Stinky diapers

[heyjude]

My DDs diapers smell like ammonia/barnyard funk after she pees in them. What's wrong? What can I do? Thanks!

(I use a combo of Prefolds and pockets/AIOs)

[pixy0stix]

Do the prefolds smell, or is it just your pocket and aios?

[heyjude]

They all do.

[Deleted]

I use calgon water softner-- use half a capful with each load. I believe most of the time diapers dont get "clean" is due to hard water.

If your dipes are bleach safe (ie- FB and BG are), then I'd bleach first to get the stinkies out (make sure you do extra rinses!), then try the calgon. My diapers smelled awful and the smell is gone now.

[Deleted]

You need more water and/or more detergent (or adding a water softener like Calgon lets your detergent work better).

To bleach, add 1/4 cup chlorine bleach to the bleach dispenser of your washer. I've done it with Kawaii; I think most diapers are fine to bleach occasionally. That should help kill the barnyard stink. Ammonia is harder - different things work for different people. There are products like Funk Rock, or ammonia remover for fish tanks. Boiling inserts/prefolds usually fixes it.

What detergent do you use? What's your wash routine?

[bugandbibs]

We need more info. What's your wash routine and how often? What detergent do you use? Which ones smell like ammonia and which like barnyard?

[heyjude]

Detergent: Planet liquid for HE

Routine: Every other day to every 2.5 days the following:
- rinse spin speed cycle with extra water and extra rinse w/ no detergent

- normal wash in heavy soiled setting with 1 tbs. detergent, extra water, extra rinse

- Prefolds and inserts dry in dryer in high for 40 min. Everything with PUL air dries.

- when smells get really bad I use baking soda, vinegar, and non chlorinated bleach. This treatment lasts maybe a week.

I'm not sure which ones smell like barnyard and which smells like ammonia. They all kind of smell simultaneously like both after a pee. Is that possible?

Help!

[bugandbibs]

So, your detergent should be fine but I think you should try using more. Maybe 2 Tbsp? Barnyard usually means you diapers aren't getting clean enough, and that's a pretty small amount of detergent for that brand. I would do a quick wash instead of a rinse spin first because the extra agitation works a lot better for me.

If you have hard water, the vinegar could be making things worse. Is your normal wash on hot? If not, try that. I use the heavy duty wash cycle with the heavy soil load and extra rinse options.

If all else fails, I would switch detergents. I like Tiny Bubbles.

[heyjude]

No hard water and I wash on hot (should I turn up the water heater?).

Will try quick wash as first step rather than rinse/spin and use more detergent on the second cycle.

Should I be using powdered planet instead? Any other good brands? (I would like to avoid having 3 different brands if possible, i,e one for our clothes, one for DDs clothes, and one for diapers).

Thanks!

[bugandbibs]

May 23, 2012 16:05:00 GMT -5 heyjude said:

No hard water and I wash on hot (should I turn up the water heater?).

Will try quick wash as first step rather than rinse/spin and use more detergent on the second cycle.

Should I be using powdered planet instead? Any other good brands? (I would like to avoid having 3 different brands if possible, i,e one for our clothes, one for DDs clothes, and one for diapers).

Thanks!

I would switch to the powder, because liquids can be harder to rinse clean.

FWIW, we use Tiny Bubbles on everything because we bought the case from costco.com and it would take us forever to use up otherwise. It works great even on MH's stinky work clothes.

[webmistress0609]

I had this problem w/ Planet & Charlie's. Enough detergent to get the dipes clean = too much soap & 4-5 extra rinses. I switched to Rocking Green & had no further issues.

[pixy0stix]

I had a hell of a time with planet, it just stunk. Switch up your detergent is my suggestion.

[Deleted]

Whatever you settle on your diapers you can use for everything. I do have 2 detergents - one for diapers, one for everything else. I don't wash DS's clothes desperately from ours.

For me, switching detergents is usually plan A. I use the rest up on other laundry and try something else. Rockin Green caused my problems, so I moved on to Clean B, the EFF recipe, and soap nuts. All of which were fine.

[heyjude]

Soooo stupid me...

We actually do have hard water. My H just informed me.

Is Calgon compatible with BGs?

[Deleted]

Yes, Calgon can be used with any diapers. It will improve the performance of your detergent.