the "A" word.

This post should be about my review of Country Save laundry detergent.  However, I am going to have to put that off until a later date.  I have had some major issues, with only 3 diapers, so I am unable to give an honest review of Country Save at this time.  So instead, I will share all about my battle, and how I've had to strip multiple times in just a few weeks.

For those who are new to my blog (welcome!), I did a review on the new (at the time) Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted diaper for overnight use.  I loved it!!  It seemed bulletproof.  But after only 1 short month of use, there were issues.  They never leaked, they were definitely great in that aspect.  Every morning when changing E, I was nearly knocked out by the strong smell of the dreaded "A" word......

Ammonia.

For an entire year of cloth diapering, I only once experienced this, after a brief affair with Tide Free & Gentle.  But one stripping and back to Tide original did the trick, no more stinky and leaky diapers.  I didn't even use anything special to strip them, just did multiple hot washes.  I knew my current ammonia problem was not caused by detergent build up.  After all, the Fab Duo's never leaked, even after all night.  And no other diapers, even the thick microfiber AIO's, smelled of ammonia.

In January, I tested EcoNuts Soap nuts.  Towards the end of that month, I started smelling ammonia every morning.  I suspected it was because the Eco Nuts just couldn't get the thick microfiber fitted clean enough, since the thick microfiber AIO's also had a faint ammonia smell.  I thought a good stripping would take care of it.

At the end of January, I soaked half of my clean stash in RLR Laundry Treatment. Then the entire next day I did hot wash after hot wash.  I think it was about 5 hot wash/cold rinse cycles (a few days later I did the other half of the stash in the same way).  I figured the diapers would have no more residue of any kind after this.  So I started my month long test of Country Save detergent.

For the first week or so, I could not smell any more ammonia.  Yay!!  But my joy did not last long.  This time it was only the Thirsties Duo Fab Fitteds.  Once the ammonia returned, I stripped the diapers again (all of them).  That only lasted one use.  After washing them again, I smelled the ammonia yet again.  Over the next couple of weeks, I tried multiple things to get rid of the stink

Adding white vinegar to the pre-rinse.

Adding an extra rinse, and even an extra hot wash.

Soaking in white vinegar.

Soaking in OxyClean.

Soaking in a white vinegar/OxyClean mixture.

Soaking only the Fab Duo's in boiling water.

Adding a little RLR to each wash.

I also bought Bac Out, and soaked them (and all of the other microfiber while I was at it, just in case) overnight.  I did this twice.  The inserts came out a brighter white!  But the Fab Duo's still had the stink.  This was the last straw.  I do not want high maitenance diapers.

Everyone told me to try a few drops of blue Dawn dish soap to strip.  And I was told to use Rockin Green's Funk Rock.  Or to spray them after each use with Bac Out prior to putting them in the diaper pail.  I know all the tricks, but I was tired of trying to get rid of ammonia that just did not want to stay away.  I even thought about ditching my detergent reviews and going back to Tide original.  But, I decided not to do that.  I figured if I was having problems with ALL of the diapers, not just these 3, then I would do that.  But it was only the 3 Fab Duo's that made a nice home for ammonia.

I'd had enough.  I am done with the Fab Duo's.  I am a little sad, though, since the diapers worked so well. 

In case you're wondering, I have an older top loader, not an HE machine. This is the first time I have ever had a problem with my wash routine in over a year of cloth diapering.

So for the last few nights E has been wearing a Thirsties Duo Diaper with an added bamboo/hemp gFlapper.  I only have 2 of those, and they are set aside for my husband to use (easy hook & loop).  So today I bought a Knickernappies OS Pocket, which includes 2 LoopyDo inserts (microfiber and hemp).  I hear amazing things about these LoopyDo inserts.  If this works, then E may have a new nighttime diaper. 

Next week, after getting back into a normal wash routine and stripping all of the diapers yet again, I will start my month long test of Rockin Green.  Without the Fab Duo's, I am hoping to be able to give an honest review.  I have another detergent planned for May, and will return to Country Save in June.

Go Nuts!

I'm continuing my detergent review.  Here is how I am testing each detergent on cloth diapers:

I will test each detergent for 1 month, unless I start having build-up and/or any other issues before that time.  In between testings, I will strip all of the diapers in RLR Laundry Treatment so there is no residue of the former detergent. 

I have an older top loader, with normal water.  I have a large range of types and brands of diapers, as well as a mixture of natural and synthetic materials.  My normal wash routine is: Cold rinse.  Long hot wash plus detergent, followed by one cold rinse.  I typically wash every 3 days.

I first reviewed Tide Original Powder, since that is what I used for a year before testing different detergents.  In that review is also a mini-review of Tide Free & Gentle.

Detergent #2 that I tested was EcoNuts soap nuts.  From the EcoNuts website:

"Eco Nuts™ are an EXTREMELY effective natural wild-crafted detergent with absolutely NO manmade chemicals, toxins or artificial perfumes or fragrances. This natural detergent leaves your laundry marvelously clean and  fresh. Eco Nuts™ are mild enough for delicate fabrics, wool and silks.  Eco Nuts™ are gentle enough for baby clothes but strong enough for cloth diapers. The quick biodegradability of Eco Nuts also make it ideal to use if you are on a septic or gray water system. Eco Nuts™ are hypoallergenic and great for those with sensitive skin, eczema, and psoriasis....All Eco Nuts™ packaging is 100% compostable or 100% recyclable, and 100% plastic-free."

