Talk to me about strippin' dipes

[mama2grace]

I'm not sure if I need to strip my dipes and how I would do that, if needed. A couple weeks ago, dd got a yucky rash- started out tiny little dots in small patches. They spread a little, and a couple even blistered. I tried lansinoh, weleda dipe cream, caldesen's powder, something else(can't remember). Nothing was working so I put her in 'sposies for about 5 days and it cleared up great. I put her back in cloth this past Monday and by Wed. she had a rash again. this time it looks different, like a red burn. She doesn't want me to touch it with a wipe or put cream on it. :( I should mention that I put a little bleach in the wash w/ her dipes after the first rash, but I did 2 rinses to get rid of any residue. Maybe that wasn't enough? I think I'll put her in 'sposies again until it clears.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Micah]

Few drops of tea tree oil in a super hot wash...then about 4 rinses in warm and watch for any sud bubbles, if they are still there, you have build up...if that doesn't help then I'd consider turning up the hot water heater just long enough to wash them twice in super duper hot water as there may be a bacteria issue.

[milkmommy]

My DD had lots of CD rashes untill I swiched to Allens, the second best was dreft...
To strip you basically just run a bunch of washes untill you don't see suds anymore in the rinse cycle, some vinagar added can help rinse out the soap, but hoestly it just takes time.. Its worth it though.

Deanna

[mama2grace]

I washed them again this evening with my usual routine- cold rinse, hot wash w/ detergent cap 1/3 full of Purex, downy ball not quite half full of vinegar, another cold rinse. They didn't smell great out of the dryer. I have some TTO, I'll rewash them tomorrow with that and look for suds.

Deanna- I saw in another thread that you used GSE on your dipes with success. How much did you use?

[milkmommy]

Deanna- I saw in another thread that you used GSE on your dipes with success. How much did you use?

I'm adding about 20-25 drops with the wash cycle. (I was doing it in the rinse but started getting leaky diapers as the oil caused repelling but no problems when added dirrectly to the wash.

Deanna

[ShangriLewis]

If I notice that I use some Calgon Water softner and do a bunch of hot washes. I don't get bubble usually because I use Bi-O-Kleen in a front loader. The water softner is a powder and I found it in the laundry isle.

Heather

[LauraK]

I used the method discussed here: http://www.happyheinys.com/web/info/careguide.php on some pockets.
Worked well for me.

[Havilah]

HOT water is the key for me. I mean HOT!

good luck!

[wuzzie]

Here's what I posted to another cd board I am on. Happy reading

It seems like a few people have been having problem lately with stinky dipes and hard water. IF you have hard water you really really need to strip your diapers. There are a few different ways to do this.

Why hard water affects your diapers. OK, to figure out how hard water affects your dipes, you need to understand how detergent works. It basically attaches its self to the gunk in your diapers and then helps pull the yuckies out. This is how all soap works. Which is why it is so important to rinse fully and get out all the water you possibly can from your dipes before drying them. Hard water has lots and lots of minerals in it. Those minerals attach to the detergent just like the yuckies in your dipes, but they make it very difficult to rinse out. They basically steal your detergent from the wash and then get stuck in the fibers. So you have 2 problems here, your detergent not cleaning properly AND not rinsing all the way out. Follow so far? Kay, now how to fix the problem.

The boiling method. This is what your Gramma used to do with her diapers and is not to be done if there are snaps, velcro, PUL, wool or fleece on your diapers. Basically just prefolds or contours. Get a big pot and boil your diapers. (No detergent or any additives, just water) It will help "melt" the detergent out of your diapers. It will also kill any bacteria you have in your dipes. You will know it's working if you get a layer of gunk on the top of the water.

