The main culprit could be detergent build up, oil or dirt residue in the CD. Do a strip wash to completely rid these and have your CD performing like new.
Instructions to STRIP WASH your CD
Step 1
Fill your washer with WARM water! Even if you're only stripping a few diapers, use a large load setting for the water!
Step 2
Put your diapers in the washer and let the cycle start moving for a minute.
Step 3
Add a small amount of liquid dishwashing soap to your wash. Make sure it does not have bleach or softening agents added.
Step 4
Let the wash go for two minutes.
Step 5
Add another small amount of dishwashing soap to the wash.
Step 6
Keep adding soap little by little until you feel there is enough soap to wash the amount of diapers you are washing. You do not want to add too much soap at one time because it will make too many bubbles and this soap is not made for use in a washer, so you don't want overflowing bubbles in your house!
Step 7
Once the first wash is finished, keep running the wash over and over again until you see no soap bubbles in the wash! Once all the bubbles are gone, the stripping is done! Your diapers should be ready to go again like brand new!
Tips & Reminder
- Careful about the amount of soap added to your wash.
- Make sure all soap is washed out of the diapers before you dry them.
- This may not solve all your problems. If you still have a leaking issue, you may need to use more inserts in your diaper or thicker inserts.
- If you still have an issue it may just be the brand of diaper. Some brands leak less on different baby body types. If you're new to cloth diapering try a few brands before you go all out and buy thirty of them!
- Rinse, rinse, rinse with lots of water and hang your cloth diapers in the sun to dry. Sunlight is a natural germ-killer and stain-remover.
- It may be necessary to strip your cloth diapers as frequently as once a week, or as little as once a month. Strip your diapers as often as necessary to keep them absorbent and fresh.
Hint: to prevent detergent from building up too much, use 1/4 to 1/2 of the detergent you would use on a regular load of laundry when washing your diapers normally. Your diapers will still get clean, but there won't be as much residue left behind.
TIPS : Use these recommended detergent as they are free from enzymes, bleach or softener
- Autumnz - Baby Safe Laundry Detergent
- Charlie's Soap (powder)
- LunaCare Detergent
- Nellie's Laundry Soda
- Pureen HAD (liquid)
- Rockin' Green Detergent
- Tiny Bubbles Detergent
Information source: Credit of Mei Hooi
Although stripping cloth diapers is generally done at home in the washing machine, there are other ways to strip. You can handwash them with warm water and dishwashing soap. If that is not effective,
- Baking soda - has been trusted for over 100 years as an effective yet natural and gentle cleaner with no harsh chemicals. Baking soda natural effect is to balance pH, keeping things neither too acidic nor too alkaline, and it resists further changes in the pH balance. Add 1/2 to 1 cup to the wash cycle to neutralize and eliminate odours. Then rinse until there are no more bubbles
Or.
- White Vinegar - naturally breaks down uric acid and soapy residue. The acid in white vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve alkalise in soaps and detergents. It also prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew. Vinegar can be added to your final stripping rinse to remove the last of the detergent residue and to soften your cloth diapers - try 1/2 - 1 cup. Don't worry, your diapers won't smell like vinegar after they're dry.
