There’s a dirty little secret some cloth diaper bloggers don’t tell you, probably because we’re supposed to have all the answers for you. Ready for it?
Sometimes, we…
use…
Tide.
That’s right. After all the time we spend experimenting with additive-free, cloth-diaper-friendly, expensive detergents, sometimes the only way we can fix stink issues is to resort to a non-eco-friendly detergent that causes build-up and leaks.
How does that make any sense? After all, Tide’s softeners and brighteners and whatsits really will cause problems for your diapers if you use them too often. However, I have heard from more than one cloth diaper blogger that after long-term diapering, Tide was the only detergent that seemed to get their diapers clean. We seem to have a bit of a paradox here: Tide causes build-up, but Tide removes build-up. Hmm.
I have tried all sorts of detergents, and I can attest to the fact that eventually that takes a toll. Maybe if I had stuck with Allen’s Naturally from the beginning I never would have discovered what diaper stink problems were in the first place, but after trying over a half dozen different brands and formulas–everything from soap nuts to homemade powder mixtures to nearly all the liquid detergents on the market–my diapers just never would get clean no matter how many times I stripped them or ran them through the wash. I finally resorted to the old bottle of Tide that sat on my washer from pre-diapering days, and within one load, my diapers quit stinking. (Note this was a pervasive poopy unclean stink, not an ammonia problem or fishy bacteria build-up, which are different.)
So, I still highly recommend using a cloth-diaper-friendly detergent like Rockin’ Green or Allen’s Naturally, but if you have done too many crazy things to your diapers or you think they are just reaching the end of their days due to stink, try a bit of Tide to strip them of the yuck. If you use it too often you will coat your diapers and washer with detergent residue, which will cause your diapers to start repelling instead of absorbing moisture, but if you run an occasional wash with Tide, the harsher (and, again, NON-eco-friendly) detergents may be just the ticket to bring your stash back in balance. And no, the scent is not just covering up the stink. This really made a difference, and I credit the harsher detergent ingredients, which are anything but natural.
Okay, bring on the comments. I’m ready for anything.
I use Sun Free & Clear on my diapers…and they never stink
It’s a more natural laundry soap that is inexpensive and can actually be found in regular stores.
I think its ok to use Tide every once in a while if you need to! Using cloth diapers saves so many diapers from the land fill that the occasional use of Tide isn’t a big deal in the big picture! So happy you found something that works for you!
LOL, some people use bleach, too! I use RnG, but only from sales. I think a lot of the hype about “CD-safe” detergent is just that- hype. What did people do BEFORE CD-safe detergent?? They used what they had, or just straight up vinegar and hot water.
How much tide do you use? I am going to give it a try.
I resort to tide sometimes too. I have cloth diapered three babies and sometimes its the best solution. I just use it once in awhile like when they start to look and smell dirty or just don’t seem clean. Then I rinse a few times and they are good to go. Another thing I use is the BG odor remover spray. It works so well for that toddler pee. I spray the diapers before I put them in the pail only when they start to stink and wash as normal. They come out fresh again! You have to do what works for you.
I first heard of the idea of using Tide from Doable Diapers. I was having issues with stink after exclusively using Rockin Green for 6 months. I had read over and over again not to use Tide on diapers and then here was someone I trusted telling me to use it. So I tried it. I washed once in Tide with several rinses and the stink was gone. It was kind of like a little miracle. I could not believe it. It definitely worked.
I thought your little secret was going to be that every now and then you use a disposable diaper. because I do. There are days when I’m tired of struggling to find a good fit on my growing 3 month old, the velcro OS leak from the hip area, the snaps leave red marks. But the disposable barely contain his poo-plosions or his super soaking stream, so I can’t win. But glad to hear about the tide. I have a bottle of it that I haven’t touched since I got my awesome Black Friday deal on Rockin’ Green. I’m glad I never used it on my regular laundry just because I have it.
I’ve heard Tide is great to get rid of stinkies, or is just okay to use normally, just use less per load. I’m definitely okay trying it, especially since my stash seems to sit longer between washes since I only use cloth for naps and night now. Hmmmmm, I think THIS might be my solution!!! lol
What can you do about the ammonia smell? Er, I only use harsh chemicals, maybe too much? This is bad.
I use about 1-2 T of Tide, just enough to nearly cover the bottom of my front loader’s detergent dispenser. It’s slightly less than the 1/4 ounce recommended by Allens Naturally. I put Tide in with a warm wash and two rinses to get things going, then I use Allen’s Naturally on a hot wash with double rinse cycle to finish things off, and if they still don’t smell clean (usually this happens if it was a poopy load) I put them back in for a hot wash with no detergent.
I do when I travel, Krystina, but we were happy with our prefolds and covers so that’s our go-to diaper–better than disposables for leak protection and for preventing rashes. However, we’re attempting potty training now, so if I run out of diapers, she just has to wear training pants or panties.
Hi Jenni,
The only thing I found to help ammonia was to wash my diapers more often. For me it wasn’t so much about soaking them (though soaking them overnight in Rockin’ Green’s Funk Rock may help) as it was about getting the pee out before it turned yucky.
*palm hits forehead* I have been cloth diapering for 3.5 years and I didn’t even think about the “pervasive poopy unclean stink” being build up! We are experiencing that right now. A few months ago we started using homemade soap on our diapers. I thought the recent smell was because we were not adding enough to get them clean. OK… since you confessed, I should fess up that I’ve secretly been blaming my husband since he is the one that usually starts CD laundry lol. When we used commercial CD-friendly detergents, the ammonia smell was my clue that I had build up. I tried to get rid of this newest stink by using my normal stripping method when adding more soap didn’t seem to do the trick. Hopefully a few loads using Purex F&C or Ecos F&C will do the trick because I don’t have any Tide. Thanks for providing me with an “aha!” moment!
Confession: I too have used Tide!! Did you see the Padded Tush survey results? Tide powder users had to strip diapers the least often. See here: http://paddedtushstats.com/2012/01/11/which-detergents-require-you-to-strip-diaper-less-often-a-sneak-peek-at-the-stats/
I’ll confess right now, I have been using Tide for a few months now. I need to do an extra rinse at the end, but the F&C powder is the ONLY one that gets my diapers clean. I have tried every CD soap on the market, and this is the only one that has ever worked for us. And we have BATTLED soap issues for over 3 years, one even caused issues so severe, my son needed surgery to remove scar tissue left from burns left by one of the better known ones. I really think at the end of the day, just like what brand of actual diapers you use, detergent is what works for YOU.
So bravo for finding something that gets rid of the ICK! Isn’t that what it is all about? 
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry that happened to your son!