What would you suggest to replace microfiber inserts with?

[cookie_]

 We've been using pocket diapers at night for the last few months and have been very happy with the lack of both leaks and necessary diaper changes at 3am. I've been using fuzzibunz with a microfiber insert plus a hemp or bamboo doubler. The problem is that the microfiber inserts are now super stinky. I've tried stripping them and soaking them and everything else I've read about here on the diaper forums, but with no luck. The only time I can get them to stop stinking is when I've taken them with me on out-of-town visits to my MIL's house and used the "sanitary" cycle on her big fancy washing machine. We don't have a washing machine in our apartment, so I normally do them in the front loaders in our building every 4 days or so. I'm sure this is the main problem - they sit in a bucket for a few days and then only go through one hot cycle with no extra rinse or anything usually. I've tried two cycles and all sorts things, but can't get the stink to stay out. So, with that in mind, I'm giving up on these and searching for a substitute that will work as well to hold in the overnight pee, but won't retain that super stink. I'm a little concerned about this because so far I haven't had very much success. I've tried a Thirsties hemp insert with another hemp doubler, but ended up with wet, unhappy baby. Before I spend money on new inserts I thought I'd ask the experts around MDC for some recommendations...help!

[jessica_s]

I use a cotton flat with a microfiber insert in a pocket diaper. You'd probably get the same effect with the flat and the hemp together. Hemp is nice for soaking up but it's not a very fast absorber it seems. 

Flats would probably work really well for you since they are super fast to wash and dry and cheap to boot. I haven't had a leak yet with that combo and we can go all night. 

[PatioGardener]

I had the exact same problem (apartment laundry as well) and solved it by adding tea tree oil to the liquid cloth diaper detergent I use. I'm not sure if it killed the stinky bacteria or just covers up the smell but it works well!

[Mom2M]

I had the same problem with the microfiber fuzzibunz inserts and stink after the huge overnight pee, but it works so well to prevent any leaks and minimal wetness on her skin that we still use them. We don't have the stink after a normal pee during the day but we don't often use fuzzibunz during the day, we use prefolds.

I found that if I use oxiclean periodically it really takes care of it. Also, now that it is warmer, I will hang them in the sun to dry and that helped last year.

We also use a front loader and I must add extra water to both the first wash to get them clean and then to an extra rinse in order to get all the soap out. Make sure you do an extra rinse cycle with enough water to see the water level above the bottom of the diapers if that makes sense. I really have to add a lot of water. Sometimes I have to do another rinse cycle after that because I will still see suds.
If I do not do that then the stink will not go away.

I tried using prefolds as an insert and it didn't work nearly as well absorbing all the pee from an overnight diaper, we had leaks so we went back to using the microfiber insert plus a terry doubler and no leaks at all.

[is it puppies?]

I would use a touch of bleach- fill the washer with hot (or your sink if you need to do just the inserts) and then drop them in and follow with a hot rinse and your regular wash. I had to finally resort to this with all of my dipes after major repelling on my pockets, and it worked after wayyyyy too much other stuff didn't work. I am actually going to be doing that again, I've suddenly got ammonia (not sure why, I never have before) but this time I'll try the bleach FIRST. The BG pockets actually recommend bleach occasionally so I'm fairly certain it's fine on microfibre.

[is it puppies?]

oh and for your original question lol I still haven't found anything that seems to work quite as well, however I can't use pockets anymore because DD is a side sleeper so she leaks overnight. I use a super excellen fitted stuffed to the brim and she's still damp in the AM.

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by jessica_s 

I use a cotton flat with a microfiber insert in a pocket diaper. 

[Carma]

When I had stinky Microfiber inserts I boiled them for a few minutes, that took the stink away. Microfiber has very small fibers ('micro') designed to hold on to dirt, I read that the fibers only open up (to release the dirt) with hot water.

After sanitizing the inserts I switched to powder Tide, which kept the stink away for me (I have a HE FL).

To answer your question. I also started using bamboo inserts with a suede cloth top (bought on Etsy), I have not used those as long as the MF, but they seem to do well with stink and are not leaky sofar. I lay them in my pockets (less pockets to stuff), that way I can also reuse my covers a few times. Maybe that is an alternative?

Carma

[SchoolhouseLife]

we use prefolds & I love them more! I think they're more absorbent, & I believe my daughter is very sensitive to non-natural fibers anyway, so it has worked out well for us. Just fold them in 3 and stuff them in. I've heard of people sewing them down, but I think they dry faster when they're not sewn...

[LaydieBugs]

We use flats as well.  It happened by accident ... our newborn stash was Green Mountain Diapers birdseye flats, size small.  Then we "upgraded" to BG diapers and other things, and found that a pad-folded flat worked better than the microfiber.  They're easier to wash, and I think they are just as trim while absorbing MORE. 

In the end we got rid of all of our "fancy" diapers and just use a pad-folded flat inside a gDiaper or Flip cover.  Or Imse Vimse wool.  Laundry is SO much easier.

We only use hemp at night, it simply hasn't been remotely necessary during the day.  Even now that he's almost 1, he only ever soaks the front half of the flat before a diaper change.  The hemp we use at night is just a rectangular hemp doubler from GMD.

[Galatea]

Anything used for nighttime will eventually start to stink.  I would just keep the microfiber and just bleach it occasionally - the inserts can handle a lot of chlorine bleach and it will make them like new.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

Originally Posted by Galatea 

Anything used for nighttime will eventually start to stink.  I would just keep the microfiber and just bleach it occasionally - the inserts can handle a lot of chlorine bleach and it will make them like new.

Agreed.  I also found with using microfiber that I can't follow that advice to just use a tiny bit of soap.  They need a good amount of soap to get clean!  Not clean = stinkies. 

[Kindermama]

When I started to have the same troubles with the microfiber inserts, I used prefolds (& hemp inserts inside the prefold for naps & overnights). I also used bleached to clean the microfiber but I must have used too much because they smelled like bleach for a long time. 

[blessedwith7]

Every two or three weeks I put about an 1/8 cup of bleach or less in my washer dispenser along with 3/4 cup water to dilute it even more.  I'm so happy with this.  Everything looks bright and clean but more importantly I never have to worry about stink!  I do use as little mf as possible.  I stuff our nighttime pocket diapers with hemp/cotton inserts or all hemp inserts wrapped in a flat.

[JudiAU]

You need to shake up your routine a lot. We use fuzzi bunz in an apartment setting. We wash two days worth of diapers at a time and wash them twice. No fancy cycles. Wash on hot with Charlie's soap. Wash on hot with nothing. Air dry or machine dry. Sometimes they don't get washed until the third morning. If the load is very small, we wash once. Sometimes we reverse and wash without soak and then do the second load with soap.

Four days between washing is going to cause stink in microfiber. You say bucket? Wet bucket or dry bucket? Washing every four days in a single load is going to get them clean AND will leave residue.

You can switch fibers but you are still going to have stink issues if they sit that long, have too many diapers in a load, don't get clean, and don't get rinsed.