Boiling for 15 minutes took the ammonia stink away completely!!

[HappyMonkey]

We had tried almost everything we could think of and nothing worked to get rid of the smell.

I read though the old fashioned way was to boil diapers... everyone used to do it. So I borrowed my mom's canning pot (for boiling glass jars) and we boiled our diapers. They are now fresh and beautiful. No amount of stripping with hot water did the job.. but one 15 minute boil and they are sweet!!!

I just wanted to mention this in case any other desperate CD moms were having problems with ammonia.

Just plain boiling water... so easy!

[CookAMH]

That is great! Though we only occasionally have ammonia, I should probably try this.

[Joe'sMama]

I sense an ammonia problem sneaking into my dipes, too (I'm using all pockets). Just curious, which elements did you boil? I'm wondering if this is an option for prefolds only?   

[Juvysen]

huh... I wonder if my steam cycle on my washer would work the same...

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

I used to have to boil once a month...because we have really hard water.

did you boil prefolds? How often did you change the water out?

I have so many prefolds it would take forever to boil all of them.

[HappyMonkey]

Yes it was prefolds.. organic cotton. I did a big pot, that held about 10 or so (my husband did it so I don't know exactly). The instructions I read said you could do 2 batches in one set of boiling water so that's what we did. It's been just amazing!! So glad to get rid of the stink!

We EC so don't really use that many diapers.. maybe 1-3 a day on average.

[mousebandit]

Hi.  Could you do this with FB - that have the PUL outers?  Since we've been at our new place, it seems the CDs are getting stinkier.  Maybe it's hard water - I'll have to check into that.  Just don't want to ruin my FBs by boiling them, though!  THANKS!
 

MouseBandit

[HappyMonkey]

I read you can do plastic ones.. but you must leave without touching until the water cools. If you lift out when hot they will stretch. You could just try one and test it!