STILL have ammonia stink!

[MrsA08]

My DD diapers are reeking of ammonia after sitting in the wet bag for only 2 days. I have been using vinegar in my prewash to try and combat it, but it isn't helping. I spent about 2 days reading Alioop's laundry thread and that's when I decided to start using the vinegar. My washing routine hasn't changed since the last time I posted about this, it's still
Warm/Warm w/ vinegar
Hot/Double Warm w/ 2 TBSP Green Mountain, 1/2 C washing soda and 1 scoop Oxi
Hot/Warm again w/ nothing

I use all microfiber inserts and I know this can be part of the problem, but i can't afford to get the hemp ones right now, they are just too expensive.

Any more suggestions?

[SarahR.]

You can soak the inserts in bleach and hot water once in a while to kill the bacteria that is causing the stink. Or boiling the inserts. It's a temporary fix but if you do this every once in while it will help. Also try rinsing the inserts in the sink by hand to help reduce the smell and amount off pee sitting on the diapers.

Sent from my iPhone using DS Forum

[Mama2LilBit]

I believe that after sitting in the wet bag for 2 days, some ammonia stink is normal, actually. Ammonia is from bacteria & urine sitting together - as long as the smell is coming out when you wash, and you don't have ammonia stink when your child wets the diapers, I don't think you're doing anything wrong.

HTH mama!

[MrsA08]

I just never had this problem until I started using the new detergent. I like this detergent tho, because the other two I used before (RnG , Charlie) gave her really bad rashes. She has been pretty much rash free since the switch. The diapers do smell slightly of ammonia, especially the overnight diaper, when I take them off. It is an overpowering smell when I open the wetbag to put a diaper in. It usally starts about 12 hours after I start a new bag.
Has anyone that uses Tide original had this problem? I just bought some that I found at biglots because so many people rae about it on here. How much should I use?

[Mama2LilBit]

Originally Posted by MrsA08 I just never had this problem until I started using the new detergent. I like this detergent tho, because the other two I used before (RnG , Charlie) gave her really bad rashes. She has been pretty much rash free since the switch. The diapers do smell slightly of ammonia, especially the overnight diaper, when I take them off. It is an overpowering smell when I open the wetbag to put a diaper in. It usally starts about 12 hours after I start a new bag. Has anyone that uses Tide original had this problem? I just bought some that I found at biglots because so many people rae about it on here. How much should I use?

I didn't realize this, but I do have a couple thoughts about it . . . I see in your siggy that your DD is about 9 months old . . . could be that her urine is getting a bit stronger and that could be a part of it.

What detergent are you using now (I had rash problems w/ rng and charlies too)? Maybe you need to use a little more detergent to get them cleaner, then just rinse the extra out if you have a bunch of suds. For the overnight diaper, I would suggest bleaching them every so often to really disinfect since the pee sits in there for so long, and also start rinsing them right after you take them off her in the morning - either spray them or dunk/swish before you put them in your pail - some mama's swear by that

[MrsA08]

I use Green Mountain right now, but i'm close to out of it and the Tide was so much cheaper, so i am thinking of switching to it. It will be my first time treading in the "non cloth diaper safe" detergent waters.

That is a good point about my daughter's age, I didn't think of that because the timing was right around the time of the detergent switch.

I do bleach my inserts every so often, but I JUSt bleached them and they already stink. I don't have different overnight vs. daytime diapers. She doesn't seem to be a heavy wetter so I can just use the same diapers all the time.

[jmoon]

Do you have hard water? I have read that you have to use more detergent with hard water. I use about 1/4 c. detergent and about 2-3 tbsp. of oxyclean in my wash. I do a cold rince, hot wash with detergent (I use the cheap purex from walmart) and oxiclean with an extra rinse. My diapers go in stinky, and come out fresh! Every month or so I throw some baking soda and vineger in with the rinse, and original (blue) dawn in with the wash. So far, no problem! I have a 7 mo full time in dipes, a 3 year old at naps and bedtime, and a four year old at bedtime! And the older ones pee definitely smells stronger! Hth!

[MrsA08]

I don't know what hth means, lol

I was informed that if you have hard water that washing soda is supposed to help. That's what I have this in there for. I am thinking about maybe adding some Borax to my routine, but I don't know i that will help with the ammonia or not. It is a disinfectant thought, so I guess it can't hurt.