cloth diaper users??

Question

please only cd users answers only, eveyone else is wasting their time!!
i purchased some used cloth dipers from a "sorta friend". more like an aquantint. they have such a funky smell to them. they are bumkins and i only gave her 5$ a diaper. it smells like an animal. i just wanted to know if anyone might know what the smell might be from? i use bum genius diapers, swaddlebees, drybees, and the old fashion plastic pants, and i have never had a smell problem. mine dont have any smell. please help me find out what it could be, so i can clean it up??

can i put bleach in with my bumkins, they have patterns on them, i have gentle care bleach..

Answer 1

My son is cloth diapered and we have used many, many different brands and types but wash them all the same way. We also used both new and some used diapers purchased or given to us by friends. Like your situation some of us were... "not so like new" at first. I washed, washed and rewashed them and that helped some.

I found directions on stripping fuzzibunz and have since stripped all of our diapers about once every month or so. Many of our diapers still look like new and we have no trouble with staining or smell. I also try to line dry outside whenever possible. In the winter I even laid them inside in the window sill. Not sure if it helped, but it didn't hurt them any.
Here are the directions on stripping diapers and other common questions and answers:
http://www.fuzzibunz.com/faq.php#q6

I also found that some detergents leave buildup or something that causes the urine smell to not rinse out. This happened to us so I knew it was past time to strip.

You may have to strip the diapers several times in a row to get the smell out.

Also, never use bleach with cloth diapers. It can cause the material to break down and lessens the absorption. For really bad stains (aka "Oh look grandma put a dirty diaper in the diaper bag and we haven't looked in the bag for a week") I suggest using borax first then stripping.

Answer 2

Do NOT use bleach, whatever you do!

Hard to say what the smell is - except maybe they got a musty smell from being in storage?

I'd suggest soaking them overnight in 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water, then washing them in 1/2 cup of baking soda in the washing machine on HOT. And if possible, hang them in the sun to dry on a good hot, clear day. This should kill any smells.

I LOVE Swaddlebees! Haven't tried Bumkins - but this should work on them just fine.

Answer 3

might be from storing or just bad care....could also be build up from using bad soap...soak in viniger wash a few times with no soap and sun.. bleach is bad for the diapers and the waterproof coat on bumkins (expereance in bumins and bleach : (...i got used covers that smelled funky so i bleached them or should i say wreaked them... it like broke down the coating and it began rubbing off they only lasted a few weeks after that ) tea tree oil, grapefruit seed oil, and lavender oil are anti bacterial add a few drops to laundry or soaking bucket

Answer 4

they may have been washed or stored improperly. Wash with baking soda, add vinegar to the rinse water, do a 2nd risne and dry in the sun in open air. If the smell persists see iof you can take them to a dry cleaner, they may be able to treat them

I found my plastic pants would get a funky odor after many uses, but soaking them in a solution of 1/4 c bleach to 1 gal water would clear it up.

Answer 5

I had a controversy with the back, because of the fact my breastfed daughter basically pooped as quickly as each and every 10-12 days, and that i mandatory to tuck interior the back...it irrated her dermis somewhat yet notably much each and every thing does, so i'm specific you are able to tuck interior the front so it does not leak, and purely verify there isn't a gap between the diaper and the exterior or it may come out. i understand what you mean approximately those diapers nevertheless they're spectacular!!! We had to apply disposibles at night nevertheless whilst she started drowsing nevertheless because of the fact she would moist the comprehensive mattress if we did not...nonetheless now she fills up the disposable at night.

Answer 6

I don't think you will find out what it is. But you could do a good washing with bleach and then several other washing to get the bleach out and then see if they still smell. Or also that oxyclean works good too. But for bad smell as far as I know you have to use the strong stuff, and you want to make sure they are pretty clean to start using them on your baby.

Answer 7

they may have buildup get a bottle of sportswash from the hunting dept at walmart and it will take care of the problem add a little teatree oil tot he wash and dry them in the sun if possible. I wouldn't bleach them as it might eat at the fabric.

Answer 8

she obviously did not take the proper care of them and may have used them for cleaning or other uses. Call a diaper service and ask what they use as an antibacterial agent. Did you try a light bleaching followed by a normal wash with a gently detergent?