Cloth Diapers Smelling Really Bad...

What kind of detergent are you using and how much? It's possible there could be buildup and you'd need to strip them. You need such a tiny amount of detergent to get them clean, but it works best if you dont have any optical brighteners, etc in the detergent. Also, how are you washing them? I usually do a cold rinse every other wash, and every wash do a wash on HOT with a lot of water, and always do an extra rinse. Sometimes I'll also throw in some vinegar in the "softener" compartment, or even some baking soda in the washing machine basin. We've been CDing since my son was born and he's about a year now- no problem at all so far! Once a month or so we also put them in the sun. Good luck!

I don't cloth diaper myself but if I were you I would search on www.mothering.com There is a bunch of stuff about cloth diapering as well as so many moms who do that you could ask.

J.:
Brandi speaks truth! Sometimes it's a matter of too much detergent and sometimes vinegar or bleach can do more harm than good.
It's important to note what kind of cloth diapers you use. Prefolds are much more 'hardy' and waaay less dependent upon proper detergents, rinsing, etc. than pocket diapers, for instance.
I really like the Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble category of the Diaperpin.com forums.
HTH!

Often, it's a detergent issue! Too much and residue still left. DON'T use Dawn as another poster mentioned! It will take about 15 or 20 washes to get the Dawn dish detergent out! DON'T USE BLEACH. As others mentioned, use the sun, some baking soda in first cycle. To strip all residues off the diapers, wash them in plain HOT water over and over until you see absolutely NO sign of bubbles. Often, it's because there is still residue of detergent that causes the stink. It may be the type of detergent you are using as well. Typical way to wash soiled diapers is an initial plain wash with Baking Soda. Then wash in longest hottest cycle with a small amount of detergent (Try using a clean rinsing detergent such as Allen's Naturally, Charlie's Soap, or plain enzyme free Bio-Kleen or sports wash - again enzyme free). Then do one or two plain hot rinses until there are no bubbles at all. (You may use a little white vinegar in rinse for ph balance and softening). Don't use fabric softener, it will repel liquids and hold stink. Wash at least every other day! Here's a website that has a good section on washing cloth diapers - type of detergent to use, how to wash, and troubleshooting:

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

Hope this helps,
M. (mom to 8)

First off I want to say, I admire you for using cloth diapers, most don't want to bother with the mess but I feel that it is much better for the babies. I used cloth diapers with both my older children and now with my baby. In reading your post I am not sure if your talking about them still smelling after washing or while in the pail. If after washing you need to wash them with the normal amount of detergent and bleach and downy every time. If your talking about in the pail, they make a specail pail for cloth diapers and it has a cup like device in the lid that holds a diaper pail refresher, it helps to contain the smell when opening the lid. Here is the site that I purchase my disks from, http://baby-belle-bottoms.stores.yahoo.net/clotdiappail.html Hope this helps.

My 24year old daughter wore only cloth. Your best friend is Borax!!! First, set up a pail that has a solution of water and Borax. After any solid waste is rinsed out in the toilet, put both wet and dirty diapers in the pail with the Borax solution. Keep them there until you wash the next load. Drain the Borax water into the toilet then head for the washer. I had five dozen and washed every other day. I never used any bleach, vinegar or baking soda when I washed them. Only Borax and Dreft and HOT water for both wash and rinse. The final and most important step??? Line dry them as often as possible. The sun naturally freshens and bleaches. Never had a problem with smell and my daughter, who always had a rash with disposables, never had a rash from harsh chemicals. I am still using those diapers today!! They are the best polishing rags for silver, brass, copper and cars. Good luck.

Try using vinegar in your wash.

Hey, this is the "formula" I use.
First, I never use bleach, I've read that it decreaces the live of the diaper( It wears the fibers out faster), plus taht areaof the body is so sensitive I don't want to risk any residue getting down there. Anyway, I use 3x consintrated All with no dies or fragances. I set my washer for a regular soil if the smells not that bad; or heavy soil if it pretty stout or we've had a lot of dirties. I always include a soak and extra rince cycle (to make sure all the soap residue comes out), but I also put regular vinager in the fabric sofener depencer (or downy ball). I know you wouldn't think that would work because viniger smells bad itself but it works great. Also, unless the weather is bad I hang my diaper out on the line to dry. Every once in a while I have to send the diapers though a second washing, but not offten. If you want to checkit out cottonbabies.com has some excelnt tips as well as thediaperjungel.com ( these sites are were I got just about all my info from, I'm on baby #3 and he's the first one in cloth and I like them so much better than desposibles). Gool luck.

