Very disappointed with FBs

[AutumnAir]

We switched to cloth about 4-5 months back and bought a stash of FBs large. DD was 10 - 11 months at the time and on the smallest end of the scale for that size but I figured it was a good investment and they should last til she's PLed.

BUT in the last month or so we've been having lots of trouble with them. They constantly leak. Which is weird because they didn't leak nearly so much when DD was smaller. Maybe the elastic is wearing out at the legs, but it seems as normal. I discovered that I could prevent most of the leaking if I 'stripped' them more regularly, but then ended up having to strip them EVERY time I used them, otherwise they go straight back to leaking again.

Stripping them is very resource - draining. It takes most of the day, as I have to be there constantly to turn the machine on to the next cycle, and each cycle takes about 90 minutes. I need to do at least 3 cycles to 'strip' them properly. Oh, and they're stinky too. :

I follow the instructions on the FB website - use Ecover detergent, do a cold rinse before and after washing , use very little detergent etc.

Anybody help me trouble - shoot here? I don't want to go back to 'sposies but it's looking like that's my only option unless I can get the FBs to work properly again. Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.

[Flower of Bliss]

I personally find the microfiber inserts that come with fuzzi bunz (and most other pocket diapers) to be miserable to keep clean. I switched to using infant sized prefolds (green edged) as inserts. Prefolds are so easy to clean.

[brietta]

I started having repelling with our fuzzi bunz after about 4 months that was actually caused by not using ENOUGH detergent. Initially I kept reducing the amount of detergent because everyone told me it was detergent build-up, but after I contacted a Charlie's Soap rep (and, by the way, they have my loyal business because their customer service is SO incredibly helpful!), I realized I was probably using too little detergent and had bacteria build-up on my hands.

I boiled all the inserts and then bleached them a bit to try to get them really, really clean. It worked.

Then I started using the FULL scoop of Charlie's with each load, and I've had no repelling since.

Maybe that's your problem since you mentioned using very little detergent?

For what it's worth, I do think that microfiber is tougher to keep really clean and bacteria-free, but I also think it's totally possible-- and I love their trim absorbancy. Hang in there.

[AlwaysByMySide]

Are they leaking because the microfleece is repelling, or are they leaking because the inserts are saturated? I think microfiber is pretty worthless in terms of absorbancy, and when I switched to bamboo inserts, I fell in love with my diapers all over again.

Using more detergent is also very often the solution, as brietta suggested.

[ChetMC]

Microfiber

Originally Posted by Flower of Bliss

I personally find the microfiber inserts that come with fuzzi bunz (and most other pocket diapers) to be miserable to keep clean. I switched to using infant sized prefolds (green edged) as inserts. Prefolds are so easy to clean.

I totally agree. I got hemp inserts with my fuzzy bunz, and have also used cotton prefolds. I got microfiber inserts with a lot of my knicker nappies though, and I'm not thrilled by microfiber at all. Prefolds really are easy to keep clean.

[emily24]

I had the same problem with mine when DS reached about 13 months. A friend told me to start using 2 microfiber inserts each time and haven't had a problem since. He is almost 20 months now and I have never had to strip my diapers and have not had a problem with leaks or wicking either.

[Michigan Mama]

Just one thing to add - I don't think cold rinses after washing are very effective - I always do a cold rinse, hot wash, then extra hot rinse and that keeps issues at bay for us.

I hope you figure out something that works.

[AutumnAir]

hmmm... Maybe it is the detergent. I've been using smaller and smaller amounts to try to combat this - maybe i should just bung a good bit in and see what happens.

I'd like to try hemp inserts but can't afford it right now. I do have a couple of old prefolds lying around so I might try those as inserts instead. I have tried double stuffing them but that doesn't seem to work as the problem isn't necessarily that the inserts are soaked, more that teh fleece is repelling, as far as I can tell anyway.

Thanks for the help mamas

[cschick]

When they are leaking, are the inserts soaked or not soaked?

If they are not soaked, it sounds like they are repelling, and your method of stripping isn't getting rid of whatever is causing the repelling. There are a lot of things that cause repelling to occur:

- 1. detergent buildup in the fabric
- 2. in hard water, mineral buildup in the fabric
- 3. in soft water, salt buildup in the fabric
- 4. grease buildup in the fabric (from diaper creams)

It sounds like you're only treating for the first.

The treatment for the first is running lots of pure water through them (many wash cycles without detergent).

The treatment for the second is to add a water softener to your wash. Calgon is usually available in areas with hard water, and usually works best when added to the rinse cycle.

The treatment for the third is to add Borax to your wash. (I think you add this at the beginning? don't have soft water myself.)

The treatment for the fourth is Dawn dish liquid. (I have found that putting the diaper covers into the wash, squirting dawn into the wash, agitating for a couple of minutes and then letting the covers soak overnight to be far better than any other way of using Dawn to strip.)

The biggest issue is that when the problem is the 2-4 reasons, the first problem will ALSO occur. If there is any sort of buildup in the fabric, the detergent will also start to be retained. So, it sounds like you're removing the detergent buildup that is happening, but you haven't yet identified what the other buildup is.

[Ifluffedthree]

I am sorry that you have had such a short run on good performance of your diapers.

Personally, I would not buy a synthetic diaper for my child. For us Microfleece smelled after a while no matter how much I tried to get the smell out, and micofiber is a cheap, and in my opinion does not compare to hemp or bamboo.

Maybe replacing some natural fiber inserts in, the absorbency and smell issues would lessen.

[Galatea]

Are you sure they are not just too big? None of my children ever required a large. The medium fits most until potty learning.

Are you using any rash cream?

Ecover has essential oils which cause buildup and are especially bad in hard water and on microfleece. I would not use Ecover.

Of the three, I would guess the Ecover is the problem.

[AutumnAir]

cschick - We have soft water here, though we don't ever use creams with the FBs. Maybe the soft water is the problem too. Now I have to find out what the local equivalent of Borax is (I'm in the Czech Rep.)

Ifluffedthree - I'd love to get some natural inserts but we're totally strapped for cash right now. I blew all my savings on this stash and just can't afford anything else for a while. I am going to try the normal cotton prefolds as inserts though.

Galatea - I did consider that they might be too big, especially as after I'd bought them (had to get them online) I realised that they were bigger than I'd expected. But we didn't have this much leaking trouble when we got them first and she was a good bit smaller than she is now. I live in the Czech Republic and the only 'recommended' detergent I can get here is Ecover - so I don't really have much of a choice there...

Right now all my inserts are in a hot wash with some bleach as brietta suggested. I'm going to start washing with a 'normal' amount of detergent and look into Borax for the soft water.. Let's see how that goes.

Thanks for all the input mamas

[nursingmom]

If they smell (stincky) and leak, that's a detergent problem. Very typical. You are having to strip them everytime... that means the detergent buildup is pretty bad. Change the detergent and use on 1/4 of what is recommended. When you have the right detergent, it won't smell and you won't have leakage issues.

[nigellas]

You should absoltely NOT need to strip your diapers that often, if at all.

My guess is that they are too big. My 30 Month old is not even in a large FB - If they worked at first it's probably because your LO was not moving as much - now that she's mobile, the fit is really important because things shift more.

I'd also switch detergents. Allen's rocks for CDs