After seeing so many say Tide is what they use, I decided to give it a try. My diapers are generally 'okay' and only stink once Peanut has peed in them -- but, like Venusjems said, there was never a "oh, smells fresh" feeling just after the diapers were washed.

First impression -- Tide is stinky in and of itself! Well, perhaps stinky is the wrong word -- strongly perfumed. I've finally gotten the detergent into sealed containers to contain the perfume. But, the diapers did seem cleaner after that first wash (if a bit too aromatic). After the second wash, where I used much less detergent, no overwhelming perfume -- and they smell pretty good (as in clean). I figure I'll give it a month before declaring one way or another.

I'm also using a lot more of my cotton prefolds and homemade, cotton inserts. They just seem to wash clean better and easier than the microfiber inserts.

Here is what I love... No CD friendly detergents over here. I was sold ECOS baby by a CD manufacturer and it gave me repelling issues and a uggly ammonia burn sore:( and besides it costed 10 dls. I used a powder Mexican detergent Blanca Nieves (Snow White) and it is working. They smell ok. I know you can come to Mexico, but a friend that lives in Austin was able to get a big bag for 3dlls !! Funny right? Is a pink bag with a little girl handwashing (no related to snow white)

My wash routine will probably seem skimpy compared to some of these! I have a elc top load washer. I wet pail my prefolds/inserts and dry pail my covers. I use a homemade detergent (castile soap, baking soda and Oxy...no borax, no washing soda...should add I do not have hard water at all). I don't like commercial detergents, especially Tide because of 1,4-dioxane. I always start my load at night. I put them in and do a quick wash-cold 1 tbls. detergent-then refill-cold 1tbls detergent-and turn off to soak. Being pregnant I am always getting up through the night to go to the bathroom. On my first trip I will add a few drops of TTO (as a disinfectant) to the load and start letting it go through a full wash and rinse cycle while I go back to bed. On my second trip to the bathroom I reset and do a hot wash/cold rinse (but no detergent this time), so it's basically a hot rinse then cold rinse while I again go back to bed. Once every 4-5 washes I will use Dawn instead of my detergent to try to catch any buildup early. I line dry everything, unless it's raining in which case I will use the dryer for the prefolds/inserts but try to let the covers air dry as much as possible. I've not had any odor issues with this routine. The only thing I have that I'm not fully satisfied with this routine is my Thirsties Duo AIO.....they don't stink really, but I just don't like the way they smell. Everything else comes out with a fresh clean smell, but with the Thirsties it seems there is something lingering? Not a poo or ammonia smell either....it's hard to explain. They are soooooo thick though so I don't know if maybe they need an extra rinse or two? Hate to waste the water for that though as I have mostly prefolds and pockets. Anyways, that's my routine. the whole night washing thing is pretty much a matter of convenience/economy. Our electric rates are lower then so since I'm getting up so much anyways it only makes sense to go ahead and do it. Once I have the baby and she starts sleeping through the night I guess we'll go to all night presoaks and just wash in the mornings.

I have two different brands of diapers. One is Charlie Banana and the other is Just Simply Baby. I am so confused on how to go about washing them. The Just Simply Baby diapers instructions say to do a hot rinse first, but the Charlie Banana diapers say not to use above 104* F. There is a problem with our hot water in the apartment and I have the heater set at 140* to get a hot shower, but I don't know what temperature water is being used in the washer. How can I wash these together so I don't have to do two separate loads?

Autumn, I was wondering if you do a seperate cycle for your pre-wash or just add the pre-wash on to your wash cycle? Hopefully that makes sense! I have the same washer and have never used the pre-wash setting before washing diapers. I watched a video online of someone with a Samsung washer and they just put in vinegar in the pre-wash compartment and tide in the detergent compartment and then washed on Heavy Duty.