Eeeek! My diapers are Repelling!

So, you think your diapers are repelling? Well, let’s pause for a minute and take a look at the facts.

What is Repelling? Repelling is the term used to describe a cloth diaper that has become water repellant and no longer properly absorbs liquid. A diaper that is truly repelling will be properly fit to your baby. The diaper will leak, however the insert will be nearly dry.

Can I test my diapers to see if they are Repelling? The only way to really know if your diapers are repelling is to use them. Dropping water on the diapers when they are not in use is not an effective way to test for repelling. Some fibers used in cloth diapers require the pressure of baby’s bottom to allow for proper absorption.

What causes Repelling? Repelling can be caused by many things including the following. There are other possibilities that can add to or cause your diapers to repel, but this list covers the main problems.

• Using too much laundry detergent that allows for detergent to build up and leave residue on the diaper
• Not using enough laundry detergent to clean the diapers properly.
• Using laundry detergents that contain perfumes, dyes, softeners, whiteners or brighteners, enzymes, or other fabric enhancers. These ingredients can leave a residue on your diapers that can cause repelling.
• Using diaper creams that are not approved for cloth diapers, or not using a liner when you do use non cloth diaper safe rash creams.
• HE (high efficiency) washing machines that only use a small amount of water might not be able to properly rinse the diapers to remove any residue.
• Washing diapers that haven’t been completely rinsed of the poo.
• The water in your home is extremely hard or soft. Hard water can leave a build up of residue on your diaper. Extremely soft water, on the other hand, may not be able to rinse the diapers properly, causing build up.

How do I stop my diapers from Repelling liquid? Well, unfortunately, there is no perfect answer to this question. Every situation is different, and depending on the underlying cause, the solutions may differ. You will hear a lot of veteran cloth diaper mama’s referring to ‘stripping’ their diapers. This is when you switch up your normal wash cycle to either prevent your diapers from repelling or to fix diapers that are already repelling. Here is a list of things that you can do to strip your diapers:

• Try switching up the amount of detergent you are using. Use less detergent and more water in your wash cycles. One exception to this is if your diapers are coming out of the dryer still stinky, you may need to use more detergent to better clean the diapers.
• Use a product specifically made for stripping diapers. RLR Laundry Treatment is a popular choice to strip diapers. Kelly’s Closet sells RLR in small packets and all you have to do is add the RLR into your hot wash cycle to deep clean your diapers!
• Dawn Dish Soap (the original Blue kind) works wonders at removing detergent buildup. Try adding one teaspoon (for high efficiency machines) to one tablespoon (for regular machines) to your hot water wash cycle.
• Add an extra rinse cycle or two. Sometimes the biggest problem with repellant diapers is that not all of the detergent is rinsed off of the diapers. The best way to know if you need an extra rinse is to peak into the washer to check for soap bubbles. If there are lots of bubbles, you probably need an extra rinse.
• If the buildup on your diaper is really tough, it may help to gently scrub the insides of your diapers a bit with a soft tooth brush while they are wet and soapy.

Remember, every situation of repelling diapers is different, so you may have to try a few of the tips listed above. If you still have problems with your diapers after stripping them, contact the manufacturer for advice. Happy washing and happy stripping! (That is, diaper stripping!)

(It is always recommended that you follow washing guidelines specified on your cloth diaper warranties as well as the usage guidelines in your washing machine warranty.)

Bio: Tara Yousef lives in Michigan with her wonderful husband, silly 17-month old son, and sleepy 2 week old daughter. She enjoys cloth diapering, baking, crafting and everything in between!

Eeeek! My diapers are Repelling!

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Repelling: What I Did Wrong

Our finances suddenly became very tight (and that's still an understatement at that) over the last two years, we started cutting on what we could. While it might have been a great idea, I shouldn't have scrimped on one thing:

Laundry Soap. I started making homemade soap to save money. It still got my clothes clean and the diapers didn't stink. As far as I was concerned, it worked and saved us money. That is where I went terribly wrong.

I didn't notice the build up on my son's Happy Heinys and no one had worn the bumGenius 3.0s in a while (he is 32 lbs and 20 months old and grew out of them around his first birthday) so I didn't realize how much buildup had accrued. One of the main ingredients in the soap is a wax-like soap. Buildup was inevitable.

When my second daughter arrived in September, I was so excited to get her in the bumGenius 3.0s I had waiting. They looked so cute but they leaked EVERY TIME. I was getting frustrated with clothing and diaper changes all the time. I must have changed diapers AND clothes (and my clothes too) every hour or two. The inserts were barely wet! I almost tossed the 3.0s...but I couldn't part with them yet- that would be an even bigger waste! There was another solution.

We have a great Real Diaper Association in our area and I went to get advice from the group leader.

Apparently, BG's suede-like fabric is REALLY sensitive to laundry detergent. She's personally had problems and around the 2 year mark, most people find that their BG's get a lot of build up and start repelling. She gave me an Anti-Repelling and Buildup Recipe.

• Separately soak covers and soakers (I used my diaper pail and a five-gallon bucket)
• Fill with HOT water. Add ½ Tablespoon of Charlie's Soap (I'd assume Rock 'n Green will work too) and a generous amount of baking soda.
• Stir and let sit for 1 to 4 hours (if it's really bad, soak them overnight). I soaked them for 6 because I couldn't find time to get them in the washer (I have three kids...I'm busy.)
• Wash again on HOT in the washing machine. Don't add more soap. Run a rinse or two.

If the build up is really bad, she also recommended turning the diapers inside out and scrubbing the backside of the suedecloth to force the build up out.

And like magic, the diapers stopped leaking and even the Happy Heinys work better! They feel different too. I know that sounds silly but I can feel the difference. That's how bad it was.

I now use Charlie's Soap on everything. My stash is saved and so is my life from disposables or having to purchase a whole new stash!

By Jillayne T.

Repelling: What I Did Wrong

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