how can i get my cloth diapers to stop smelling?
lexi asked:
i use cloth diapers and after i wash and dry them they smell fine but then when he pees just once it smells like ive had the diaper on him all day. i would like some suggestions on how to get them to not smell.
i have the diapers that you put inserts in so they cant feel that they are wet. so you dont have to change right when they ***. thanks to the moms who use cloth diapers and know what they are talking about.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
April 28th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
sorry im not familliar with cloth diapers.. but.. are you suppose to keep a cloth diaper on once soiled?
May 1st, 2009 at 9:13 am
thats why they make disposable diapers!
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:34 am
buy regular diapers
May 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 pm
throw it away?
or put perfume on it?
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
its likely there is some soap still in the diapers, it will make them smell awful. add a second (or third) rinse, add a 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse as well.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Yeah…cloth diapers may save money, but they are a lot more work because you do have to wassh them every time they..go.
Otherwise your baby will smell…not pleasant…
I would reccomend disposable diapers, just to save you from the hassel
May 8th, 2009 at 1:15 am
Wash with hottest water, using either bleach, vinegar or baking soda. If using bleach use an extra rinse cycle. Try soaking them in baking soda water first. On the side of the box it give instructs on how to get bottle to stop smelling like sour milk. (Walmart store brand boxes anyway), the same works for diapers just use a lot more.
May 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
You have to wash cloth diapers every single time they *** in it. Also, dry the dishwasher, gets them really clean, I finally got fed up with it and started with pampers, it holds alot more ***!
May 14th, 2009 at 1:01 am
I agree with the answerer above about the soap residue on the cloth. I would also try sunning them outside if you can catch some sun around this time of year. I wouldnt listen to those who are telling you to rid yourself of cloth diapers, and of coarse dont put any perfume on them, but im sure you werent going to anyway.
May 16th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Use bleach. I had that problem at first too, but I used bleach and they didn’t smell like that anymore. Make sure you use another rinse cycle.
May 16th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Cloth diapers are not more work than disposables!
Where I am it is illegal to dispose of faeces in the rubbish so you still need to take a disposable to the toilet to flush out the waste, then you have to take it to the bin. clth diapers you just drop in the bucket and when you have a full load you throw them in the machine- five minutes work, big deal!
If you use fabric softeners it can make them stink, also some brands react to vinegar and bicarb causing them to stink. also using the wrong amount or wrong brand can make them stink.
If line drying in the sun isn’t an option try stripping them again or contact the maufacturer who can advise on what the best solution could be. Make sure they are completely dry before putting them away too, I found storing damp diapers makes them stink more.
May 18th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
When he goes & you change him, rinse the diaper immediately & drop in a big bucket with a mixture of vinegar & water. Even if its just ***. If its a dark yellow colour on the nappy then examine his intake: has he had enough water for example. If its a solid go then rinse, & suds it up with a ‘quik wash’ leave the suds on before dropping into the vinegar & water bucket.
** DISCLAIMER ** keep any deep bucket away from crawlers & tots.
( that’s not for you Lexi that’s for the twits who cant seem to understand that not everybody uses disposables)
When you wash you might be tempted to over do the soap, don’t. Just use the recomended amount & rinse them very well. If you are using a machine to wash; run the rinse cycle twice. My mother used to powder the diapers after they were dry, before she folded them.
Also don’t forget to soak the cover pants if you use them the elastic in the legging will hold an odor and not let it go!
In the states you can get a washing powder called Dreft. It is awsome at removing that “milk” smell.
Dont use softener sheets in the dryer or in the rinse water it will inhibit the absorption of the cotton. Put a pair of tennis balls or baby shoes in the dryer to beat the nappies soft. This works I swear.
If you line dry a good flap should soften them if it doesn’t then there might be too much soap residue in the cloth.
Good luck
May 20th, 2009 at 4:18 am
What detergent are you using? I was using All free and clear and it was giving me the same problem on my BumGenius diapers. Be cautious using baking soda or vinegar on your diapers as suggested by some of the other answers because it may void the warranty on them.
I fixed the problem by doing a cold wash with 1/4-1/2 the reccomended amount of detergent. Followed by a hot was with a Tbsp of Dawn, then I ran them through another full wash cycle with no detergent.
Good luck.
May 21st, 2009 at 7:19 am
definitely do not use bleach – it is unnecessary -
i have not yet had that problem w/my diapers but i use vinegar at least every other month –
it sounds as if you may need to strip your diapers as well –
i would strip first – then do a vinegar wash – then rinse very well – i would recommend a whole wash cycle w/no soap (like 2 rinses)
to strip: hot water wash no soap, hot water wash w/about 2 tablespoons of dawn, hot water wash no soap, another hot water wash w/no soap – to make sure all of the soap is out –
vinegar wash: use hot water, nothing but vinegar (about 2-3 cups) let go through wash cycle – then do 2 more cycles for a really really good rinse – does not need to be hot water for the last 2 cycles –
make sure all of the vinegar is out – as i had used too much vinegar/did not get it all out of my ***** diapers and she got a yeast infection…..so do not think vinegar is not a sanitizer….IT IS!!
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:42 am
Make sure you’re stripping your diapers on a regular basis (getting all the soap out of them). This can be done with a wash with dish detergent or with white vinegar. Also white vinegar added to the rinse will help get rid of any leftover smells.
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
I had the same problem when I was using Dreft. I started making my own laundry detergent with a bar of Fels-Naptha soap grated and melted in water on low heat. I put that in a 5 gallon bucket with a cup of borax and a cup of arm and hammer super washing soda(not baking soda) and filled the bucket to the top with water. It gels so shake your container before each use. I soak my diapers for at least fifteen minutes on hot with soap, drain, then wash on hot with soap. If you still have a smell add a half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. If that still doesn’t get it dry your diapers in the sun. You can also soak your diapers all the time in water with borax but I’m not a fan of that because its dangerous in the baby’s room and its a pain to take it to the laundry room each time.