Comments on: Do Your Pocket Cloth Diapers Have the Stinkies?

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:36:41 +0000

We have major issues with stink on our microfiber inserts and the microfleece/microsuide linings of our FB and BG (and homemade pockets). I have tried EVERYTHING at some point, it seems…I switched to Charlie’s Soap recently, followed their stripping/maching cleaning instructions to the letter, and everything was great for about 2 weeks. Now they stink again. Not as ammonia-y as they used to, just smelly/poopy. Straight out of the dryer, they smell…especially if it was a diaper that had been pooped in. I am so fed up!! We have no sun, so that’s not an option at this time. The Charlie’s wash routine involves only a water softener (Borax) and vinegar…maybe I should start using Dawn again? Or bleach the inserts? We do have hard water. Ugh, just so frustrating…hoping something on here helps!

By: Autumn Beck

Autumn Beck — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:26:51 +0000

Cassie, what type of covers are you using? It sounds like you have some ammonia salts built up in the fibers of the diapers. I would do a vinegar soak. In the search box above type in “vinegar soak”. Borax is safe to use on cloth diapers.

By: Cassie

Cassie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:20:40 +0000

My prefolds and covers smell. My hubby complains about it when we go to pick up our 3 month old after a nap. Is it normal for them to stink so much even through the clothing and all? They don’t smell when they’re clean. And I use borax to get deep clean them ever now and then… is that safe?

By: Ashley Zertuche

Ashley Zertuche — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:16:34 +0000

Wow I am so glade you wrote about this problem I was starting to think about switching to disposables cause I cant take the smell anymore! its live every morning when I go get the kids room stinks so bad from the stinky diaper from the night before. I am really going to try the Dawn and pray to God it works! thanks

By: Autumn Beck

Autumn Beck — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:44:23 +0000

A quick Google search of the ingredients for Dawn and Palmolive was quite revealing! I would not use Palmolive after seeing all the ingredients: Water , Ammonium C12-15 Pareth Sulfate , Magnesium Isododecylbenzenesulfonate , Lauramidopropylamine Oxide , SD Alcohol 3-A , Sodium Xylenesulfonate , Sodium Chloride , Fragrance , Pentasodium Pentetate , DMDM Hydantoin , Sodium Bisulfite , D&C Orange No. 4 (active ingredients: Triclosan 0.12%).

Dawn contains: Biodegradable Surfactants – Anionic and Nonionic

By: AJ

AJ — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:23:40 +0000

do you have to use dawn or can you use any dishwashing detergent like palmolive?

By: Samantha

Samantha — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:54:47 +0000

I use BumGenius diapers and I just pour about a cup of Vinegar in with the wash. (I do a rinse first, then a full wash cycle…) Sometimes when i think about it I do a second rinse, but generally just a regular cycle with a bit of detergent and vinegar and everything comes out smelling like…well…clean…=)

By: Autumn Beck

Autumn Beck — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:30:31 +0000

Kim, I do think that inserts with microfiber need to be replaced after “a while”. The lifetime of a mf insert will vary depending on use but when it gets to the point you described it is time to chunk them. You’ve put in a LOT of time and effort trying to strip them, new inserts are well deserved!

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:55:41 +0000

I’ve used Fuzzi Bunz for 2 years now, and they have started to smell very strong every time my daughter pees in them. I’ve tried various stripping methods to get the stink out (that I learned from your Ultimate Guide, Autumn!). I’ve switched from Tide detergent to Country Save powdered detergent, because I’ve read that much of the smell of diapers has to do with leftover residue from detergents. I have washed both the pockets and inserts together, and I tried stripping them with Dawn liquid dish soap (washing them by hand in my bathtub as I have an HE machine), and I think the pockets improved, but the inserts did not. I’ve also tried sunning everything, but that didn’t seem to help. I have washed the inserts separately and stripped them with both vinegar and bleach. I have put them through the wash with no detergent for several washes just to get all of the soap out, but nothing seems to make them smell better. I am wondering if after a while, inserts just need to be replaced or if there is anything else I can try. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!

By: Amanda Muse

Amanda Muse — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:53:21 +0000

Yeah! I re-washed my pockets and AIO’s with Dawn. I don’t have a hot rinse cycle on my washer so I just did the 1st wash cycle with the Dawn and then did 2 extra hot wash cycles with no Dawn or detergent and made sure there were no bubbles. This time after taking them out of the dryer even my BG AIO’s smelled clean!! Thanks Autumn for the GREAT TIPS!