Front Loader Trauma

[quantumleap]

We just moved. The new place came with a front loading washing machine. The diapers are (shudder) AWFUL! They don't come out even remotely clean. They STINK to high heaven. Not the amonia smell we occasionally got in our microfiber inserts in the past, but a poo smell. Awful. Seriously. Gross.

I've tried dumping in some extra water, I've tried using an extra rinse, I've tried washing TWICE plus using an extra rinse... nothing. Washing twice plus an extra rinse seems to be the best result so far, but still, not half as clean as they got in our old top loading washer. I'm actually considering taking diapers to the laundromat, which is completely ridiculous. The primary reason for ensuring that we found an apartment with a washer and dryer was because of the hastle of hauling diapers to the laundromat every two or three days.

Help?! I know some of you have front loaders, and you obviously have clean diapers - how do you do it? What else can I try?

[confustication]

We have a front-loader, and my wash routine is pretty straightforward. I do a prerinse, then a wash with hot water and detergent + extra rinse, then I follow that up with a warm wash cycle + extra rinse (our cold water is REALLY cold this time of year, in the summer I use cold.)

It's easy, but time consuming.

The tradeoff is that the rest of the clothes get really clean really fast with minimal water and drying time is minimal....

[cristeen]

What brand/model machine? Do you have hot water going to it (double check it's getting hot)? What detergent and how much are you using? Do you have hard water? These are all things that affect the wash, and with more details we may be able to spot if there's a (fixable) problem.

[quantumleap]

We do get hot water (and I use it to wash the dipes). The water isn't particularly hard or soft, but it is very sedimenty. Water in the bathtub looks very yellow/brown, for example. I was using soap nuts in our top loading machine, but they don't quite do the trick with this one. I think there's a way to make a soap liquid out of them, which I plan to figure out asap. In the meantime, I've switched back to Tide Free and Clear. I also use vinegar in the first wash, and no soap or anything in the second wash, with the current routine. The machine is a Frigidaire (who knew they made washing machines?!), and is super basic - you can choose water temp and one of two cycles (reg or delicate), with the option of an extra rinse.

[mntnmom]

In our FL I do a rinse with cold water and vinegar. Then I do a wash, usually cold (unless there's a lot of poo), with Charlie's soap and borax. I tried every bit of advice I could and our diapers still had an awful, disgusting poop smell. The borax finally worked.

[Nillarilla]

This is what I have figured out after many months of the poo smell. I do a prerinse/soak cycle and I turn off the spin so the diapers stay wet. I don't use vinegar. I found this was contributing to my smell problem. I do a hot wash with an extra rinse with Dr. Bronners soap about a TBS and no other detergent. I then do a second hot wash and I pour in a kettle full of boiling water before I turn it on.

Before I started this routine I had to strip my dipes after they came out of the washer "clean". I had to soak my dipes in boiled water with a few drops of TTO and Dr. Bronners then I put them back in the washer for a hot wash double rinse. Finally the poo smell was gone. It was then I started the above routine. Nothing else works for me. I never ever had a problem with my top loader. I could use whatever soap I wanted just needed one extra rinse blah blah blah.

[expat-mama]

Anyone use those sanitizing "baby care" settings on their washer? We just got a new front loading direct drive LG washer and, knowing nothing about either washers or diapers, we thought it might be good for diapers. I have to say though, the direct drive is beautifully quiet and I love that aspect of it.

[Mosaic]

Since you say that you moved, I also wonder... whomever used your frontloader before you may have used too much soap and have junk built up in the system, so perhaps you may need to strip your diapers to get them back to "normal" and then work on customizing your washing routine. Everything mentioned here (vinegar, borax, baking soda, etc.) could help with some problems, but if you have any detergent or anything in the fibers of the diaper, they won't work until you can get that out.

[KatWrangler]

Did you pull the little door off at the bottom of the side of the washer? There is a drain in there that needs to be cleaned out periodically. At least thats what our LG had.

[My3guys]

I agree with the previous poster regarding cleaning out the washer. Front Loaders need next to no detergent. Due to the low amount of water used and the fact that detergents are so concentrated these days, they need really almost none. If the previous tenant was using a lot of detergent, you could have started with severe detergent/scum buildup before you tossed in the first diaper. Get a Front Loader cleaner and do that first. I think there is one called Affresh. Probably others. Do that first.

Soap nuts might provide too much soap for your washer. Too much soap causes lots of suds which just leave behind nasty scum. That all gets on your clothes the next wash. So, be very mindful about the amount of cleaning product.

Also, have your landlord check your water. Brown, sedimentary water just doesn't seem right. That can be part of your problem right there.

Good luck

[chel]

I've only been at this 3 weeks, but with my FL I do a rinse/spin on cold (25 minutes), then a "heavy duty" cycle on hot with an extra rinse (85 min).
I've had very mild staining so far (really have to look to see any) and no smell issue at all.
i use only unbleached prefold.
I plan to use regular sunning once we get sun and no snow!

[quantumleap]

Originally Posted by chel

I plan to use regular sunning once we get sun and no snow!

Just wanted to make sure you knew that you can totally sun things despite the snow. I think it actually works better with the snow. We used to live in the Arctic, and I was super skeptical about sunning diapers in -45C, but it totally works. They freeze completely solid, but it still gets all the stains out. You just have to bring them in to thaw out when you're done.

I did run two cycles on hot with vinegar and a bunch of rags before I washed anything else in the washer, in an attempt to get rid of buildup. I'm sure there is a good amount of scum in there despite my best efforts. I didn't know there were specific products to deal with such a thing - I'll have to go find something. Thanks for the info.

So far, things are going better with a HUGE bucket of water added to the wash along with some borax, and then a second wash with no added anything, aside from another huge bucket of hot water. I think this completely negates any water saving/energy efficient qualities of a front loader, but you do what you've got to do, I guess. Thanks for all the help!

[LynnE73]

We have a Miele front loader that worked great for a LONG time when suddenly the diapers smelled like what you described. I went to the laundromat, it didn't help. I finally figured out that my machine had internal detergent build-up (TOTALLY dh's fault!) We switched to http://www.charliesoap.com/ and after a bunch of washes it took care of the problem. Whew! I actually bought Charlie's Soap by the 5 gallon container after that!

[azmomtoone]

Another thing I've found w/ the front loaders - in addition to stripping if too much is detergent is used ... you need to clean out that rubber ring around the door, fairly often. It kinda "collects" the dirt from clothes...looks just like someone was playing in the mud - and stinks.