The RLR method. These are little balls of diaper miracle cure (just kidding!) It is available of those stips in the detergent isle of WalMart (I have never seen it anywhere else) They are about 1-2 bucks for a pack of 2. Buy at least 3 packs. You are going to wash your diapers once with detergent and a ball of this and then at LEAST 5 more times with no detergent and a pack of this. This hslps the minerals to dislodge from your diaper fabric. Try to do this at someones elses house. somewhere that doesn't have hard water. I do it at my parents or the laundromat. You will probably need to do this about once a month. Whenever you notice your dipes getting wiff. Also, add one of those little balls about once ever 1-2 weeks.

The Calgon method. Some as above, seems to work a bit better for me personally.

The bleach method. This is going to be the least well recieved, but works the best. Wash your dipes once with 1/4 of a cup of cheap bleach. About half that for the clorox stuff. Your dipes will smell like bleach when the wash is done, if it doesn't, you didn't use enough. Do another wash without adding anything to make sure you rinse it all out. Then use your diapers. You will be amazed at the fact that the pee DOES NOT SMELL. After that, as maintanance, add about one tablespoon to a wash once a week or every other week, whatever works best for yur dipes. This does not work with oxygen bleach. Just chlorine

The bac-out method. THE most expensive way to keep your dipes stink free, but works and doesn't hurt the dipes or the environment, after using one of the above methods to strip your dipes, squirt bac out on each one on the soiled area before tossing it in the pail. Works great for poo stains too. BioKleens oxygen bleach works well on poo stains too applied directly to the stain and left to sit a bit, but doesn't rinse out well with hard water. The bac-out (same company) does.

Solutions for soft water....Not enough minerals sometimes don't "activate" the detergent enough. In that case, don't add more detergent, add a bit of borax or baking soda. Borax also works for me to soften the water too. Go figure.

I have never had good luck with adding vinagar in the rinse, though some have. I can't advise on this

OK, class dismissed. I hope you all learned something.
Cathie

[mama2grace]

Thanks for all the tips. Wow, Cathie, you know a lot about washing cd's and hard water. That was a lot of great info. :highfive

I re-washed a load from the dryer the other day with about 50 drops of TTO and no detergent. Her rash is almost completey gone, and the dipes smelled much better when they came out of the dryer.

[This Busy Mom]

All our fleece (mostly clothes the baby wears...not even dipes) started getting stinky for some reason :shrug here recently. I have been using a bit of liquid dishwasher detergent in my loads and it seems to be working well. No more stinkies.

[wuzzie]

All our fleece (mostly clothes the baby wears...not even dipes) started getting stinky for some reason :shrug here recently. I have been using a bit of liquid dishwasher detergent in my loads and it seems to be working well. No more stinkies.
That's because synthetic fibers hold onto smells very well. They attach to the plastic and the fiber isn't water permable, so it's hard to wash out. The dish soap seems like a ggod idea. Makes sence, ya know?

[LauraK]

I read the dish soap idea as well for hard water.
Washing Method for Hard (Mineral Rich) Water

Wash on cold. This step may be omitted if you are not worried about stains, or have no poopy cloth dipers that are likely to stain.

Wash on hot (at least 130 degrees) with a regular detergent at half strength and squirt of a degreasing liquid dish detergent (dawn or simple green are best).

Dry on Warm or hot in the dryer, or line dry.
Do not use any vinegar or baking soda or other laundry additives if you have hard water, and do not presoak.
from the little lambs web site.

[madeleine]

Does anyone know if RLR is available anywhere other than Walmart. I went there last night, all excited and hoping this would help my dipes..but they don't me they don't carry it and never have. AH!!! I know zannadu.com sells them..just hoping to not have to buy them online.

[ShangriLewis]

I tried a few drops of dishsoap and it worked great! I'll be using that to strip my diapers from now on.

[madeleine]

RLR fixed my problems!!

[Happygrl]

A friend of mine strips her diapers in her dishwasher! She puts them in the top rack and lays them as flat as she can. She has tried a variety of ways to strip the dipes and found this one to be the best.

