Prefolds stiff and pilling

[stoof21]

I bought 18 or so Unbleached Indian prefolds from Jillian's before DD was born. I prepped them and they quilted right up, but never got very soft. I didn't think much of it, I just assumed that they would become better the more they were used.

Fast forward 4 months. My PFs are now completely unusable. They are pilled, stiff and rough. They became worse after I stripped them for the first time by boiling them. They are now actually to the point where they will rub DD's sensitive skin raw if we use them.

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong, but I know it has to be something I'm doing. I got a free Econobum and the insert was the softest thing I'd ever felt after it was prepped. Once I stripped it (I strip every two months, usually due to stinkies) it ended up just like the others.

Here's my routine: Dry pail. Wash every other day in a front loader, using Tide HE powder. I use anywhere from a tsp to several TBS, depending on load size and soil level. I also add a capful of Calgon water softener to every load to help with build up. Use sanitary cycle with a prewash and an extra rinse. Dry on medium with wool laundry balls.

When I strip, I use two capfuls of Calgon in a load of clean diapers. I use the sanitary cycle, and then rinse, rinse, rinse until I don't see any more bubbles.

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I even tested my water's Ph to check and see if it was acidic, but it's mildly alkaline. I don't know what to do. I have all of these great diapers that I don't dare put on my poor DD's sensitive skin.

Please, can anyone see anything that I'm doing wrong? I'm open to suggestions. I'm desperate!

[chase_mommy]

Maybe you have a detergent buildup? I would try running them through a few wash cycles without any detergent and see what happens. Maybe also add some vinegar to the rinse cycle as well. If you aren't drying in the dryer then toss them in. My line dried prefolds are super crunchy so I throw them in for the last 15 min o so to dry. I also read about a momma using Ecover fabric softener with her diapers. She had been doing it for years without buildup issues. No personal experience with that though.

[beebalmmama]

Maybe it's the Tide? I've never used anything but a natural laundry detergent. I've had really good results with BioKleen. I don't know about the water softener though, never had to use that. Have you tried using vinegar with your dipe wash? I use vinegar with every load and don't have issues with stink and then maybe you'd be stripping less. I've not stripped any of my prefolds since the first prepping.

[cristeen]

Do you have hard water? It's my understanding that Calgon was a water softener, so if you don't have hard water, what purpose is it serving? Since your dipes become worse after doing that, I'd definitely look at that as the problem.

[Galatea]

Tide HE powder has optical brighteners in it, does it not? It makes my clothes rough so that might be the culprit.