the funk

[carepear]

So, we have the funk.  Our diapers are musty and stinky smelling.  Not quite like poop but sort of like dirt.

This weekend I washed and stripped and did all sorts of stuff including vinegar, rockin green detergent, baking soda, etc.  I think what worked was soaking overnight in the sink with dawn dishwashing liquid.

They were smelling fresh after that whole weekend long wash fest.  Until I washed last night.  There were 2 poopy diapers in the load but I sprayed them off in the sink so there was very little poop on the actual diaper.  I also did a cold wash first and then another wash with rockin green detergent with a soak and 2nd rinse. When they came out of the wash they seemed fresh but after drying they are musty again.  I thought maybe it was the dryer but our regular clothes are coming out clean.

The only thing I can think that has changed is that we got a new washer/dryer in the past few months and we have started solids.  Before we had a front loader but I think it got them wetter than this front loader.  I have also tried washing with adding a bucket of water to the mix.  Before this washer I would only do a second rinse but no prewashing,etc and they came out clean every time.  Is it just that we have been using these diapers for 6 months or is it the new washer or the solids?

I can't soak my diapers before every wash.  I work full time and need a simple solution.  Any ideas?

Thanks!
C

[sacridote]

We had the same problem. The only thing that worked for us, is to add 1/4 cup of bleach every load. Some babies might be sensitive to that, but so far (knock wood) DS has only had 1 diaper rash and that was when we started using disposable liners.

[carepear]

Do you use pockets or anything with PUL? I'm cautious to use bleach on my PUL.

[sacridote]

We use bumGenius AIOs during the day and bumGenius one-size (triple stuffed) at night. I haven't noticed any problems with the outer parts at all. However, my traveling wetbags (kushies) are starting to suffer from it, so I'll probably replace them soon. My big pail wet bags (Kissas) are not any worse for the bleach and I wash one of them with every load of diapers.

[DevaMajka]

I use Amaze by Sunlight in my cd prerinse, and that keeps stinkies away. It's a "laundry booster" with enzymes. I tried a different brand of washing soda type laundry booster and it didn't work like Amaze does.

Before I found the Amaze, I had to do a major wash with Tide about once a month- I'd use a hefty amount of it, then rinse like crazy until there were no suds. That helped a lot, but was a pain in the butt.

[gardenmommy]

I used to have funk until I switched to Tide.  I've never used Tide for anything, but that cured the smell.  We have a front loader, too, so I hesitate to mess around with non-HE detergents.  The guy who set up our machines told me to be sure to use high-quality HE detergent (he did not specify Tide), and that lower-quality, or non-HE detergents would mess up the washer.  Since I have had success with Tide, I'm not looking back.  Plus, I like that it is easy to find.  

[Nicole730]

I use Tide also.  But a lot less than even the HE amount says to use.  I also use a little bit of bleach, just to the minimum line on our tray, every 3-4 washes.  I bleach everything, including a variety of diapers and covers with PUL.

[MamieCole]

My experience w/Rockin' Green is that it is awesome for doing occasional soaks to get rid of build-up, but it is not so great on its own for using as regular detergent for daily washing. 

A daily wash routine that works for me (mainly FBs w/microfiber inserts and a few Imse Vimse AIOs) is to do a cold soak w/oxiclean, hot wash w/Tide, extra rinse. 

Every 3rd or 4th wash I do the same routine, except on "Super Hot" or "Sanitary" wash.

Once every couple of months, I soak clean dipes in RnG, then wash w/no detergent.

I also keep a spray bottle of "Funk Rock" mixed w/ water on the changing table and spray each dipe before I toss them in the pail. It keeps the ammonia stinkies at bay. 

[HappyMamaBeth]

When you ladies suggest Tide, what kind of Tide?  Free & Clear liquid???

[MsFortune]

I would be reluctant to use real bleach.  We use color-safe bleach and it works pretty well.  No musty.

[MamaBriTo2]

Tide original powder is CD safe.

When I got the funk, I switched from biokleen to tide, and made sure my water was hot before starting the wash. I'd discovered it was only filling with lukewarm water so now I run the hot water in the utility sink until hot, then start the washer. No more problems.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

[HappyMamaBeth]

Originally Posted by MamaBriTo2 

Tide original powder is CD safe.

When I got the funk, I switched from biokleen to tide, and made sure my water was hot before starting the wash. I'd discovered it was only filling with lukewarm water so now I run the hot water in the utility sink until hot, then start the washer. No more problems.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tip about Tide original powder!  My husband is kind of a Tide freak, so he'd be happy if I had some of that on hand.  (Right now we don't wash cloth diapers, just clothes, and I usually switch between Seventh Generation, Trader Joe's, and store brands of the same thing.. Bright Green I think is what Safeway/Vons calls theirs? and that's what I have right now.. I like the lavender/eucalyptus smell LOL.)

[gardenmommy]

I use Tide original powder.  I've always used a F&C detergent, but had some stink issues.  Not bad, but kinda annoying, kwim?  Tide cleared all that up.  I also use a small scoop of oxyclean in the prewash, and I have no staining at all.  No stink, no staining = happy mama.

[DevaMajka]

I used Tide original powder and tide liquid. I found that I needed almost up to the "1" line of the liquid, but needed WAY WAY less than the lower line for the powder (like, not even 1/4 of it). They both took the stink away though.

[Nicole730]

Tide original powder.  I only use a tiny bit also.

[dayiscoming2006]

I like arm and hammer essentials free and clear detergent and found that it worked well. 

For my wash routine, I do a cold wash with just baking soda in main wash cup and vinegar in the rinse cup (could use a downy ball with a TL.)  Then I do a hot wash with soap nuts liquid soap w/ an extra rinse. That seems to keep stinkies away. I used the arm and hammer with my old TL and it worked very well. With my FL, it's more complicated. For TL, I just did a pre-rinse, then I did a hot wash with the arm and hammer and an extra rinse and done. Sometimes I add oxiclean free and clear.

My cotton diapers (AIOs, fitteds) come a lot cleaner than my synthetics typically though. Synthetics seem to need soaking from time to time, but not every time like you've been experiencing.