stripping diapers - NO dawn

[myk]

i keep reading about stripping diapers using Dawn dish detergent. i guess that's the best way to remove oils and residue.. but if i do that it'll void my washing machine's warranty. what else works? i have a high efficiency washer with a superheated cycle available. we have hard water here. i'm getting a load of used diapers from my sister this weekend, and baby's coming next month, so i want them all prepared properly before the time comes!

also - is there a detergent that's good for cloth diapers that you don't have to special order? i keep reading about rockin' green for example, but i was hoping there was something in a store that would do the trick. i'm in canada.

[MayasMama88]

Honestly, I read all the time that Tide Original powder works great. I ended up buying some after having a troublesome time with "Cloth Diaper" detergents (i.e; RnG and Vaska), and it actually works pretty well. As for stripping them, you could always order a sample pack of RnG to do an overnight soak with (it costs less than $2.00), or you could simply try soaking in OxiClean and hot water (as hot as you can make it) for 6 hours. The Dawn definitely does work, but I wouldn't want to do it either if it would void your warranty (I did it in an old washing machine whose warranty definitely ended a LOOOOOOONNNNNG time ago, lol).

[aphel]

I  use Dawn to strip, but we took a class on CD'ing when DD was born, and the lady who taught it actually just stripped using really really really hot water. Also, inserts and prefolds can be boiled, just don't do this to your pockets!

[myk]

well i have oxyclean and washing soda (sodium carbonate) handy.. the latter of which is the first ingredient in RnG hard rock. maybe it'll work if i wash them detergent-free once, then a superheated load with washing soda, repeat detergent-free as many times as it takes to get bubble-free water? what do you think? the superheat cycle heats the water to 153*F - pretty dang hot from the sounds of it :) it's a front loader so it might take extra cycles, since it uses less water than the top loaders would. i have NO idea what detergent she used on them in the past, but they've been through a few kids already, and i just want to start fresh, especially since we also have hard water.

[MayasMama88]

Oh wow, I'd think a wash with 153 degree water would do the trick even without detergent! I think our landlords have the water heater set only to 120. I should ask, though... could be very helpful!

[APToddlerMama]

What kind of diapers are they?  I know most of my all in ones and pockets can't be washed too hot or they start leaking.  Also, just a note about hard water...you may want to consider getting a water softener depending on how hard your water is. When we moved from a soft to a hard water location, it became REALLY hard to keep my diapers from stinking. Water softener fixed that.

[myk]

i know many of them are fitted, some prefolds. i'm not sure if there are any AIOs or pockets, but i know for sure i wouldn't superheat those!

i found some Calgon water softener in the store the other day, i'll try to strip the dipes without it and if i'm not happy with the results, i'll buy some and use regularly. :)

[RthyCrunchyMama]

We strip by rinsing over and over and over with really hot water.  I turn my hot water heater all the way up and it works well.  We also have used a couple scoops of oxy-clean which works well.  You just need to make sure you rinse it all out.  Check out http://www.earthycrunchymama.com/2010/12/stripping-cloth-diapers/ for more info.  

Jenn

Earthycrunchymama.com

[DevaMajka]

Originally Posted by myk 

also - is there a detergent that's good for cloth diapers that you don't have to special order? i keep reading about rockin' green for example, but i was hoping there was something in a store that would do the trick. i'm in canada.

I like NatureClean. I also use Amaze by Sunlight (in the laundry section- there are instructions on it for cd's) in the pre-rinse. Those 2 things do the trick for me. Before I started using the Amaze, I found I needed to use Tide every once in a while for a deep clean.

[plantnerd]

I had big buildup problems with the deterrgent I was using (crunchy clean) after about 6-8 months.  I tried dawn over and over again, it would help a little but by no means fix the problem.  When I ran out of cc I just said oh well, I'll use the tide I have.  The plain old tide liquid resolved my stinky problems completely after about 2 washes.  I wish I had been using it the whole time!!

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by myk 

well i have oxyclean and washing soda (sodium carbonate) handy.. the latter of which is the first ingredient in RnG hard rock. maybe it'll work if i wash them detergent-free once, then a superheated load with washing soda, repeat detergent-free as many times as it takes to get bubble-free water? what do you think? the superheat cycle heats the water to 153*F - pretty dang hot from the sounds of it :) it's a front loader so it might take extra cycles, since it uses less water than the top loaders would. i have NO idea what detergent she used on them in the past, but they've been through a few kids already, and i just want to start fresh, especially since we also have hard water.

Washing soda is good, but make sure the oxiclean is "free" or "baby" or else you will be putting more additives into the diapers.  Be very careful with the 153 water as it will destroy PUL and elastic.  Do you have a "bulky" cycle, like for comforters?  That would be good b/c it will add water.  I have never used Dawn, BTW - it is very bad for washers.  I just did hot water repeatedly until no bubbles.
 

[myk]

oh, i didn't know "baby" oxyclean was not the same as regular! i haven't seen oxyclean baby in stores for a little while so i'll have another look! i don't have a bulky cycle.. i can't find my owner's manual to see if there's some other way to add extra water.

is regular "hot" water ok for AIOs and covers? i could always wash the covers separately in warm water instead of hot, but i'm really not at all sure what to do with AIOs. i want them really clean - but not ruined!

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by myk 

oh, i didn't know "baby" oxyclean was not the same as regular! i haven't seen oxyclean baby in stores for a little while so i'll have another look! i don't have a bulky cycle.. i can't find my owner's manual to see if there's some other way to add extra water.

is regular "hot" water ok for AIOs and covers? i could always wash the covers separately in warm water instead of hot, but i'm really not at all sure what to do with AIOs. i want them really clean - but not ruined!

My grocery store has a generic oxiclean that is just sodium percarbonate (oxygen bleach) and sodium carbonate (washing soda.)  Most FLs, you can pour hot water in through the detergent slot while it is running.  Regular hot is okay for PUL items, but not "sanitize" (153 F.)
 

[MayasMama88]

I've heard that on some (or all?) FLers, if you put a sopping wet towel in with your diapers, it will trick the washing machine into thinking there is a bigger load, and so it will add more water. I have no idea if this is true or not, since we just have an old school top loader (I'm dying to get one of those fancy NEW top loaders, lol), but if it is, that would certainly be an easy fix!

[MEcatlady17]

Putting a wet towel in my washer will void the warranty so I don't do that.

I use Tiny Bubbles and have been very happy. 

We use some creams and I have stripped our diapers a couple of times in the past several months as a precaution.  I have just done extra washes on hot with cold rinses. My inserts and natural fibers I will put on sanitize and have used bleach before (back when I used Charlies I needed to bleach and/or sun more frequently).  Now I have some biokleen oxygen bleach that I use every few washes since I can't sun my diapers in the winter.   DD just got her first real rash I am stripping the diapers in case there is bacteria or build up from creams.  After washing them with my regular cycle without spinning (so I will have extra water for the next wash) and I am bleaching the inserts, prefolds, and fitteds with hot water and running an additional cold wash to fully rinse. I am wary of using bleach on my pockets/PUL so I am going to strip with the oxygen bleach and detergent using hot water, cold rinse and an additional cold wash to rinse.

For clean diapers you could just use extra hot water and detergent and probably get them stripped since it sounds like they are all natural fibers.  The oxygen bleach would be the next step if the detergent she had used them with is known for build up issues or rashes, or if there is a lot of staining.