Stains, Diaper Cream, I think I've screwed everything up

[msmiranda]

Okay, two days into using cloth I am really discouraged and annoyed. First of all, we always used Desitin with disposables. I knew that you could not use it with cloth, but my husband didn't and got it on one diaper (brand new HH). I tried to wipe it off but I think the diaper has already started repelling (grrrr). I also thought you could use Desitin with a flushable liner, so I did -- ha ha! It soaks through the liner (onto my BG OS). So now I have two diapers that have Desitin on them (out of five total), AND I have already washed them all together twice, which I now understand I should not do. So now I am supposed to wash these diapers with Dawn and a toothbrush? Just the ones that I can see Desitin on, or all of them? Have I totally ruined $100 worth of diapers? (They are all one size pockets, different brands).

Second, I am already having a hard time getting stains out (BF poop). My expectation was that stains would come out in the wash -- I've washed these diapers twice and two inserts and one cover still have stains. If most people use their diapers stained, then maybe I misunderstood. I thought you could get the stains out. I'm going back to work in January and don't have time to fool with a clothesline or with multiple/special washes after I get home in the evening. This is what I've done: cold rinse, hot wash with 1/4 plain Tide (which I understand there is controversy about, but it was the only thing that seems to work for a lot of people that was available at a store near my house), extra rinse. Top loading machine. All cold rinses (no option to rinse in warm on my machine). I guess I am not supposed to use Spray n Wash, which is what I use on stained clothes?

And now I find out that you're supposed to run the water first and then put in detergent? That's not how I wash clothes -- I put them and the detergent in the machine, turn it on and walk away. If that doesn't work for cloth diapers then this may be too much work. I really, really want to use cloth, but I'm already having so many issues I'm almost ready to throw in the burp cloth and stick with evil disposables. Can anyone offer advice/encouragement?

[Galatea]

It's gonna be okay. Don't get upset.

I would scrub the two stained diapers with a toothbrush and Dawn, then rinse them very well in hot water in the sink, and then wash them in the washer. I don't think it will hurt that you washed everything all together - you might have to do one cold rinse, and then two hot washes to be sure it is off all the other diapers, but after that, they should be fine.

I would throw away the Desitin and get some cloth-safe rash cream so that no mistakes can be made again. I like the Northern Essence salve b/c it is safe for cloth and comes in a stick form so it is not messy.

As for stains - some people make milk that stains. I always spray off all poopy diapers with the Diaper Sprayer. No stains with that. Some people say that you don't need a sprayer for breastmilk poo, but that has not been my experience. I find the breastmilk poo to be the most staining and so always spray. Plus, it makes the laundry that much easier and less gross, when no poop is going into the washer.

I also use one scoop free and clear oxygen bleach in every hot wash. OxiClean Free is good, or your store generic version. This really helps with stains. Spray and Wash is not great for diapers for two reasons - the enzymes in it can irritate the baby, and it will create bald spots on natural fiber diapers. However, the Tide you are using has enzymes, so if it is not irritating your baby and you have only synthetic diapers, it shouldn't be a problem.

As for running the washer, this is my exact routine:

-start a cold prewash, add 1/2 cup white vinegar, as it is filling, add dirty diapers (30 seconds)
-when this is done, start a hot wash, add my detergent (diapers are already in the machine)
-let it go into cold rinse
-another hot wash, no detergent (we have very sensitive skin so I am careful to rinse thoroughly)
-goes into cold rinse
-into the dryer on medium

For all laundry, diapers or not, it is better to put the detergent in first on the bottom as the washer is filling. This makes it dissolve and prevents lightening or bleaching where the undiluted detergent touches the clothes. This doesn't take any more time than pouring the detergent in on top of dry clothes, so I am not sure of your concern on this - you don't have to wait for it to fill all the way - it is only going to fill a few inches while you are measuring and pouring the detergent and adding the clothes or diapers. If I am missing something, please let me know.

[msmiranda]

Thanks so much for the tips. My concern about adding detergent first was that after I do the cold rinse I would have to take everything out of the washer and put the detergent in and run the water and then put all the diapers etc. back in. But it sounds like it would be okay if I just ran the water with the diapers still in there from the cold rinse and then just add the detergent before they start agitating.

Would it be okay just to handwash the two diapers with the desitin on them and not run them back through the washer? With Dawn first and then like Woolite or something? Even though we have an extra small load setting, it seems silly to run a load with only two diapers in it and nothing else.

I will definitely check out the alternative diaper rash remedies. A stick sounds great.

Good to know about breast milk poop. I think I am one of those people who makes milk that stains -- we have a heck of a time getting it out of clothes, which is one reason I was hoping cloth would be better for us, fewer poop leaks. So far we have not had any poop leakage with the cloth, so I'm optimistic. And at the end of the day of course better to have stained diapers than stained clothes.

[Bokonon]

You can always put the diapers out in the sun to dry, or even after they are dried - the sun will bleach out any stains.

[cyncyn]

Please don't use Desitin! It and some other common diaper creams contain ingredients that should not be used on infant skin. The Environmental Working Group has a large database of safe products.

They have scientific information on toxins in common brands of baby products including wipes and lotions. You'll be surprised at what is allowed in the US (but banned in other countries).

[sunshynbaby]

My prefolds are stained. At some point, I'm going to hang them out in the sun to bleach out the stains. Until then, I figure things that are meant to get poop on them are going to be stained. It doesn't really bother me.

That thing about pouring the detergent is a new one for me. I do a cold rinse, and then pour the detergent while the water is running for the hot wash (not because you're supposed to, just because I'm saving time). I drop in a Downy ball half full of vinegar for the rinse and machine dry. I use Kirkland brand detergent that is a generic for Tide, and haven't had any issues so far.

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by msmiranda

Thanks so much for the tips. My concern about adding detergent first was that after I do the cold rinse I would have to take everything out of the washer and put the detergent in and run the water and then put all the diapers etc. back in. But it sounds like it would be okay if I just ran the water with the diapers still in there from the cold rinse and then just add the detergent before they start agitating.

Would it be okay just to handwash the two diapers with the desitin on them and not run them back through the washer? With Dawn first and then like Woolite or something? Even though we have an extra small load setting, it seems silly to run a load with only two diapers in it and nothing else.

I will definitely check out the alternative diaper rash remedies. A stick sounds great.

Good to know about breast milk poop. I think I am one of those people who makes milk that stains -- we have a heck of a time getting it out of clothes, which is one reason I was hoping cloth would be better for us, fewer poop leaks. So far we have not had any poop leakage with the cloth, so I'm optimistic. And at the end of the day of course better to have stained diapers than stained clothes.

Oh, I get it - you're right, that would be annoying to take out all the wet dipes - I don't do that. They just got spun in the pre-wash, so there is a little empty ring in the middle where I put the detergent.

As for handwashing those two diapers - I think it is fine, but you should use really hot water, so wear gloves.

[mambera]

Ditto on the I-don't-care-if-my-diapers-get-stained-they-are-poop-catchers-after-all train of thought. But you can always put them out in the sun if you care.

I just wanted to say that I don't have warm or hot rinses on my washer either; I just put everything through a second cycle (hot wash, cold rinse) with no soap. It's like a hot rinse followed by a cold rinse.