Hi there! I've been cloth diapering for a over a year (started late, Fuzzi Bunz pocket style) & plan to keep it up for kids to come. The AMMONIA smell is bothering me---isn't there a way to rid the inserts of the residual?
After rinsing/soaking the nappies by hand, then at least twice in the washer, I use Allens Detergent,hot, for the diapers, when all washed/dryed there is no smell at all. As soon as they're wet again, the ammonia smell is pretty intense---I think has even given my little one slight chem-burns when she's worn her diaper too long. (She's learned potty all day, still wears nappy at night.)
So, mommies, What do you use that works?
I stripped the diapers, albeit not with Dawn, but what I had on hand, Planet dishsoap---I don't think it worked all that well. Then speaking to a woman who sews her own diapers (BOLDER BABY DIAPERS) she said VINEGAR x3! Rinse them in vinegar and it chemically breaks the ammonia down. So I added vinegar with water to the diaper bucket and there has been NO smell at all! I would like to try sun drying but for the weather---don't want to have diaper-cicles!
I always pre-rinsed my diapers then would wash them. Sometimes twice and rinse them at least twice to get everything out them. The ammonia burns are very painful and the smell can be toxic if not handled with enough water. I used dreft on the diapers and rearly had diaper rash on any of my kids(6).
C. B
I have a similar problem with my fuzzibunz (esp with my hemp inserts - which I use primarily at night) - I Just started using Ecos free and clear - which helps, and I also do a double rinse at least once a week. I find in the summer - if I dry them outside in the sun it makes a huge difference.
Just as an interesting resource - here is a great list on detergents for cloth diapering:
http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html
Hi A.,
I am not sure what you are using for stuffing in your pockets, but I have found that cotton is the easiest to keep clean and free of ammonia smells in the high efficiency washers. If you just notice it occasionally, they you probably just need to wash you diapers once with out soap, then use more water and less soap or have more rinsing in the future.
If it is something that keeps coming back they you probably have residue in your diapers. You can strip them by washing them by hand with blue dawn dish soap...just make sure to rinse fully, this should take care of the problem. You may also want to try a different detergent that leaves no residue. We have tried many different types but have been very happy with Charlies Soap for about year now. The only thing with Charlies Soap is that you have to use it for all your laundry and should never use softeners in the wash or dryer. You can use Baby Oxy Clean with it to sanitize, and distilled vinegar for a softener.
Best of Luck, it is great to know that there are more cloth diaper users out there!!!
Dreft is not recommended for cloth diapers according to the manufacturers.
http://www.modernmommygear.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/r...
Allen's is both recommended and personally works great for us.
The strong ammonia smell immediately after peeing is an indicator that you have detergent residue on the diaper. Try stripping your diapers.
http://www.ehow.com/how_###-###-####_cloth-diapers-rid-st...
