Stripping isn't helping

[JMJ]

I've stripped my diapers 6 times (a couple times were just a few times through the wash, not a complete stripping) in the last 2 months. They still smell like ammonia when wet with urine. They smell fine when they're newly washed. The first time this happened, I stripped them, and they were fine again. I've added boiling water to my washer. I've used baking soda. I've used vinegar. I've used hot washes and warm rinses. I've washed in my front loader. I've hand washed. I really, really don't want to use stronger chemicals on my organic cotton diapers. Could sticking them in a pan and boiling them help? Are there any other options other than using chemicals? or am I missing the point completely, and it's not that they need stripping at all...

[Katie T]

What kind of a washer do you have? I just saw you have a front loader, what kind of diapers are they? Have you done hot washes with no soap till there are no suds left? Ammonia smell is usually from detergent build up which happens easily in a front loader.

[cyncyn]

What kind of laundry detergent are you using? Could it be leaving a residue behind? How often are you washing? Leaving diapers in the pail too long can worsen ammonia odor. Ammonia is the natural result of the breakdown of urine after it leaves the body so technically all diapers could have an ammonia odor, depending on how quickly the urine starts to decompose and when the diaper is washed. Our night and nap diapers had ammonia odors because of dd's long sleeping schedule. I just rinsed them out before putting them into the pail (dry bag) and I washed every couple days. I never stripped my diapers ever. You may find a Bac-out soak is needed between laundry loads to remove stubborn proteins. How old is your child? Composition of urine and the arrival of ammonia odor can vary based on what you or your child is eating, and the age of the child.

[JMJ]

I've done washes without soap until I haven't noticed suds anymore, but it's hard to see the suds. I try looking during the final spin, but it's hard to know if they're really all gone. Any tips on that? I've heard that if you stop a top-loader, all the bubbles will dissappear if the soap's gone, but I don't know a surefire way of telling with a front loader. About how many washes does it usually take? I've done maybe 5 or 6 at a time.

DD is 14 months old, and I pretty much just do diapers when the pail is full, so every 25 diapers or so. DD is an EC baby, so when things are going well, it can sometimes be several days between loads, but I'm not sure I've ever let it go past 6 or 7 days. Lately, she's been on potty strike, so it's mostly just been every 2-3 days. I'm not sure I've gone over 4 days since the last 6 strippings.

We do a dry pail. I wouldn't mind doing a wet pail except that it's a pain with the front loader since you can't just dump it in. I've really made a mess the few times I've tried it. Maybe I'll try the wet pail with some bac-out a few times and try doing it more often. I hate to run a really small load since I feel it's a waste of water, but running stripping cycles every couple of weeks can't be much better.

We use Biokleen detergent. We recently switched to premium plus since the regular stuff wasn't working so well. We generally use half the recommended amount and half baking soda and then put vinegar in the fabric softener section of the washer. We do an extra rinse with every diaper cycle. This was a lot easier when she was younger. I didn't have to strip at all until after she started solids. Now, I can't seem to keep control of the smell.

[Katie T]

When i had my front loader I didn't think it made as many agitation bubbles as a top loader and when it did they were bigger bubbles. I always check during the agitation part of the cycle. The water need to be hot and of course not a cycle when you add soap.

Hmm, I would say even if you are running smaller loads to not go more than 3 days. Since it is a front loader you are only wasting energy and not water as it senses how much it needs.

So the first time she pees in a diaper it right away smells like ammonia? Can you put your diapers in the washer and then put a pitcher of water over them to really soak them before you start the washer so it adds more water in general? I have had it take all day of running hot cycles with no soap to get all the suds out once when I borrowed diapers that had bad build up so it just depends on the amount of rinses.

It is frustrating I know, hopefully you find the relief of the stink soon.

[JMJ]

Thanks for the help. I soaked in bac-out last night, and I plan to be stripping all day if necessary, and I'll plan to do the same with the other half of my diapers tomorrow. Hopefully, this will resolve it for us.

[Pinoikoi]

Baking soda is not quite the same thing as washing soda.

I strip with washing soda.