I used Eco Nuts for one month exactly.  I followed my normal wash routine, but just threw in the bag of soap nuts instead of regular detergent.  I will admit, I was skeptical at first.  I even decided to do a couple of loads on my clothes before trying them on the diapers.  With a positive wash experience on the clothes, I tried them on a small load of diapers.  I was amazed at how clean they smelled!! 

Eco Nuts provides 2 small bags to put 4-6 Eco Nuts in, just toss one of the bags in the machine, and wash.  That's it.  I did have to remember to find the bag before transferring the diapers to the dryer (or to be line dried, depending on the diapers), but that was not a big deal.

While the diapers were clean, Eco Nuts did not remove stains very well.  Nearly all of the inserts are now stained.  I know sunning would take care of this, but with the freezes we had in the month I tested the soap nuts, that is not practical this time of year.  Sharni, owner of the Nappy Shoppe, told me she prefers Eco Nuts in the summer time when it's easy to sun the diapers.  This week will actually be a perfect time to sun the diapers.  Spring appears to be coming early!

Overall, I do like the Eco Nuts.  I think they are a great idea for babies with sensitive skin!  However, in the last 2 loads, I don't think the diapers came out as clean as they had been.  I started noticing a very strong ammonia smell.  I do not believe it is from detergent build-up, since these are not exactly a regular detergent.   I think the diapers (especially the fitteds he wears at night, which are very thick) were just not getting very clean.  It mostly effected the thicker diapers (fitteds and AIO's), and the synthetic materials.  I did not notice ammonia stink in the natural fiber diapers and inserts.  I am in the process of stripping the diapers to move on to my next detergent.

I would consider using Eco Nuts again on the diapers, knowing that I would most likely need to strip once a month, in addition to sunning more often than I normally do.  I will definitely keep using it on my clothes, and the boys clothes.  

The next detergent I am testing is Country Save.  

Tidal Wave

This is the first of several detergent reviews for cloth diaper laundry.  Stay tuned in the coming months for reviews on Lulu's in the Fluff, Rockin' Green, EcoNuts, and Country Save. 

First, I'll let you know how I'm testing.  I will test each detergent for 1 month, unless I start having build-up and/or any other issues before that time.  In between testings, I will strip all of the diapers in RLR Laundry Treatment so there is no residue of the former detergent.  My review of Tide original powder is a little different, though, since that is what I started with a year ago when we started CDing.  I will also review Tide Free & Gentle, since I used that for about a month recently. 

I have an older top loader, with normal water.  I have a mix of natural and synthetic materials.  My normal wash routine is: Cold rinse.  Long hot wash plus detergent, followed by one cold rinse.  I typically wash every 3 days.

I know, I know....Tide is NOT a recommended detergent for cloth diapers.  It has enzymes, brightners, dyes, fragrances...alll the bad stuff for cloth diapers.  However, when I was researching cloth diapers and what detergent to use, I had on overwhelming response suggesting Tide.  Somehow, despite all the bad ingredients, Tide worked for so many.  I wanted something cheap, that I could pick up at the store while doing my weekly grocery shopping.  My kids do not have sensitive skin, and I wasn't as concerned about using an all natural or organic detergent, so I decided to give it a try.

Not once did I deal with stink or repelling issues.  Well, the only time I ever smelled ammonia was after a long weekend trip where the dirty diapers went unwashed for 5 days.  But a soak in white vinegar, then the normal wash routine, plus one extra rinse, cleared it right up.   

With Tide, I use 1/2 the recommended amount, less if it's a smaller load.  Despite not having stink issues, I will add about 1/4 cup white vinegar to the pre-rinse to help keep the diapers (especially the natural fibers) soft and squishy.  Stains are never much of an issue, and they are very faint if there were any.  They sun out easily and quickly.  Maybe once every 4-5 weeks I will do a soak in Oxyclean if I felt they needed it, but I don't really think it's necessary.  I don't do this as often now that I'm not as paranoid about mild staining like I was in the beginning.  Tide worked so well that I started using it on all of our laundry.

A few months ago I decided on a whim to try Tide Free & Gentle.  Don't ask me why, I just wanted to try it.  At first, it was fine, and I didn't have any problems.  But after about a month, I noticed E's diapers were leaking often and I noticed a mild ammonia smell.  This can be a common problem with many free & clear detergents, though some have no problems.

As soon as I noticed a problem, I went to the store and bought Tide original.  I stripped the diapers by first doing a soak in white vinegar, then a hot wash with Tide original, and multiple hot washes after that.  No more stink or repelling issues.  Lesson learned.

What detergent to use is, in my opinion, the hardest thing to recommend for cloth diapers since there are so many factors. Detergent success depends on what washer and what type of water you have, as well as any skin sensitivities your child may have. This is why I suggest to do your research, then pick a detergent you think will work, and try it out. If it doesn't work, then try another. I know it seems daunting, but it's really not. I got lucky, and the first detergent I tried worked great!

In case you are new to the cloth diaper world, fabric softener of any kind (alone, in detergents, or dryer sheets) should never be used on cloth diapers.  It causes build up, which is the culprit behind stink and repelling issues.  As an alternative, white vinegar is a natural softener.  Using wool dryer balls (2-4) can not only soften clothes, but also cut down on drying time! 

In early March I will have my next detergent review, EcoNuts!  In the meantime, I will be reviewing several cloth diapers.