UGH! I knew it would happen. On Friday I packed a suitcase for my family of 6 to go stay overnight at my mother-in-law’s house for a family reunion on Saturday. I changed Sterling’s diaper and tossed it in the pail. Normally, I quickly walk away but this time I had a lingering thought…
“I shouldn’t leave these here for the next 24 hours because they’ll rot.” Alas, I shrugged off the little voice of wisdom and we all piled in the Suburban.
Fast forward 24 hours. Once unloaded I immediately remembered the diaper pail. The smell was nasty. It was that yummy mildewed dirt smell.
I washed them as I normally do thinking that maybe the bac-out and detergent will spruce things up. After the cycle finished I opened the lid and smelled “the smell”. Now any ordinary cloth diaper expert would rewash them because they were obviously NOT clean.
But no, I tossed them in the dryer…maybe it’s just my washer. Maybe the dryer will kill the smell. Seriously, I rationalize things like this. And they make no sense 
Okay, so you’re thinking “well surely when she opened the dryer and STILL smelled “the smell” she washed them again?!” No. I am no ordinary cloth diaper expert. Still being obstinate I actually took them inside and put one on Sterling.
I thought, “heck, I’ll get a use out of them, then bleach them.” I quickly (hmmm…don’t know that I could say common sense came about quickly here) realized how ignorant my “plan” was. While nursing Sterling “the smell” was killing me.
So, this is how I came to bleaching my cloth diapers. Another positive to using bleach is the missing stains on my sbish fitteds. Perfect timing as my mediums just came in today! and I’ll need to pass on the smalls.
Moral of the story: don’t leave cloth diapers in a tightly closed diaper pail to breed bacteria and fungi all because you chose to ignore that little voice!
I love this picture! I just found it actually. I had no idea I was being photographed while multi-tasking (talking on the phone, cleaning, and holding Sterling…you know typical mommy stuff).
I love the pure joy on Sterling’s face.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
What type of bleach do you use? Oxyclean? It is is safe to use on AIO like BG's?
CUTE photo!!! Ditto to the above question
I am currently battling “the smell” oxy clean didn't get rid of it. I'm scared to try bleach. BG says not to use vinegar. What shall I do?
I used regular Clorox bleach. Using bleach will negate almost all cloth diaper manufacturer warranties. Keep that in mind
The sun is amazing!
I wash every other day but the pail is often open or regularly opened. This particular pail was full and had already been sitting there 2 days. There were other components like the fact that we turned the AC up to 80 when we left, it was in a closet and the diapers were very squished together. Perfect place for things to grow
Hi, Markella! Congrats on the new baby! If you have any questions when he/she arrives just ask
*gag* no and i don't think i want to!
i added the other factors in another comment
I was getting a little worried there as mine sit in a pail overnight, but I understand now when you say that the lid wasn't opened and they were tightly squished. I'm so excited, we're buying a house and next month I can line dry! But I've never bleached my diapers and they are starting to seem just a bit stinky when he pees so next wash is going to be a super good wash. Whether I use bleach or just strip I'm not sure, but it's nice to know that there are those that do bleach!
A 'natural' bleach (though I love good, old-fashioned clorox!) is lemon juice (squeeze one!) and then sun…bleaches and smells divine! Old great-grandmother trick…if it is a smell AND stain, try lemon juice with salt (kosher is best) and sun. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it!
I have occassionally had the same problem w/ my fleece diapers and some of the fitteds we have. I wash religiously every 2 days, so I was baffled as to why 2-3 times I have had mold/mildew on the diapers. Not all of them in the bunch – just a few. Oxyclean did NOT take care of the problem for me. I put a towel into the pocket of the fleece diapers and blotted out the stains with a Q-tip and bleach. I haven't figured out what to do about the fitteds, which are colored and have several layers to them. Anyone have suggestions?
I know that “smell” all too well. When we were on vacation, we had a washer but a top loader and within a few weeks the diapers were unusable (I just couldnt get them clean!). I waited to get home with my HE, a new detergent and sunning my diapers.
I always wondered if my diapers were getting really clean. I read how moms would complain about smells but after that “smell” I definately know the difference! I LOVE the smell of clean diapers!!!
I never bleached my diapers, but the (hemp) inserts started getting a killer embedded stench. My mom asked how I wash them and was HORRIFIED that I didn't use bleach. She always bleached our diapers, and we each had exactly one day with diaper rash, the day before cutting the first tooth. Now I always bleach the inserts (I think repeated bleaching would destroy pockets; I only bleached the one I got secondhand, once). I always air them well (line dry), since chlorine evaporates
jc17……i bleach every once in a while. if you do this carefully, you can bleach colors. If not, look back at some of Autumn's other posts on washing. I have used all of her tips and find them helpful. Dawn works wonders.
We're currently living in Damp, Dark Europe right now. (sigh) I MISS Arizona & the sunshine, especially when it comes to my dipes. (Can you say fast drying, lol) We DO get sun here, but also lots of high winds & storms & & &…… I just miss being able to predict rain by knowing when Monsoon season is.
I “bleach” in order of most natural to most “Deadly, lol, if you get the drift!
Can I just say how HUGE Sterling has gotten?!? He's absolutely adorable!
<3 Thank you!
This went in the spam folder, so sorry! 90% of Sterling's diapers at the time were bamboo or cotton. But I do agree with you that in general the synthetics stink more often.