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Originally Posted by Galatea  Yes. I use it in the first cold prewash, then 1 tablespoon Mtn Green or Vaska plus one scoop generic oxiclean free in my hot wash, then a cold rinse, then a hot wash and cold rinse with nothing in them.
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thank you! i looked at vaska and i like it
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Originally Posted by Michigan Mama Scarlet,
I get why you are confused because so many problems can be caused by the detergent. In my opinion, stink problems can be caused by 3 things - too much detergent, not rinsing well enough, or not enough detergent. There may be other issues, but I think those are usually the big 3.
Think of trying to wash a greasy, like spagetti pan without dishsoap. It's the soap that attach to the dirt molecules and lift them away. So you'd get your pan clean eventually, but it would take a while. So now you've got diapers with lots of dirt, buried between 6 or 8 layers of fabric...in my opinion, you really need that agent to help lift away the grime.
5 1/2 hours of washing without getting clean would definately be frustrating! I would pick a detergent off that list, or try making your own. Try the vinegar. You'll have to play with it a bit to get it to work for you, as everyone's machine and water are different. But I really do think you'll find a solution that will work!
Let us know how it goes.
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thanks for the support!
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Originally Posted by poppan When you say that these various treatments "helped a little" -- does that mean they were clean and stink-free but only one time, and then the stink returned? Or do you mean that the stink was slightly less overpowering but still there?
The one factor that you have that I don't have experience with is the well water, so I don't know how that plays into everything. But my suggestion based on everything else you wrote is:
1) have you tried using more water? I don't know what cycle you're on... but FLs use so little water (at least mine does). I wash everything on delicate (but still hot wash) because that uses the highest water level.
2) have you tried wet-pailing? that helped me a lot because it takes out a lot of the pee and enables the wash part of the cycle to actually do some cleaning. otherwise it's rolling around in dirty water.
3) dittos to everyone else's comments re: detergent. I think Tide might solve a lot of your problems, but I know you said you can't use it so I'm no help there.
4) what FL washer do you have? I had to use a maytag neptune while on vacation and I think if I had to use that regularly, no amount of anything I did would have gotten my dipes clean. So I'm just raising the possibility that it's not your routine, it's your washer.
Well those are all the ideas I had. Hope you find something that works!
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well, some of the treatments worked and then were back after a couple washes. some just cut the smell a little.
1: i didn't know about the delicate cycle using more water. i'll read my manual and see if i can find any help there.
2: i've done wet-pailing and it makes the stink worse. i actually rinse my diapers really, really well before throwing them in the washer. the morning diaper gets rinsed for about 20 minutes while we take our morning bath.
3: it sounds like i need to try more detergent again ?
4: you may have something there. i have an LG tromm. it is 3 years old. unfortunately, i will not be getting a new washer until this one bites the dust. i spent $3000 on my w/d, and dh would laugh if suggested a new one.
but, it may very well be my washer. i've been checking threads on this board for 3 years and tried every wash routine i've seen and some of my own. i have been battling ammonia since dd, but i was always able to combat it quickly and easily. this time has me stumped!
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Originally Posted by lafemmedesfemmes when i switched from a top-loading washing machine to a front-loading one, i had a couple of months worth of problems with ammonia until i made two crucial changes to my wash routine. i, too, use prefolds almost exclusively.
first, i "forced" my front loader to use more water per cycle in washing my diapers. in my machine, this means running a "soak" cycle between my "pre-rinse" cycle and my actual wash cycle that uses detergent. the soak cycle makes the diapers wringing wet without spinning the water out, and running the wash cycle directly after that keeps the extra water in the wash basin.
second, i ran an additional separate rinse cycle in addition to the extra rinses that i could tack on the my wash cycle. so, all together, my diapers are in the washing machine for 4 hours and 50 minutes, but they're problem-free when they come out. detergent is very, very important in getting diapers clean, but getting it all out of the diapers again is just as important. i use planet when i can afford it, but usually stick with all small&mighty.
christina
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interesting. i don't have a soak cycle on my washer. i do have extra rinse though. and i use it every time.
here's what my washer does:
1. cold, long cycle with prewash and extra rinse on cotton/towels cycle.
2. boiling water "sanitary" wash with prewash, extra rinse and stain cycle.
3. same as 1 again.
that is what i've figured so far gives the most wash/rinses/longest cycle times. i'm going to look at my manual again and see if i'm missing anythiung that would help.
oh, also i add a bucket of h2o to the first wash.
i'm going to try the vinegar rinses and add detergent to the 2nd cycle and see if that helps.
ds' had such a bad rash that i had to use disposables (7th gen). after a week it is almost all healed.