[Naked Camper]

Okay, I know this seems like a dumb question that I should know the answer to - but the bleach method - if I use a 1/4 cup of bleach in the water, will that cause the colors of my dipes to fade or change color? I've always avoided bleach unless it was for white-whites and have never tried to put it in with anything colored. My dipes smell ripe :sick2 I HAVE to do something!! I'll boil the prefolds, but we've got several covers and pocket dipes that need some help. Oh, will boiling hurt microfiber :scratch

Oh, we've got soft water - since that seems to make a difference in this converstion :)

[happyhousewife]

Thank you so much for this thread. I have had to reference it several times. :banghead I appreciate it so much!! :)

[diamondintherough]

Okay, I know this seems like a dumb question that I should know the answer to - but the bleach method - if I use a 1/4 cup of bleach in the water, will that cause the colors of my dipes to fade or change color? I've always avoided bleach unless it was for white-whites and have never tried to put it in with anything colored. My dipes smell ripe :sick2 I HAVE to do something!! I'll boil the prefolds, but we've got several covers and pocket dipes that need some help. Oh, will boiling hurt microfiber :scratch

Oh, we've got soft water - since that seems to make a difference in this converstion :)


Yes, boiling will hurt your pockets. It's not so much the microfiber, but the snaps. Snaps are only supposed to go into wash water that is not too hot (not sure what temp that is, but that's the word on the street.). Someone advised me to wash my fleece separately from my other dipes because of build-up. She told me that she keeps some regular Tide on hand just for washing fleece so it doesn't lose it's absorbancy and she uses organic soap for the rest of the stuff.

You'd be better off to wash the covers and pockets with one of the above methods and boil your prefolds. :rockon

[milkmommy]

Because of DD extreme skin issues which causes her to breakout in horrid rashes with the tinest amount of bacteria and after trying ALL other ways we did learn that for us bleach was best.. And I HATE bleach. :shrug we use very little around a tablespoon per large load a 1.4 cup in my opnion is overkill.
SOme of my colored kissaluvs faded but realy that was it. Oh and incidently my covers and what pockets and all my AIOs STOPPED leaking :hunh seriously all my CD isssues diapeared if I went more than oh two washes without the bleach DD got icky rashes again and everything started to leak.. :scratch

Deanna

[Blue Aurora]

I recently tried the dishwasher method and it's awesome. I put all my pul on the top and the inserts and fleece on the bottom threaded through the spokes. I had stripped them using dawn in the washer machine and there weren't any bubbles anymore but I got TONS more bubbles in the dishwasher. I ran it about 6x and still had some bubbles but I was out of time for the day. I've also had suggested if you're stripping in the washer machine take your 4 biggest pots and fill them with water on the stove and add that boiling water to the washer machine to help the water get hot enough.

[milkmommy]

just be carefull adding water to your washer it can mess up the machine.. Ask how I know :blush

Deanna

[growingmommy]

Ok, I've boiled inserts (seemed to help, but takes forever), I've used TTO w/ charlies soap, used 150 degree water, rinsed rinsed rinsed... wash wash wash, i used a small bit (about 2 tbls) of bleach w/charlies soap, then in rinse around 6 drop grapefruit EO.... my youngest has peed in hers and the ammonia smell is back. I don't know what to do anymore, I'm pretty sure I don't have hard water because I get suds pretty easily... I'm getting frustrated and don't know what to do anymore... I don't have a dishwasher either... any suggestions? Oh btw i did NOT boil the pockets, just the inserts.

[Soliloquy]

I just stripped my microfiber inserts & CPFs in the dishwasher and it worked GREAT! I took clean inserts and arranged them in the dishwasher. I ran two sanitary cycles (no detergent) unless I couldn't smell ammonia when I opened the door. Now my microfiber doesn't stink anymore and no more rashes on Simon's chunky bum!

