Can I tell you how much I love NOT smelling ammonia?

[aldermother]

Finally! I actually enjoy smelling my son's peed in diapers. Like a normal nutty pee smell, and not fierce eye burning ammonia anymore! I know that sounds crazy, but I am SO happy, and I am totally enjoying the smell. (Now for a way to enjoy the smell of the poo'd in ones? )

So I have battled with the ammonia issue for almost two years. I tried just about everything I could think of, and everything I read here. And I finally just resigned to bleach the diapers every wash. But I didn't want to have to, so I kept looking for a solution.

Here is what worked for me. I know other people don't have the battle with ammonia, but for those of you who do and are still looking for a solution...maybe this can help.

What I have:
1. Hard well water
2. Ancient top loader
3. Pocket diapers with PUL

What I do:
1. Spray poos with diaper sprayer
2. Dry hanging wetbag
3. Wash every third day

What I changed:
1. Switched from microfiber inserts to bamboo..with some bamboo blends.
I also have some minky. Just no more strictly microfiber. Mainly I now
stuff my pockets with Imagine bamboo flats, with a bamboo doubler
at night.
2. Went from Tide Free and Clear to Country Save. Country Save saved me!

My Wash routine:
1. Soak in machine for a minimum of an hour to overnight (whatever
time permits)
2. Finish this soak with a short agitation, cold rinse, no detergent or anything.
3. Hot long wash with Country Save detergent (2/3 scoop full), cold rinse.
(My machine only has one setting for length of wash, so I go in to reset the knob to make the agitation portion longer...30 minutes?)
4. Another short wash in warm with nothing added so all suds are gone. (I may change this to just an extra rinse soon)
5. Machine dry all inserts on high, line dry all PUL pockets.

I have not had any ammonia smell for weeks! I am so happy, and as I said, I actually enjoy sniffing the pee dipes...and I don't care if that's creepy

[c&w's mama]

there is nothing like finding your solution. and one you can live with!


we all smell diapers in many conditions

[dagmomma]

Lol gross but I smell them and go agh fresh pee

[aldermother]

Originally Posted by c&w's mama there is nothing like finding your solution. and one you can live with! we all smell diapers in many conditions

Now that I have the solution for us, I need another baby to diaper since this one just turned two! Hehehe.

[TrennaII]

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm glad I'm not the only one who had trouble with Tide and did well with Country Save, and it's good to hear of it working in hard well water.

[lalalion]

Yay! It is such a relief when pee just smells like pee!

[aldermother]

Originally Posted by TrennaII Thanks so much for sharing! I'm glad I'm not the only one who had trouble with Tide and did well with Country Save, and it's good to hear of it working in hard well water.

The Country Save managed to get out tons and tons of Tide build-up. I could not believe the amount of suds upon the first few washes. Rinsing at least 10 extra times!

[dagmomma]

What's in country save and those who use it do you add things to your wash

[wrensmom]

Thanks for sharing. I have to use bleach every load (with a&h sensitive detergent) and would love to stop. I tried country save a couple years ago and it seemed to work fine... I can't remember why I didn't continue? I think I wanted to use it for clothes too and was too lazy to dissolve it to use with cold water. I don't remember it being any better with my diapers, but I think I will try it again and maybe some soaks too!

[aldermother]

Originally Posted by dagmomma What's in country save and those who use it do you add things to your wash

Sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium percarbonate, sodium alkyl aryl sulfonate, linear alcohol ethoxylate

I don't add anything else now...just the detergent on the hot wash cycle.
If at some point I feel I need bleach, Country Save does have an oxygenated bleach I will look into.