Cloth diapers are a wonderful alternative to disposable diapers, especially in terms of sustainability and health. However, as with other clothing items, there are a few things to keep in mind when using cloth diapers to ensure they remain leak-proof and odor-free even after weeks, months, and years.
If your cloth diapers smell unpleasant - for example, if they come out of the wash smelling bad or start to smell as soon as they come into contact with water or urine (recognizable by a very pungent odor), there are several reasons and ways to deal with it.
Possible reasons for smelly cloth diapers
If cloth diapers suddenly smell, it's usually because bacteria have accumulated that weren't properly removed. You might be familiar with this from towels, which sometimes just suddenly start to smell, no matter how often you wash them. The first step is to find the cause of the smelly diapers so that the problem doesn't occur again in the future.
Incorrect storage
Cloth diapers are usually stored in wet bags . To minimize bacterial growth, diapers should be stored as dry and cool as possible. This means that the wet bag should only be used for used diapers and not for, for example, damp or soaking wet washcloths. A separate wet bag can be used for wet (water, not urine) fabrics. If you are using Lybbie diapers , it is advisable to pull the absorbent core out of the diaper using the tab.
It's also important that some air can circulate around the diapers, which is why you should never seal the wet bag airtight. Don't worry, the diapers won't smell if stored correctly.
All diaper laundry should not be left for more than 4 days before washing. However, if you have a problem with smelly diapers, we recommend 2 days.
Too much detergent
Many people remember the old adage "more is better" when washing cloth diapers and add more detergent to the washing machine. Unfortunately, this leaves residue in the diaper, which exacerbates the problem of smelly diapers instead of solving it.
Incidentally, this applies not only to cloth diapers but to all laundry: if you use too much detergent, it builds up in the clothes, making them stiff and uncomfortable and leaving stains. The washing machine itself can also be affected by too much detergent, as deposits can form there as well, leading to a smelly washing machine.
For this reason, detergent should be used in a reduced amount to ensure optimal cleaning. It is advisable to follow the manufacturer's recommendations and, if necessary, even reduce them further for cloth diapers.
The washing machine is not cleaned regularly.
Washing machines remove all sorts of dirt, grease, viruses, bacteria, and so on from our laundry. Although washing machines clean clothes, it's also a good idea to clean the washing machine itself from time to time. It's a bit like using a cleaning cloth. You wash it with soap and water, but it still gets dirty. That's why it needs to be cleaned after use. If the washing machine isn't cleaned regularly, residues, grease, dirt, or germs often build up, eventually causing the laundry to smell. Therefore, every washing machine should be cleaned once a month.
Remedy for smelly cloth diapers
Smelly cloth diapers usually contain too many bacteria, which must be removed first. Afterward, your storage and washing habits should be adjusted to prevent further bacterial growth. But how do you proceed? Once you've identified the cause of the smelly cloth diapers, it's important to address and correct it. Here are some tips:
Store diapers in a dry, cool place.
Where is the wet bag located, and what else goes into it? If it's lying on the warm underfloor heating in the bathroom, it should be hung up using the handy loop. If it's right next to the radiator, it should be moved to a different spot.
Many parents who use cloth diapers also use washcloths to clean their baby's bottom. These are often soaked in water and placed in the same wet bag. However, when urine comes into contact with water, the urea decomposes and quickly turns into ammonia – exactly that pungent, acrid smell that probably led you to this article. It's a good idea to buy a second wet bag so that diapers and washcloths can be stored separately.
Wash diapers more frequently
Diapers should be washed at least every four days. However, if you have a problem with smelly diapers, you should change your washing routine and wash them every two days for the time being. This is especially important if the environment where the wet bag contains the cloth diapers is rather warm. This way, germs can be reduced early on.
Cleaning the washing machine
The next step is a thorough cleaning of the washing machine. Most washing machines should be cleaned monthly to remove residue and limescale. So, to clean your washing machine after using smelly cloth diapers, you can use your regular washing machine cleaning cycle. If you've never done this before, here are a few steps:
Water and residue tend to collect on the rubber door seal, which can lead to unpleasant odors. This rubber seal should therefore be cleaned occasionally. Use water with citric acid or a mixture of vinegar essence and water, and clean the rubber with a cloth.
The detergent dispenser tends to accumulate various detergent residues and sometimes even mold. Therefore, it should be removed from the washing machine and cleaned. Vinegar is effective for removing limescale deposits. A stiff brush is helpful for this.
The washing machine drum is the next important step: using special washing machine cleaners that you add to the drum, you can clean the inside of the washing machine with a wash cycle. A descaler, added to the washing machine occasionally, can also provide quick and effective relief from deposits inside the machine.
After washing smelly laundry or cloth diapers, it's a good idea to run an empty 90-degree cycle in the washing machine. For this cleaning cycle, the drum remains empty and no detergent is added.
In addition, the washing machine door and the detergent dispenser should always be left slightly open, otherwise deposits and mold can form inside.
Powder detergent is also significantly better for clothes, cloth diapers, and the washing machine than liquid detergent.
Washing diapers without detergent
Although it may sound counterintuitive, it can be helpful to wash clean diapers once completely without detergent. This makes it easy to remove any residue from excess detergent.
Use oxygen bleach or washing soda
Generally, a heavy-duty detergent containing oxygen bleach is used for cloth diapers. However, if the diapers smell, a spoonful of washing soda or oxygen bleach can be added to the wash. Some people briefly rinse the smelly diapers in very warm water and then soak them for half an hour in warm water (around 60 degrees Celsius) with a tablespoon of oxygen bleach or washing soda. Afterward, they are rinsed briefly and then placed in the washing machine.
Use hygiene rinse
In very, very rare cases, you should use a sensitive hygiene rinse. This rinse destroys all germs when used with cloth diapers, but it can also damage the PUL layer of the diaper, causing it to become permeable to water over time. It's also possible that the hygiene rinse won't rinse out completely and could then irritate delicate baby skin. In this case, you should wash the diapers a few more times before using them again.
Conclusion
We hope these tips help you find the right washing routine and get rid of smelly diapers. Once you've found a good routine, the rest of your laundry will thank you too.
