[~Shanna~]

My son is on the GAPS diet, which has made his poops pretty sticky because of all of the fruit. I think the dipes aren't getting clean enough and I'm finding I'm stripping them once a month, which is hard on them. Can anyone help me trouble shoot what else to do? I have a front load washer which, frankly, I advise CDing mamas against because I think that's part of the problem.... Anyway, here is my routine:
0)Spray as much poop off as I can with sprayer
1) Normal cycle on cold with Charlies Soap
2) Heavy Cycle on hot with Charlies Soap, extra rinse
3)Heavy Cycle on hot with NO soap, extra rinse

Should I add another soap cycle? Another cold cycle?

 

[mysticmomma]

I think you are using too much soap. Also, are you getting the poop off right after the BM, or waiting until you do laundry. You also need the hot wash first.

Maybe try 1/2 c of deterg, 1/2 c baking soda and some vinegar in rinse cycle. (Hot wash, cold rinse)

 

[brietta]

What kind of diapers do you use? If you have pockets with microfiber inserts, you need to routinely plan on bleaching the inserts-- especially when baby isn't ebf. I have a frontloader and we use fuzzi bunz exclusively. I find that if I bleach the inserts (not the pockets or the PUL will wear out prematurely) every 4 weeks or so, we're good. If not, the synthetic fabric of the inserts just hangs on to the stink.

My wash routine is:

-cold rinse
-hot "heavy duty" wash w/ 1T Charlie's (1 scoop) and 1/4 capfull of liquid Calgon (we have hard water)
-warm rinse

We used to have more problems with diapers that didn't smell clean, or smelled of ammonia once wet, etc., but once I started using Calgon for the hot water and then 1x/month or so bleach the inserts, we stopped having problems with funky smells altogether.

Hope that helps!

 

[Ifluffedthree]

I agree probably too much detergent.

also

synthetic or natural fabric in your diapers.

imo and experience the synthetic fabrics were hardest to keep the stink at bay.

 

[~Shanna~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brietta What kind of diapers do you use?

That info would have been helpful, huh?

We use BumGenius, and I'm sure its the synthetic problem you mentioned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brietta What kind of diapers do you use? If you have pockets with microfiber inserts, you need to routinely plan on bleaching the inserts-- especially when baby isn't ebf. I have a frontloader and we use fuzzi bunz exclusively. I find that if I bleach the inserts (not the pockets or the PUL will wear out prematurely) every 4 weeks or so, we're good. If not, the synthetic fabric of the inserts just hangs on to the stink. My wash routine is: -cold rinse -hot "heavy duty" wash w/ 1T Charlie's (1 scoop) and 1/4 capfull of liquid Calgon (we have hard water) -warm rinse We used to have more problems with diapers that didn't smell clean, or smelled of ammonia once wet, etc., but once I started using Calgon for the hot water and then 1x/month or so bleach the inserts, we stopped having problems with funky smells altogether. Hope that helps!

We have a water softener, so I'm not sure whether to do the Calgon or not. I also think, ironically, that I'm not using enough soap - I've been so paranoid about using too much (and Charlies is expensive) that I only use 1/2 - 3/4 scoop each time.

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to try this.

 

[schreiberwriter]

Sunshine might help too.

 

[brietta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Shanna~ I also think, ironically, that I'm not using enough soap - I've been so paranoid about using too much (and Charlies is expensive) that I only use 1/2 - 3/4 scoop each time.

Even using the full scoop, Charlie's comes out to be about $0.18/load, which really isn't too bad. And I LOVE it.

Definitely use the full amount. It's totally water soluble, so you don't need to worry about build-up, especially if you have a water softener. We had lots of stink problems when I used less than the full scoop and saw dramatic improvement when I started using the full tablespoon.

Hope it helps!

 

[~Shanna~]

Ugh, having ammonia problems with the first load after stripping. Should I use Calgon or Dawn? We have a water softener...I even added a scoop of Oxobrite to the hot wash and it isn't helping

 

[~Shanna~]

No one?

Terrible nights sleep last night until I realized ammonia was irritating DS's bum in the night

 

[Llyra]

Myself, I'd try something other than Charlie's. I had terrible luck with it-- it'd work for awhile, but then the diapers would gradually stop getting all the way clean. I'd try using a conventional laundry detergent like Cheer or All and see if that helps. If it's not your usual thing to use something like that, just get a small bottle. I found that the more natural detergent options weren't our best choice, and have had no problems at all with the conventional ones-- even the cheapie store-brands. You hear all about buildup and the bad effects of dyes and fragrances, but honestly, I've been washing diapers in All for like four years now, and never had to strip ever. I'm sure it's not the best choice environmentally, but if I'd had to have been constantly stripping, I wouldn't have stuck with cloth all this time, and sposies are way worse for the environment.

 

[Gremco]

Adding vinegar to the rinse cycle did wonders for my diapers. I do one cycle that is hot wash/cold rinse, then add vinegar and do a second cold rinse. It seems to wash out the soap residue and softens the fabric as well.

 

[tracymom1]

I like BacOut by BioKleen. For very soiled/stinky diapers I squirt a little on them before throwing it in the diaper pail. My diapers have very little odor residue and almost no staining. DH and I were looking at them the other night and could not believe we have been using them for almost 2 years and look so good. BioKleen is an environmentally friendly company whose main ingredient in the BacOut is lime extract. I almost never use commercial or chemical products in my house but I feel comfortable using this.

When I wash, I start with a hot cycle and do 2 cold rinses. I have never put diapers in the dryer - I think that the high blast of heat somehow locks in odors. The sunshine is the best dryer and stain eliminator, but I hang them in the house when its not outside weather. HTH!

 

[~Shanna~]

Thanks for the tips. I bought the enormo-tub of Charlie's, so I'm committed. But I thinnk I'll try the BioKleen and perhaps Sun Oxygen cleaner. Definately going to stop dryer-drying too. Wish me luck.