My new wash routine now includes turning the water heater up as high as it will go about half an hour before I wash dipes. The water is REALLY hot when I do my hot wash (I do a cold soak w/ no detergent first) and I haven't had to re-strip since. :tu

[peacefulveganmom]

How can I tell whether I have hard or soft water?? :think Any tricks or tips?

[Soliloquy]

How can I tell whether I have hard or soft water?? :think Any tricks or tips?


If you have municipal water you can call your water utility and they can tell you how hard you water is. If you have well water or you don't want to call, you can look at your shower--are there water spots that are hard to clean off? Is it hard to work up a lather when you bathe? If yes, then your water is pretty hard.

[peacefulveganmom]

Okay, Lisa. :rockon THANKS Looks like I do have hard water.

[bananacake]

The bleach method. This is going to be the least well recieved, but works the best. Wash your dipes once with 1/4 of a cup of cheap bleach. About half that for the clorox stuff. Your dipes will smell like bleach when the wash is done, if it doesn't, you didn't use enough. Do another wash without adding anything to make sure you rinse it all out. Then use your diapers. You will be amazed at the fact that the pee DOES NOT SMELL. After that, as maintanance, add about one tablespoon to a wash once a week or every other week, whatever works best for yur dipes. This does not work with oxygen bleach. Just chlorine


Is this just for the prefolds or the covers too?

[bananacake]

The bleach method. This is going to be the least well recieved, but works the best. Wash your dipes once with 1/4 of a cup of cheap bleach. About half that for the clorox stuff. Your dipes will smell like bleach when the wash is done, if it doesn't, you didn't use enough. Do another wash without adding anything to make sure you rinse it all out. Then use your diapers. You will be amazed at the fact that the pee DOES NOT SMELL. After that, as maintanance, add about one tablespoon to a wash once a week or every other week, whatever works best for yur dipes. This does not work with oxygen bleach. Just chlorine


Is this just for the prefolds or the covers too?

[Naked Camper]

I wanted to add in here that I was speaking with the owner of a local cloth diaper store and he was talking with his brother who's into chemistry. What he had said needed to be done to get rid of ammonia smell in diapers is to boil baking soda in water (before adding dipes). I guess when baking soda gets hot enough it changes the chemical structure of it to a chemical that then neutralizes the ammonia. You know you have enough baking soda when you put your finger in the water (before it's boiling :wink) and it feels like soap on your finger. Then add your diapers after it's boiling (you can cool it a little before adding dipes). Soak your diapers for awhile and then throw in the wash for a regular wash.

:shrug I haven't tried it, but the owner of the CD store swears it works.

[Naked Camper]

I wanted to add in here that I was speaking with the owner of a local cloth diaper store and he was talking with his brother who's into chemistry. What he had said needed to be done to get rid of ammonia smell in diapers is to boil baking soda in water (before adding dipes). I guess when baking soda gets hot enough it changes the chemical structure of it to a chemical that then neutralizes the ammonia. You know you have enough baking soda when you put your finger in the water (before it's boiling :wink) and it feels like soap on your finger. Then add your diapers after it's boiling (you can cool it a little before adding dipes). Soak your diapers for awhile and then throw in the wash for a regular wash.

:shrug I haven't tried it, but the owner of the CD store swears it works.

[Shrewsburys Whimsy]

I have a couple basic questions because I'm really confused. My water is super hard and my dipes stink like ammonia and are leaving chemical burn on DS. So...

1. To neutralize the hard water, do I add baking soda or vinegar? I've heard both and am totally confused about the whole base, acid, chemistry thing.

2. When rinsing with super hot water, do I add the Calgon to each rinse cycle to keep the minerals from clinging to my dipes or do I rinse with just the water to make sure the Calgon is rinsed out? (Can you tell I am SO CONFUSED?!?!)

3. Several others have asked this but I haven't read a clear answer yet: Will chlorine bleach cause my pocket dipes to change color (Fuzzi Bunz and Pocket Change)?