles in the rinse.

My typical wash routine is: cold rinse, hot wash with cold rinse and extra rinse, then an additional rinse (usually cold). I use about a half scoop of Charlie's Soap powder in the wash. I wash every 1.5 days (small-ish stash and small-ish diaper pail).

Any thoughts as to what's causing the sticky/tacky feel? It seems like there MUST be some kind of residue on the dipes (and again, ALL of our laundry) but I'm not seeing...or smelling....other evidence of that). I don't THINK it's a hard water issue as we moved from a house with super-duper-hard New England well water (like, it left white mineral residue on our dishes!) when LO was about 7 months old (we never had the stickiness there) to a home in the South with city water.

I am truly flummoxed. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

NiftyB · 04-23-2012, 07:26 AM

Bump

Anyone?

tootsy_toes · 04-23-2012, 07:39 AM

Do the diapers/clothes feel like they have a residue when they are dry? Maybe it's the difference between the hard water at your last home and the water where you live now?

faiths13 · 04-23-2012, 05:11 PM

it sounds like you have hard water - im having the same problem. im looking into water softener.

The Peaceful Housewife · 04-23-2012, 06:03 PM

I agree that hard water could possibly be to blame for the stickiness that you're having trouble with. Does the stickiness remain if you wash clean, dry diapers again with no detergent?

NiftyB · 04-23-2012, 06:48 PM

Thanks, Mamas!

Yes, they remain sticky no matter how much rinsing I do, even without detergent. I JUST realized that we used to add baking soda to the wash in the former house with the well water. We didn't think we needed it here...but maybe we do? I'm going to try some and see if it helps.

NiftyB · 04-26-2012, 07:27 PM

Baking soda isn't helping much, if at all. Now what?

NiftyB · 04-28-2012, 06:18 PM

Anyone?

jfkmama · 04-28-2012, 06:30 PM

Could there be some kind of buildup in the washer? Maybe you need to strip the washer.

NiftyB · 04-29-2012, 07:15 PM

How do you strip the washer?

04-22-2012, 09:32 PM	#1
NiftyB Registered Users Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 304 Ratings: 11 Feedback: 100%	Help! Clean, wet diapers feel sticky! Mamas, help! Our diapers (and other laundry) feel sort of sticky when I pull them out of the washer! I can really feel it on my flats when I run my fingers along the edges to smooth them out. The thing is, we use Charlie's Soap, have been using Charlie's for ALL of our wash since we started CD'ing (17+ months ago), and I don't think we have a build-up issue! I'm flummoxed! I hand-stripped all my pockets (scrubbed each with Dawn with a toothbrush) a week ago and boiled all my inserts, wipes, flats and prefolds. The water from the boiling didn't stink or even seem "dirty." We don't have stink issues when any of the dipes get peed in. The ONLY "stink" problem we're having is that the morning diaper is heavy with ammonia smell (how do you know if you have a heavy wetter? I'm stuffing the pocket with 1 Baby Kicks Joey Bunz Premium large hemp insert...both layers..., 2 WAHM double-layer long/large hemp inserts, and 1 WAHM medium-length 4-layer bamboo insert, the whole thing is drenched in the AM. LO is 17 months old). I will say that the morning diaper after the big boil didn't smell near as badly of ammonia but after that we were right back to the knock-you-over ammonia smell in the morning (only when I take off the diaper, though). I even rinse each of the inserts from the night time diaper in the sink in the morning before tossing them into the dry pail. LO doesn't have any rash and when I look in the in the washer (a front-loader) I see no bubbles in the rinse. My typical wash routine is: cold rinse, hot wash with cold rinse and extra rinse, then an additional rinse (usually cold). I use about a half scoop of Charlie's Soap powder in the wash. I wash every 1.5 days (small-ish stash and small-ish diaper pail). Any thoughts as to what's causing the sticky/tacky feel? It seems like there MUST be some kind of residue on the dipes (and again, ALL of our laundry) but I'm not seeing...or smelling....other evidence of that). I don't THINK it's a hard water issue as we moved from a house with super-duper-hard New England well water (like, it left white mineral residue on our dishes!) when LO was about 7 months old (we never had the stickiness there) to a home in the South with city water. I am truly flummoxed. Any help is appreciated! Thanks! Last edited by NiftyB; 04-22-2012 at 09:38 PM.

04-23-2012, 07:39 AM	#3
tootsy_toes Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cleveland, TN Posts: 1,340 Ratings: 183 Feedback: 99% My Mood:	Re: Help! Clean, wet diapers feel sticky! Do the diapers/clothes feel like they have a residue when they are dry? Maybe it's the difference between the hard water at your last home and the water where you live now? __________________ Joselyn... Christ following wife to Andy , and Mama to N-bug ; J-bean ; and lady-K . Blessed every day!

04-23-2012, 05:11 PM	#4
faiths13 Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 16,945 Ratings: 342 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Help! Clean, wet diapers feel sticky! it sounds like you have hard water - im having the same problem. im looking into water softener. __________________ Beth - homeschooling mom to Magus '99, Malakai '01, Bastian '07, Jace '09, Step Mom to Seth '95, married to Damon, love of my life! My last ds is pl'ing! Yahoo!

04-23-2012, 06:03 PM	#5
The Peaceful Housewife Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tulsa Posts: 66 Ratings: 2 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Help! Clean, wet diapers feel sticky! I agree that hard water could possibly be to blame for the stickiness that you're having trouble with. Does the stickiness remain if you wash clean, dry diapers again with no detergent?

04-28-2012, 06:30 PM	#9
jfkmama Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 63	Re: Help! Clean, wet diapers feel sticky! Could there be some kind of buildup in the washer? Maybe you need to strip the washer.