Is it normal to smell the dipe when they pee?

[Lineymom]

I'm not really posting because I have major issues about something, but I am just kinda curious. I use only pfs on my 5mo. I can smell her dipe when she wets, like instantly. it is not an offensive ammonia-type smell. If I had to describe it I would say it was a combo of grass and bleach, very mild though. All i have ever used in wash is soapnuts and vinegar in the rinse. I have used a Sun version (scent-free) of oxyclean but not lately (ran out and haven't got more). So I guess I am just wondering if I am crazy or if anyone esle smells it when the their LO pees.
Oh, I am not completely crazy because I do think they stink terribly in the wetbag on wash day!!! My 7yo DS agrees with me that her poop smells just like the dry-erase markers we use for homeschool I am crazy!

[Chamomile Girl]

Nah not crazy, it just means that your dipes have some bacteria buildup. I usually do a bleach wash when this happens (just had to this week in fact).

[Katie T]

Yeah unless you have a very sensitive sniffer I would say they may have bacteria build up. A T of bleach should do the trick and won't be enough to harm your diapers. I only have to do that about every 4 to 6 months.

The diaper my children wear/wore to bed always stinks ( did even with disposables though) and I think that is normal from having a pee peed diaper on for so many hours. But yes, my pail always stinks on wash day.

[Ambishop19]

This is happening to me too. Can you do the tablespoon of bleach even with unbleached prefolds? And sorry to hijack this thread, but do you just use a covered pail for your diapers? Any tips on keeping the smeel down in the pail as well?

[Mom2SammyJoe]

I use 1/4 cup of bleach with my dipes. I have BG's and prefolds, and the BG's need that much, so the prefolds get it too. I do this about once a month, making sure to rinse really well. I have some bleached and some unbleached prefolds. Between the bleaching making the unbleached lighter and our sometimes rusty water making the bleached darker, it is getting more difficult to tell which are which. But they all work great still, as DD has yet to spontaneously potty learn at 11 months!

[Lineymom]

Originally Posted by Ambishop19

This is happening to me too. Can you do the tablespoon of bleach even with unbleached prefolds? And sorry to hijack this thread, but do you just use a covered pail for your diapers? Any tips on keeping the smeel down in the pail as well?

Don't worry. I had the same question, as mine are mostly ub. I would like another solution than bleach. Like I said, the smell is not offensive, but if it is bacteria build-up.... ekk, I wanna do something about it! I wonder, would borax do the trick?

I have a fuzzibunz hanging pail. It starts to smell by day 3, but not too bad. I will have to do something esle, I'm afraid, once she starts solids. I've seen on here before that people sprinkle baking soda on the dipes.

[oma to 9]

Bleach can be very, very irritating to a baby's bum.

There are two recommended ways to strip diapers of the mineral buildup that causes the ammonia to accumulate and make the stink happen.

1) Use a hot wash. Add 2-3 DROPS of Dawn dishwashing liquid and run the wash. Do another 2-3 washes afterwards, till you see no suds in the wash cycle. Dawn causes the minerals and other items built up in the diaper to let go, eliminating the cause of the stink.

2) Use a product called RLR in a nice, hot wash. Follow with 2-3 more washes as with the Dawn, until you see no suds in the wash cycle. RLR strips the offenders from the diapers as well.

This should be repeated about once a month; it might be necessary more often if you have hard water.

Drying your diapers outside on a clothesline where the sun and wind can get to them will also do a lot to eliminate and help prevent the buildup and smells that are inherent in a garment intended to absorb things.

3) Use the most mild detergent you can find. Soap Nuts, Purex free, Seventh Generation; any of the non-scented, non-additive-containing soaps are best because anything extra in the detergent is going to find its way into the diaper, contributing to the problem.

Don't use fabric softeners. They decrease absorbency and leave a residue on the diapers.

Trisha, Oma to 11 now, cloth diaper maker who used cloth diapers way back when

[Katie T]

Originally Posted by Ambishop19

This is happening to me too. Can you do the tablespoon of bleach even with unbleached prefolds? And sorry to hijack this thread, but do you just use a covered pail for your diapers? Any tips on keeping the smeel down in the pail as well?

Yup, mine are unbleached and it is fine. I do use a covered pail and yes it stinks, that is going to happen no matter what I wash ever 2 to 3 days and it is fine.

[LaydieBugs]

Depending on a person's sensitivities, Dawn can be even more irritating than bleach.

I'm still awaiting my first but have been reading madly about cloth diapering, and keep seeing recommendations for Oxi-Clean, or Bac-Out when this happens. Bac-Out is made by Biokleen, our grocery stores have it but I guess that's because we're near the manufacturer.

I got some Bac-Out and used it on some of my things that accumulated perspiration smell on the elastic. Worked like a charm, but I think it's pretty much the same as Nature's Miracle (which is mostly sold at pet stores; I've seen it recommended for diapers, and have used it on pet stuff and human vomit/sweat/urine/feces stains for years).

But then I've heard that some kiddos are sensitive to the enzymes in Bac-Out ... go figure!

[Lineymom]

So I was hesitate, but I went ahead and put about a 1/4c++ of bleach with the dipes and did two extra rinses to get it out. I really didn't want to bleach my ubpfs. It didn't bleach them, and hasn't bothered her skin, much to my relief.

But I still smell when she pees!!!! Like I said, it is not offensive, very mild...

I am just not going to worry about it unless someone tells me I should.

[shinaabikwe]

Funny, I am just noticing this myself today, with my LO's prefolds. She is 3 months and I have yet to strip them, I think I might try the dawn technique this weekend and see if that helps!

[DevaMajka]

When I start smelling something as soon as he pees, I do a major wash with Tide, then rinse a ton. That fixes it for me.
I prefer to wash with the "natural" detergent I have, but every once in a while, it takes Tide to get them totally clean.