Cloth diapers and yeast rash

[felix23]

My dd had an awful rash that I didn't realize was caused by yeast until I finally took her to the dr. I am keeping her in disposables until it is completely cleared up, but the dr said I probably needed to sanatize my cloth diapers to keep her from getting it again. Is this true and how do I do it? Do I need to use bleach and will that mess up my diapers with elastic?

[mumkimum]

You can use bleach, sure. If you want to try other options, using tea tree oil or grapefruit seed oil in a wash can also help, as can vinegar. Boiling or washing your diapers in the dishwasher (d/t hotter water) can also help kill the yeast. There may be more things you can try, but this is what I recall offhand.

Good luck clearing up the rash - no fun!

[MoonStarFalling]

I don't think I sanitized after dd had a yeast rash she never got it again either. I always wash and dry my diapers on hot anyway. If you use prefolds you could put in a dash of bleach or boiling water from the stove. For other diapers I would use grapefruit seed oil.

[Ifluffedthree]

I would watch your bleach with elastic diapers.

you have some good suggestions. Although after years of reading about it, I am not so sold on the dishwasher for diapers -- still can't wrap my mind around it. But not saying it does not work either. I would have to try first for that answer.

[Jojo F.]

Just wanted to clarify something, it's grapefruit seed extract (GSE) with Citricidal, not oil.

You can also put a couple drops of GSE in your wipe solution too.

[felix23]

Thanks for all the help! The dr doesn't have any experience with cloth diapers, he just thought that I might need to sanatize them in some way. Since I don't have any GSE, TTO, or bleach, I will probably just use some vinegar and really hot water. We don't have a dishwasher, so I can't try that. I'm ready to get her back into cloth because the disposables smell weird! Plus they keep leaking.

[MoonStarFalling]

Originally Posted by Jojo F.

Just wanted to clarify something, it's grapefruit seed extract (GSE) with Citricidal, not oil.

You can also put a couple drops of GSE in your wipe solution too.

yes extract. I had a brain fart.

[mommam]

Yah on the vinegar and hot water, and try hanging in the sun, even winter sun will sanitize with the UV rays. Just make sure they are a little damp (for some reason that gets out stains better so maybe it helps everything penetrate, or just my own crazy theory).

The yeast will probably come back if you don't treat the internal issue; we added probiotic powder to anything our ds ate, even just mixed a little water and put it in his mouth or on the binky (boil those too if you got em) when he was pre-eating. He is still on it and it helps in so many ways. Try a really good brand like HLC Maintenence (can only get through certain pharmacies or doctors, but it is tested and very high quality).

Good luck!

[Woolly Meredith]

My son had a yeast rash and we never bleached or did anything special to sanitize his diapers afterwards. If it keeps coming back I would reconsider but for the first time a hot water wash would probably be fine.

[vforba]

You can also boil the diapers this helps as well