Ammonia!!

[ccsunflower]

I am having bad ammonia problems.  The babe has a lot of burns on her skin from the ammonia and the diapers stink.  I just moved and now I have a high efficiency machine.  I used to use a top loader and now my diapers are stinky and burn the babe's skin.  I have an old HE washing machine.  So, all I have is the ability to change temp and cycle length.  I don't have a soak or rinse option and I can't increase the amount of soil.  I do have an extra rinse option, which I use.  I have not found a good routine yet. 

Right now I use country save detergant.  I do two short cycles, one cold and one hot, both with detergant(about 1 TBSP). I tried to strip them with vinegar (I turned the hot water heater all the way up) and it worked but I don't want to do that all the time.  I also tried adding more water manually to the wash and that hasn't helped.  I tried oxiclean in the hot cycle, I used about 1/4 cup (plus and extra wash cycle).  That didn't help too much.  Plus I hear you're not supposed to use too much oxiclean with Country Save detergant. 

I bought some Bac-Out.  I don't have the spray bottle.  I'm not quite sure how much to use or exactly how to use it.  I may try 1/4 cup in the cold wash.  Any suggestions?? 

The other thing I haven't tried is RLR.

[chel]

What type of diapers?

It can be too much detergent and/or bacteria. Good way to treat both is to boil them on the stove.

I use bleach when I have issues that multi rinsing doesn't fix

[ccsunflower]

They're prefolds.

[chel]

Then be fearless!
I would try a 10 min boil. This will show you if there is any detergent residue (soap bubbles) and/or kill any bacteria.

Then I would personally add bleach to every/every other load. Like 1Tbs in the short cold water wash and then a long hot water wash with detergent. Sun dry if you can.

I never had stink issues with a top loader, but find you have to keep on top of things in a front loader.

[ccsunflower]

Definitly!  I miss my top loader.  Thanks for the advice. 

[3rdClothBabyLov]

I know it might sound awful, but I would try Tide (just the regular kind, not the smelly one w/ oxy-bleach).  It has an amazing ability to get the stink out.  After using it with hot water, then run a cold water wash cycle without detergent, and then dry the diapers for like 3 times the normal amount of time to be sure everything in the interior of the diapers is totally dry.  After that, I would be sure to wash every 2 days and not let the diapers sit longer than that before washing (you might already do that, but just trying to think of things that worked for us!)

[thefreckledmama]

I used Tide free, it was the only fail safe detergent I used. All others caused issues either immediately or over time.

You also might try googling "washing diapers _________" with your particular make and model of washer.

[lovemylab]

Bleach dissolves urine. If you don't want to use bleach you can use a dime size if dawn dish soap but you have to rinse them at least twice.

[1love4ever]

I love my newer HE machine but have heard people having lots of issues with the older ones that didnt have as many options.  I use Ecos, vinegar and baking soda, and hot water in every load and have no problems, ever!  And my water doesnt even get that hot.  When I used soapnuts is the only time i've ever had a problem!  Anyway, with my newer HE I use the prewash button, the water plus (extra water) button, the heavy cycle, and hot water.  It would be hard not having these options.  I think my dipes would be ok witout the water plus button, but I love the prewash!  In the prewash I just use vinegar (i pour it over the diapers right before I start the load) and baking soda in the prewash's detergent tray.  People have told me vinegar can break down PUL but i've been using it over 2 years and never had a problem!  A few diapers I bleached a few years ago are the only ones getting holes in them, but all my PUL is still fine!