Diapers and bugs. A gross WWYD.

[Una]

Recently, some little gnat type insects decided to invade our diaper pail. The results of us not really noticing it for a week meant that a few of the diapers ended up covered in little gnat eggs. It's really, really gross and I am wondering how other people would handle it.

I threw out two of the diapers already and I've ran the rest through 4 hot wash cycles, the first of which with bleach; but I can't really digest the idea of ever sticking my daughter in those diapers again. It's just... icky.

What would you do in this situation? How would you wash the diapers? Is there anything special you would do to ensure they were clean?

[Una]

20 views and no one has responded? Hmm... Bumping it in hopes for ideas!

[Michigan Mama]

I'm so sorry!!! That is yucky. Tough call. It's yucky, but so is throwing away all that money if you can clean them.

What kind of diapers are they? Honestly I would probably boil them. Even the pockets, but there is some risk in doing that.

I'd probably feel ok with a bunch of hot washes and bleach, but I would probably boil them, too, personally.

That's a tough one.

[Ruthla]

I'd probably toss them and replace the diapers with new ones. I probably would have tossed them BEFORE running them through the 4 hot washes though.

Now that they've been bleached and washed a bunch of times, how do they look? Are there any eggs sticking anywhere that you can see?

[Una]

Originally Posted by Michigan Mama

I'm so sorry!!! That is yucky. Tough call. It's yucky, but so is throwing away all that money if you can clean them.

What kind of diapers are they? Honestly I would probably boil them. Even the pockets, but there is some risk in doing that.

I'd probably feel ok with a bunch of hot washes and bleach, but I would probably boil them, too, personally.

That's a tough one.

They are BG 3.0's, Fuzzibunz and cotton prefolds. I really don't want to replace the BG's and the FB's if I don't have to.

Only two of the diapers had gnat eggs on them that from what DP and I could see and we tossed those. Everything else looked fine, but they were so small that we could have easily missed something.

I may try adding boiling water to the wash and let it go for another cycle.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Una]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I'd probably toss them and replace the diapers with new ones. I probably would have tossed them BEFORE running them through the 4 hot washes though.

Now that they've been bleached and washed a bunch of times, how do they look? Are there any eggs sticking anywhere that you can see?

They look really clean, but I'm still apprehensive. There is nothing out of the ordinary that I can see.

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

I have never seen gnat eggs, but apparently, I am not a hugely squeamish person when it comes to bugs. I mean, I'm sure the eggs didn't survive 4 hot cycles, one with bleach. I don't know if gnat eggs are dark and leave stains behind, but I don't think I would throw the dipes away. Pretty sure I would do my best to get rid of any stains and then give up and keep using the diapers. They're probably cleaner than ever by now anyways, lol.

[lifeguard]

I'd use them as long as they looked ok. Sounds like you already tossed the worst of them.

[StrongFeather]

really a tough call..I have to admit.
sorry I don't a response of what I would do.. is it your WHOLE stash that would be thrown away? I think I would throw away any that I even had a question about..then wash a bunch more..

[DocsNemesis]

I'd just keep using them after I got them VERY clean.

Honestly, this sort of happened to me before, except I'm pretty sure what I had on mine were maggot casings. EWWWWWWW. They werent alive, but they looked like maggots? I dont know. Anyway, my whole stash was covered in them. It was right smack in the middle of summer and I only washed once a week, approx, due to having to use a laundry room and lack of money to do it more often. Normally it wasnt an issue, I just rinsed them thoroughly and tossed them in a dry bucket. I think it was because my ex stuck the pail on the balcany for 2 days and it let bugs get inside.

In any case, whatever it really was, was all over the place. I washed the diapers twice and then boiled them. They had this really really odd odor when I found them like that too, so that was my goal-get rid of that smell! After I boiled them, I washed them one more time and they came out smelling normally. I debated a bit but after I had looked them over, I decided they were safe to use. It was gross when I thought about it, but I honestly couldnt buy more diapers and after the first use or two, I pretty much forgot about it. It never happened again either, thank goodness!

My diapers were Kushies, which arnt even that expensive. With BGs and FBs, I'd definately not want to throw them away!!! They sound very well sanatized by now and I'm sure after a use or two, any apprehension will go away.

[Thankful'n'Blessed]

Originally Posted by Sleepyheaded_Mama

I have never seen gnat eggs, but apparently, I am not a hugely squeamish person when it comes to bugs. I mean, I'm sure the eggs didn't survive 4 hot cycles, one with bleach. I don't know if gnat eggs are dark and leave stains behind, but I don't think I would throw the dipes away. Pretty sure I would do my best to get rid of any stains and then give up and keep using the diapers. They're probably cleaner than ever by now anyways, lol.

:

[russsk]

It sounds like they're really clean, but maybe to set your mind at ease you could seal them up in a plastic bag for a week or so?

[ChetMC]

My Experience

I had a similar experience with nasty mold that grew scary roots in the diaper pail. Everybody said to throw out the diapers, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, and bleach, borax and super hot water took care of it. It felt weird to start using the diapers again, remembering what they looked like before they were cleaned, but they were legitimately clean, it was just in my head and I got over it quick. Now I couldn't even tell you which diapers were the ones that got moldy.

I'm sure your diapers are fine. If you want to do something more though, Borax is good for killing stuff like bugs and mold.

[nigellas]

I'd recommend washing a lot more often. 3 days max.

[heidirk]

! two or three days is all we can let it go here.
Borax kills bugs. Do another hot soak with borax, hang 'em in the sun for a day, and call them clean!

now, once I let the diaper pail go accidentally (we went on vacation. . .) and when we got back there was pink mold growng in it.


I threw them out. they were all prefolds, and I had two dozen brand nbew ones in the attic to break out, tho' so I didn't have to replace them.



gla dI'm not the only one!