I always had a bucket with soda or some cleaner in the water to put my dirty diapers in, and then of course drained them, and spun them out before starting the wash. I never noticed them smelling after they were washed at all. If you have an oppurtunity to hang them outside in the sunshine, instead of the dryer this may help also.

J., you say you wash them about every 3 days, what do you do with them right after the changing? I always used cloth diapers, and did not have that problem. After each change I took soiled ones to bathroom and dunked them into clean toilet until waste was gone then pre washed in sink of soap and water. ring them out very good then place them in a bucket or diaper pail with lid, of bleach water, and mild soap for babies (Ivory Snow in my day). When wash day comes dump pail into washer and wash alone with fresh soap a little bleach and I rinsed twice to be sure bleach was gone. Never leave them til later, it can become a problem.
Hope this helps. Better products on todays market, like bleach alternative.
BF

Why don't you check into a diaper service? Is the smell the build up from sitting in a hamper for three days before doing laundry? Are you rinsing the dirty out in the toilet first? Bleach every time you wash with a "baby" okay bleach. Maybe those things will help.

I always used vinegar in my last rinse for all my baby clothes just to protect them from any residue of detergents. It should neutrilize the water. G. W

I have yet to have children but my friend gave me lots of info on cloth diapers and their care - I think I read somewhere you aren't supposed to use detergent - just vinegar or something like that. Check out this site - I think that's where I read it: http://babyslime.livejournal.com/151952.html

Good luck.

Hi J....

Back in the dark ages, I used cloth diapers and my husbands grandmother always commented on how pretty and white my diapers were (that was a huge compliment in my opinion and made me so proud, as I was a teen mom), but what I use to do is soak the diapers in a tub or bucket of BIZ solution! You can go a couple of days worth...then drain these and if they are really soiled run through just a regular load with a little detergent like Dreft. THEN, wash again in HOT water with the detergent and biz again if you feel necessary..rinse twice in cold water and I only had one way to dry and that was on the line. What all the other posts say about the sun bleaching is correct. The dryer will only set in stains and odor. I agree with the vinegar and baking soda...NO BLEACH!! In the winter you will have to use the dryer most likely, but if you soak in biz, it should take care of the problem! Good Luck!!!

I've been using cloth diapers for awhile. So glad to see someone else. Smelly diapers usually mean too much soap. Run them through a plain, hot wash until all evidence of detergent is gone (no bubbles). Baking soda in the wash will help. Sunlight is fabulous for smells and for stains. Be careful with bleach and vinegar, they can do more harm than good.

I've heard putting plain white vinegar in with your detergent neutralizes the amonia smell. I don't know exactly how much, maybe a cup for a full load. I do it when my kids have accidents because I can't stand stinky underwear and it always seems to work. Good luck!

When my mom used cloth diapers she used Borax and swears by it. She says put your diapers in the wash in the evening with borax let them soak overnight and then wash them when you get up in the morning.

USe a little detergent in the water in the diaper pail as the presoak for the diapers. I always filled my pail about half full of water for the diapers to soak in while waiting to wash. Then when you pre-wash the diapers, all you do is all extra HOT water to your washer. Use the regualr amount of detergent and some bleach. Be sure to do at least one extra rinse. I used cloth diapers on my sona nd never had trouble with the smell. I used diaper liners so it was easy to dispose of his poop. If the liner was only wet, it went in the wash with the diapers and was reused till it went down the toilet. THere used to be diaper pail deoderizers but detergent works ok. Hope this helps.

J., I would recommend using baking soda or some type of detergent that will aid in the smell and wash them in hot water. I think the bleach is fine and if you think it might be an irritant to the baby, do an extra rinse cycle.

Bumgenius sells an odor spray that works well. Make sure you are rinsing ALL the detergent out. That is a bigger problem than anything else. PM me if you have other questions. We've been doing it for almost 2 years now.

I cloth diapered both of my kids ;-) So what you need to do is strip them and hang them on the line.

