Ok, lets talk about detergent, once and for all.

[hippiemama86]

Originally Posted by delphinium Well, hot diggity dog, Alioop, you need to put that OP in a blog and have someone here make it a sticky! Great post!

Yes, I second that... in all the time I've been cloth diapering, for about a year, I've always had trouble with ammonia. I've tried just about everything, and still had trouble. I have, in just the past 2 wash cycles, been able to clear a lot of the problem up. Had I known all this it would have helped a lot! I'm going out tomorrow to buy some oxyclean and washing soda to add to my routine as well. Hopefully this will really get my dipes 100% clean. Thank you so much!!!
Oh, and for my wool... gosh darn it I love your lanolin spray!

[theprofessionalbaby]

Awesome post! I struggled for almost a year before finally giving up on store bought detergents and I began making my own. Here is a link to one I adjust specifically for cloth diapers.

[IzzisMom]

Originally Posted by theprofessionalbaby Awesome post! I struggled for almost a year before finally giving up on store bought detergents and I began making my own. Here is a link to one I adjust specifically for cloth diapers.

Oh that looks so easy! You use about 1/3 cup for a front loader - is your water hard, soft or somewhere in between? Also, does the scent wash out or do you diapers stay scented with the eos?

[mcews]

OK I've read about 75% of the entire thread. We are dealing with ammonia issues on relatively new diapers. I am new to CDing and watched my neighbor suffer through laundry issues for a year before I switched. Now I am having my biggest fear come true. I am really appreciating all of the ideas and trying to KISS.

My main question for the group: Do you dry your diapers in the dryer or are you line drying?

I have been afraid of drying my diapers in case of setting my problems but I am wondering if the extra heat from a dryer would kill any lingering bacteria?

If I do choose to try tumble drying diapers, can they still be effectively stripped?

Thanks!

[coffeegirl]

Originally Posted by mcews OK I've read about 75% of the entire thread. We are dealing with ammonia issues on relatively new diapers. I am new to CDing and watched my neighbor suffer through laundry issues for a year before I switched. Now I am having my biggest fear come true. I am really appreciating all of the ideas and trying to KISS. My main question for the group: Do you dry your diapers in the dryer or are you line drying? I have been afraid of drying my diapers in case of setting my problems but I am wondering if the extra heat from a dryer would kill any lingering bacteria? If I do choose to try tumble drying diapers, can they still be effectively stripped? Thanks!

I dry everything except for PUL covers and PUL shells (like Fuzzibunz and Softbums) in the dryer on high heat. I hang the shells and covers to dry on a little rack I have set up on top of my dryer.

Everything else, even AIO diapers with PUL outers, go in the dryer for 40-70 min. on medium or high heat. Sometimes with the AIOs I'll dry them a bit then hang to finish drying. And occasionally if I'm in a hurry I'll throw EVERYTHING in the dryer. Once in awhile the dryer doesn't hurt, but I do know that hanging diapers to dry at least part of the time will extend the life of your diapers.

[ashmomof4]

Thanks for such an informative post! I've been wondering what the difference between soap & detergent ever since I read that was why soft'soap' hand soaps are harder on the skin than true bar soaps (because they are detergent in nature) this explains a lot!

[theprofessionalbaby]

Originally Posted by IzzisMom Oh that looks so easy! You use about 1/3 cup for a front loader - is your water hard, soft or somewhere in between? Also, does the scent wash out or do you diapers stay scented with the eos?

I have wonderfully hard water. I hate it! That is why I had to tweak the recipe. If you have enough tea tree oil, I would use that instead of the lavender. The scent does kinda wash out of my diapers, as I run them through extra rinses, but not the regular clothing. They don't smell strongly for the eos, but a faint smell. I like it.

[theprofessionalbaby]

Originally Posted by coffeegirl I dry everything except for PUL covers and PUL shells (like Fuzzibunz and Softbums) in the dryer on high heat. I hang the shells and covers to dry on a little rack I have set up on top of my dryer. Everything else, even AIO diapers with PUL outers, go in the dryer for 40-70 min. on medium or high heat. Sometimes with the AIOs I'll dry them a bit then hang to finish drying. And occasionally if I'm in a hurry I'll throw EVERYTHING in the dryer. Once in awhile the dryer doesn't hurt, but I do know that hanging diapers to dry at least part of the time will extend the life of your diapers.

I have found line drying drastically helps with the smell! Also, if you struggle with smell, after you have washed the diapers, wash them on a super hot wash, near boiling, with a capful of calgon. Then rinse a few times. That should help out a bit. I do that about once a month.

[imasupernova]

nvmd...think I got it all figured out...finally...

[Alioop]

Originally Posted by mcews OK I've read about 75% of the entire thread. We are dealing with ammonia issues on relatively new diapers. I am new to CDing and watched my neighbor suffer through laundry issues for a year before I switched. Now I am having my biggest fear come true. I am really appreciating all of the ideas and trying to KISS. My main question for the group: Do you dry your diapers in the dryer or are you line drying? I have been afraid of drying my diapers in case of setting my problems but I am wondering if the extra heat from a dryer would kill any lingering bacteria? If I do choose to try tumble drying diapers, can they still be effectively stripped? Thanks!

High heat in the dryer will help to kill bacteria...so good for diapers.

If you have PUL covers....like Fuzzy bunz types, you dont need to put those in the hight heat, but anything that is mostly cloth...ie mostly absorbent, those will benefit from the high heat.