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How To Remove Buildup From Your Cloth Diapers

By Autumn Beck | June 18, 2008

Build-up in diapers can manifest in a number of ways, all of them unpleasant. If your diapers are leaking, stink of ammonia every morning or your baby has rashes then you have a build-up problem.

Here are a few products available that will remove the build-up in your diapers and restore them to their original functioning capacity. Follow the directions on the bottle as to when and how to add the additive.

RLR by Cadie: Not a bleach, blueing, or detergent. Removes dried-in mineral deposits and detergent residue from clothing. RLR can be purchased in some Walmart stores and online.

Bac-Out by BioKleen: Contains no phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, petroleum solvents, butyl, glycol ether, SLS, SLES, DEA, MEA. No known carcinogens, mutagens, or teratogens. No materials listed by the ACGIH as hazardous. “The safest and most advanced stain and odor eliminator on the market. Contains live enzyme cultures that attack organic waste and odors until they are gone. Removes stains and odors in carpets and washrooms. Gentle to skin. Biokleen.”

Laundry Ball (Water Deionizer): I love writing this blog! Every time I write I find a great product to try out. The Laundry Ball is my next purchase. To sum up the websites description, the Laundry Ball deionizes the water. Ionized water allows for dirt (poop) to be attracted and stay in the fabric. By deionizing the water and changing the charge of the water the dirt becomes attracted to the water therefore being released from the fabric. My favorite part of this product is that it will clean my washer. I have read a horror story or two about the buildup in our machines!

Sport-Wash: Sport-Wash rinses completely. Nothing is left on your clothing to clog the pores of your fabric. Cotton, wool, and synthetic materials and left completely clean. The total rinsability of Sport-Wash leaves nothing behind to smell, clog, or radiate UV glow from brighteners. Contains no phosphates, brighteners, or fragrances. Safe for sensitive skin. Sport-Wash eliminates the rash, redness, and irritation you’ve suffered through with other detergents. No more itchy, irritated skin. I purchased my Sport-Wash from Kroger. I have been happy with the performance of Sport-Wash.

Vinegar: In addition to being a great natural fabric softener, vinegar facilitates the release of build-up in your diapers. If you have hard water, the vinegar can combine with trace minerals in your water supply. This will cause your diapers to stink (um, that’s what we’re trying to fix!) to high heaven once peed on. In the case of hard water the other additives would be more advantageous. If you have normal to soft water use no more than 1/2 (I stick to 1/4) cup in your rinse cycle. The downy ball works great for this.

Since I have started using Crunchy Clean detergent my diapers have not had stink issues. In my case it is because of the soft water mixed with heavy detergents. This was a recipe for buildup.

If you are thinking that cloth diapering isn’t for you because of rashes, stink issues or leaks try these first. You’ll be surprised at how clean your diapers will feel and smell. I know I was.

Topics: washing |

9 Responses to “How To Remove Buildup From Your Cloth Diapers”

  1. Alysha Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 3:26 am

    I use bac out and I am very pleased! I also use their laundry soap. I really love their products! And our skin has not had any issues since switching about a year ago.

  2. Mese Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 11:49 am

    Hey, Autumn!

    Have you ordered your Laundry Ball yet? You interested in saving a buck or two and going together and buying 2?

    I’m really liking the Crunchy Clean, too.

  3. Diane Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    BacOut is a WONDERFUL product and it smells YUMMY.

    I liked SportWash for a while, but my guy developed a sensitivity too it, and I then found out that others had too…just be cautious when using it.

    And Crunchy Clean, lol, I had to get some too! So far we’ve been using ours almost a month and its FAB.U.LOUS. We’ve got hard water, and I think it might just be the answer to our prayers! Other thing worked, but not as well as this!

  4. M@ Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    Dry on the outside/damp on the inside diapers can often be confused with buildup problems, as the end result is the same - dipes that smell fine out of the dryer, but stink to high heaven once the kiddo wets in them. This is common on diapers that have built-up layers and/or are made of high absorbancy fabrics like hemp and bamboo.

    It’s yet another reason (greeness, frugalness) to line dry after a short cycle in the dryer: UV light from the sun is a disenfectant/bleaching agent, and the extended drying time dries clear to the core of the diper.

    We’ve not had stink issues (and I’ve not ’stripped’ the dipes) since I started line drying outside/rack drying over a vent indoors.

    Of course, a squirt or two of bacout goes into each wash, but I love the smell of limes ;-) I was doing this prior to solving the stink issues and it helped, but nothing was as effective as the sun!

  5. susie Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    Awesome list.. I wish I had a list like this when I had needed it! I have bookmarked your post for passing on to friends. Thanks!

  6. Autumn Beck Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 8:41 pm

    Thanks, Susie! I’m glad I wrote it too for my future reference! I find something new every time I do research.

  7. Shelby Says:
    June 23rd, 2008 at 5:27 am

    I was just curious…are any/all of these safe for an HE machine? I think I’d like to add one of these in our cycle, BEFORE we have problems. Thanks!

  8. Amanda Says:
    July 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

    I too am wondering if these are HE machine safe? I have a HE machine that is about a year old and do not want to cause problems with it.

  9. Autumn Beck Says:
    July 9th, 2008 at 2:58 am

    I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with an HE. Nothing comes out of it. But I would just send an email through the website asking to be sure.

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