So get a bottle of Dawn Dish Detergent. Only use this to wash your diapers (no other cleansers will keep them this clean really!)It only takes a squirt for the whole load. Do one hot pre-rinse and then do one hot wash. Never use fabric softner as it makes them smell and repell liquid. Never use bleach as it breaks down the fibers and makes less absorb less. You may need to wash several cycles till you get all of the old detergent out. Then take them outside and hang them to dry so that the sun can bleach them. Also so smaller loads, with one child I tried to do a load every other day, less diaps in the tank the better they rinse.

I've seen websites recommeding adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your wash or doing a prewash cylce with 1/2-1 cup of baking soda before your regular wash. The baking soda should help get rid of the smell. Good Luck!

J. I'm a mother of 3 adults 38,40.42 and grandmother of 7 and grt.grandmother of 1 never experience disposable diapers with my children.love cloth diapers.Try prewashing in baking soda and Tide washing powder with a little bleach but be sure rinse real well,good luck

I used a diaper service to wash mine, but I know they did several washes for each load of diapers... not just one.

So I'd say that should be part of your practice each time. Two washes for each load. And try vinegar in the rinse water. It really takes out smells and helps soften the clothes. Another Mamasource mom posted the vinegar idea for just regular clothes, and I've tried it and it works.

I don't personally use cloth diapers but I know people who do and they have used tea tree oil to help with smell and before stain sets in. Hope this helps.

Okay--I used cloth diapers for a very long time--I had a diaper service---but they only picked up once a week---so I had to do something during that time! This is what I did---
first--get a very deep covered plastic hamper--make certain to put a deodorizer in the cover.
second - always rinse the dirty diapers out in the toilet before you put them in the hamper--getting as much out of them as possible in the toilet--dumop them and flush and then douse them up and down a couple times in the clean water--wring out the diaper and flush toilet again. put in the hamper
third--always wash the diapers in bleach water--get the lemon scented Clorox--and let them soak a few minutes (my washer has a soak cycle) and then be sure to rinse twice and use a bounce in the dryer---liquid fabric softeners may cause rashes. That should keep the odor to a very minimal!

CLoth diapers take a little more care--but it is not that hard!

Cloth diapers need to be washed every day. Also, rinse the diapers before washing them, that will help disperse the amonia smell.

I know you've already gotten lots of advice, but I'll throw my two cents worth in. I wash my diapers every day. (More so I don't get in the habit of skipping a day than anything else!) I wash them in hot water, with about half the detergent I would normally use for that size load. (I use All Free and Clear and have no problems.) I hang mine outside to dry (bleaches them too!) and throw them in the dryer for about 10 minutes when I bring them in. The diapers have never smelled after I've washed them. I hope this helps!

Use Chlorox every time, then put through a second wash cycle, with 1 cup of white vinegar -- it is slightly acidic, while Chlorox is fairly basic, so this will put the pH back to somewhat normal. Anytime something is really dirty I usually give it a second cycle.

You also might want to hang the diapters outdoors some too, nothing like fresh air!!. If you don't have a clothes line, clothes pin them to hangers, and hang them in your back yard trees. It will give the neighbors a giggle too!!

A.

I too used cloth diapers many many years ago. I would always soak mine in a little bleach water until I washed them. Mine never smelled, but I have a front loading washer now and sometimes the whites have a musty smell. Someone told me to add 1 Tablespoon vinegar to the wash and that eliminated the whole problem.you might try the vinegar, it might do the trick. Good Luck.

Hi J., my mom says when she used cloth diapers she would soak the used ones in a solution of water and borax (found near the detergent at walmart). She says you could also use water with a very small amount of bleach or detergent. They soaked them in "diaper pails" which were basically trash cans with lids. Keeping them wet prevents the stinky stuff from drying out and starts the cleaning process until you can wash them in the washing machine. Also, mom suggests hanging them out in the sun on a warm day. Good Luck!

At WalMart in the laundry soap isle (I find it next to the bleach)is a yellow and green box. It is "20 Mule Team Borax" and it comes in a powder form that you add to your laundry. It is a deodorizer(among a million other uses). I uses it on our clothes and I no longer smell the dogs or the cigarrette smoke.

It's only about $2-3 so you won't be spending a ton to see if it works for you.
Also, if anything else you can use it to clean out your dirty diaper holder/basket/pail.
Check it out...read the box...I hope it works for you.

J., I take care of my invalid mother-in-law and I had to start dealing with this with ALL of her clothes. I was told to use a little less detergent and ADD a handful of baking soda to the laundry. It works! I think it also helps whiten the clothes. I would suggest you wash the diapers alone and not with any other laundry.