I've never even considered the idea
of detergent building up on towels, but it makes perfect sense.
Stink is listed in this blog as a possible result
of detergent build up.
You use the example
of your detergent built up clothing not needing to be absorbent, but you probably rely on your towels, wash cloths, and cleaning rags to be, right?
Myth
of Detergent Build up 2.)
Not exact matches
If your diapers smell
of ammonia from
detergent build up you should strip them before putting them back on your baby.
After doing a lot
of research, I've concluded that my little one's rash is from
detergent build -
up or ammonia burns.
I did some research and realized the moms who didn't like Tide complained
of chemical burn and
detergent build up.
Detergent build up is when your are using too much detergent and it is not rinsing completely out of the
Detergent build up is when your are using too much
detergent and it is not rinsing completely out of the
detergent and it is not rinsing completely out
of the diapers.
There are two main types
of diaper stink - diapers that aren't clean enough and
detergent build up.
If you are using too little
detergent to release this soil, you will then get a microscopic
build up of oils on the surface
of the fabric eventually causing it to repel or stink.
Best to avoid oily
build up by using enough
detergent to release oils from synthetics and enough rinsing / water to get rid
of all
detergent / soils left behind in the wash cycle.
If you notice a
build -
up of residue on your diapers or your diapers are not as absorbent AND YOU HAVE NOT been using fabric softener sheets in the dryer or any
detergent with fabric softeners
built - in, temporarily cease your use
of vinegar.
Most sources suggest washing with less than the recommended amount
of detergent, to avoid
detergent build up on your diapers.
Over time, even with number
of washes, the residue
build -
up whether it's the
detergent that wasn't rinsed off properly, fragrance, optical brigtheners, bacteria growth or anything that left behind accumulate enough for the smell to come back.
Cloth Diapers typically get dingy and gray because
of detergent residue, dirt, and water mineral deposits that
build -
up on the diaper fabric.
When shopping for laundry
detergent, it can also be difficult to determine what ingredients are present that may be potential irritants, since some ingredients are considered «trade secrets,» some ingredients cause problems when they
build up over time, some chemicals are the product
of a chemical reactions from the ingredients, and some harmful ingredients are known by different names.
The use
of most baby and natural oil based
detergent formulas will leave a waxy
build -
up that will cause the diapers to repel liquid and no longer work.
Most
of the regular laundry
detergents you find at the store have additives that can
build up on cloth diapers or cause other problems, particularly if your diapers aren't rinsed well enough.
Stripping cloth diapers is the process
of removing oils and
build -
up left behind by diaper creams, softeners,
detergent and possibly urine.
To remove fabric softener
build -
up from diaper (and towels), use the hottest wash water recommended for your diapers, along with a clean rinsing, scent free
detergent (Tide, All, and Purex are all fine, but Charlie's Soap and Rockin» Green are great if you can afford them) and 1/2 a cup (150 grams)
of baking soda.
If you are stripping your cloth diapers because they are no longer absorbing because
of detergent build -
up, it is not a good idea to soak them in
detergent for a few hours.
However, if
detergent build -
up was not your problem and your diapers are still not absorbing (and / or stinks), you may need an alternative method
of stripping — see Alternative Stripping Methods below.
I tried the retailers ways and my diapers reeked and I tried the cloth store I visited out
of towns advice and got soap
build up because they told me to use actual soaps (charlies) and not
detergent.
We recommend choosing a
detergent we sell, because they are free
of enzymes, phosphates, optical brighteners & any other additives that can cause
build -
up issues in your diapers.
Home made
detergents are made
up of boosters, water softeners and soap, soap will cause
build up on diapers and cause repelling, diapers to leak and rashes to form.
(If you haven't noticed, I'm not a fan
of perfumes in
detergent — it can mask diaper odor and lead to
build up because you haven't noticed that the diapers stink!)
Tide can also lead to
build up in your diapers, though this can be avoided with proper rinsing and using the right amount
of detergent per load.
What does it mean to Strip my Cloth Diapers Stripping cloth diapers is the process
of removing oils and
build -
up left behind by diaper creams, softeners,
detergent and possibly urine.
And if you need to strip your diapers because
of buildup, what is
building up if not
detergent?
Build -
up assumes that the substance increases in the fabric over time, such that with each consecutive washing
of the fabric more
detergent would be added to the fabric than was on the fabric before.
For some reason, the CD community has everyone convinced it's better to use barely enough
detergent (or a very weak one) to clean a pair
of socks, let alone a whole load
of diapers with urine and feces in them, than to encounter the «
detergent build up» boogeyman, which is physically impossible unless you have a huge imbalance
of detergent - water ratio.
If you've been cloth diapering for any amount
of time, you've heard talk
of «stripping» diapers to remove
built -
up detergent residue and other deposits from the fibers.
Then I went even further and looked into BumGenius, Applecheeks, AMP, Rumparooz, Bummis etc... All
of these companies AGREE that
detergent can
build up and cause repelling problems along with stink issues.
Over-dosing on
detergent also produces
build up and is the single most common cause
of leaking problems as it will leave residue causing your diapers to possibly leak, or leave baby with a rash.
You would think, at least, that a
build -
up of detergent would smell clean, right?
Inside he found a mess
of calcified
detergent build -
up that was clogging our pipes.
As to Free and Clear
detergents causing
build up, I think this really only applies to pocket diapers because they are made with microfiber instead
of cotton.
Avoid
detergents that use actual soap, made from fats (the home - made
detergents that use Ivory soap bars fall in this category, as do a lot
of other natural
detergents)-- these
build -
up significantly on your diapers.
If you suspect
detergent residue or
build -
up to be the culprit
of your leaks, odors, rashes, etc. than try stripping your diapers.
(If deemed necessary, you can also add a couple
of drops
of Dawn dish
detergent to help get rid
of oily
build -
ups or you can also add a 1/2 cup
of baking soda to help neutralize and eliminate any odors).
Stripping simply means removing the
detergent, rash cream, ammonia crystals, minerals or other yuckies that have
built up over months
of using and washing your cloth diapers.
(The way it works: Six automatic window - washing machines run on tracks on the outside
of the
building, spraying the
building with water and
detergent, brushing the windows and the aluminum skin, and then vacuuming
up the water, filtering and reusing the water as it goes.)
Free from any flourides, added
detergents, or synthetic colors or flavors, a spray
of this type used on a regular basis can stop tartar
build -
up before it starts by killing off the bad disease - causing bacteria with added pro-biotics.
If you use any type
of detergent to clean your tiles, the residue can
build up over time.