The Stink. (bom-bom-boommmmmm!)
We had ammonia buildup and we had it bad. It's not just the solid foods poop that can cause stinky cloth diapers, ammonia can be a big stinky problem. I have a feeling - and I hate to blame Calgary* - but I have a feeling that the hard water we were washing diapers in at our apartment while we were there this summer was a big contributor to the problem.
So I tried all kinds of things:
- different detergents (less, more, etc)
- sunning the diapers and inserts (according to my husband, UV rays break down ammonia)
- rocking a soak overnight with Rockin' Green (btw, the scent I have is Rage Against the Raspberry and I can't smell a darn thing. I'm not talking about after the wash is done because I get that the scent is not meant to stick around. I mean, the soap doesn't even smell like anything. Huh??)
Aughhhhh, stink!
Finally, I tried the Blue Dawn solution that I'd read about online. I was hesitant to put dish detergent in my HE front loader but I just couldn't take the stink any longer. I was desperate. In Canada - at least where I am in Canada - you can find the original Blue Dawn at Dollarama. A teaspoon in a front loader's detergent drawer, a hot wash and several rinses later (until there are no suds), and - no stink!
YAY. So don't bother with the other stuff if you come across this problem. Don't hesitate and muck around like I did. Head straight to the dollar store, spend a buck on a bottle of Blue Dawn and get the stink out.
Unfortunately, poop is still stinky and there's not a whole heck of a lot you can do about that. I'm aiming to toilet train the moment she hits 18 months and has sphincter control.
Yes, I just talked about poop and sphincter control on my blog. I have become that blogger.
*despite my weird things about Calgary I and II posts, I developed a soft spot for the city and totally miss my friends there!! I'm not sure I miss the creepy giant rabbits though. just sayin'.
Blue Dawn is by friend for sure!!!!
ReplyDeleteRockin' Green doesn't smell, haha. I have tried a couple of their scents and yeah, nothing. I once snorted the powder by accident because I was trying so hard to detect a scent. It is good detergent though! Although we do free & clear Arm & Hammer mostly.
ReplyDeleteYou do NOT need to wait until 18 months to potty train! Look up my posts on elimination communication! Do you do it at all? We had about 90% success with poops until about 10 months when he got too busy to sit still. We still catch some, and almost always catch the first couple of pees each morning. I just pay attention to his usual schedule, or stick him on his potty if he gets extra still and quiet. ;) Next step we are trying to teach him to sign "potty" when he needs to go. But yeah, give it a try! Even if you put her on the potty first thing in the morning and she pees, that is one less ammonia-soaked diaper!
You should give soapnuts a try!
ReplyDeleteOoh, good call, Hyla. I have some, even.
ReplyDeleteWe do EC with Mia once in a while - I just bought her a training seat today for the toilet :) I still am on the lookout for a proper potty though - I want a clear one so I can be sure to cue her when she's going!
I've never seen a clear potty, but we got the Royal Stepstool (or as my boy calls it, "step tool" :)) Potty (http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2000&e=product&pid=38784) as a gift when my son was born. It's pretty cool because it plays music as soon as the two electrodes on the bottom get connected, i.e. when pee or poop lands in the potty, so that in itself was motivation for my boy to use it. Anyway, I've had a really good experience with this particular potty and would highly recommend it.
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