https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:48:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2628055 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 17:23:21 +0000 PawPrints 2628055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I HIGHLY recommend joining the Fluff Love University Facebook group and posing your question there. They are extremely helpful and will tell you that you need to strip your diapers and give you specific instructions how to do that, and get you started on a tailored washing routine for your specific washer and water hardness. Your ammonia smell is coming from all that time using them without a proper detergent since Rockin' Green is no good. I had a similar experience after using Country Save for a year, which was also no good. I switched to Ecover Zero powder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627958 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 14:09:11 +0000 kes18 2627958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: I would probably switch to something else for detergents. You don't have to use Tide, there are other recommended ones. That's frustrating but I remember feeling the same way when I started out. Tide is actually the most recommended! I used Country Save at first, that went downhill. I also tried quite a few others (seventh generation, wisk) but I think Tide seems to work the best for me. Sometimes it will really depend on your own washer and water hardness level which detergent and routine works best. Older non-HE washers aren't as picky. I actually use Tide powder since it is the strongest and works the best in hard water without a softener being added (and you might need a softener regardless and sometimes plant based detergents always require a softener). I have a large HE washer so I also have to bulk up my main wash with other items (baby clothes, hand towels, etc) so that my machine is 3/4 full. I'd recommend joining that FB group. You post your wash routine, washer type, and other info and they'll help you fix it. Also, take your water to petsmart and have it tested first to see the hardness levels because they will ask.</p> <p>I like to do bamboo on top and then hemp on the bottom. I do have some cotton flour sack towels (super cheap and awesome) but I find them bulkier. I use these ones for bamboo <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Diaper-4layers-Absorbent-Antibacterial-Inserts/dp/B00OXTNBIW/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=baby-products&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1475003288&#038;sr=1-1&#038;keywords=bamboo+inserts" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Diaper-4layers-Absorbent-Antibacterial-Inserts/dp/B00OXTNBIW/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=baby-products&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1475003288&#038;sr=1-1&#038;keywords=bamboo+inserts</a></p> <p>Some people like the charcoal bamboo inserts but I think all of those have some layers of microfiber in them so I've stayed far away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627915 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:37:44 +0000 avivoca 2627915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: I recommend a strip and then switching detergents. If they are smelling as soon as she is using them, then they aren't getting clean enough with the Rockin' Green. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627914 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:37:23 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2627914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: I always had issues with MF and our hard water. Calgon helped some for maintenance. </p> <p>However the only thing that really helped (but not solved) was to boil our inserts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627906 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:32:29 +0000 alphagam84 2627906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kes18: I realized my post was unclear, I went back and changed it! They only smell of ammonia after she uses them. When they come out of the wash I put my nose right up to them and they smell fine. I switched to Rockin Green from Tide after reading a recommendation that it was better for cloth diapers! Ugh! I think most of our diapers/inserts are microfiber. I do have 2 hemp inserts I bought for overnight use but everything I read said to layer with a microfiber as hemp is a slow absorber and you need something that absorbs fast. What do you recommend? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627902 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:30:59 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2627902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would switch detergents and use the maximum amount you can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627889 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:19:52 +0000 BSB 2627889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kes18: I agree. Rocking Green isn't approved per Fluff Love University. </p> <p>For ammonia issues, I would follow this link. <a href="http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/</a></p> <p>I had ammonia issues and I had to switch to hot water and switched from a Free and Clear detergent to Tide's Free and Gentle. Tide is a stronger detergent. F&amp;C detergents are generally weaker. </p> <p>BTW, Fluff love doesn't approve of extra washes or washes without detergent. There's no need for all that extra water. </p> <p>I would guess that you need to strip, bleach and switch detergent to something stronger. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627885 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:17:28 +0000 peaches1038 2627885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had to do a bleach soak before to get rid of ammonia stink bc I didn't have a proper wash routine. Now I use seventh generation 4x. I do a quick wash with 1 cup of detergent on warm followed by a heavy white hot wash with 1.5 cups of detergent and 1/2 cup of borax as I have hard water. I don't do any extra rinses bc of my hard water. And I've read that vinegar can damage the pul. Once I had the right wash routine, I haven't had issues.<br /> Here's a good starting point: <a href="http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/</a></p> <p>Ahh posted at the same time as @kes18 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627883 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:17:08 +0000 kes18 2627883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: Haha...yeah I think I finally have the "perfect" laundry routine down and detergent so as far as I can tell my only issue is microfiber. I don't seem to have the issue (which was ammonia/barnyard smell after washed) with hemp, cotton, or bamboo. Just the damn microfiber!! Unfortunately I have half and half bumgenius 4.0s and freetimes so I am stuck with microfiber in my freetimes. I did get some newborn covers for #2 but after the newborn stage I am still going with my bg. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627879 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:13:17 +0000 avivoca 2627879@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kes18: I agree, my cotton never smells bad. I'm planning to get some bigger workhorse prefolds and tri-fold them in my covers/pockets. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627868 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:03:41 +0000 kes18 2627868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@alphagam84: I can't tell from your post (since you seem to say both things), do they smell like ammonia or barnyard when they are "clean" or freshly washed? Because it's normal for them to smell like ammonia once they are peed in and sit around for a few days. I keep mine in a wet bag (zipped up) which works great because it doesn't let out any smell at all. I'm not a fan of open container dirty storage myself. But it's NOT normal to smell like ammonia after they're washed.</p> <p>BTW, I don't think Rockin Green is considered a good detergent to use because it is too weak.<br /> <a href="http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/</a><br /> If you're on facebook, they have a FB group to troubleshoot whatever problem you're having. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/FluffLoveCDScience/" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/groups/FluffLoveCDScience/</a> </p> <p>Oh, I've used their stripping/blech method (multiple times over 2 years) and it works GREAT. I finally gave up on all of the microfiber I could because that's really the only material that gave me problems. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627814 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 12:10:29 +0000 avivoca 2627814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've stripped mine at home and it's taken care of the smell. I've also used my local cloth diaper services' stripping service. You could try a different detergent too. I use Ecos free and clear and my routine is cold rinse/hot wash with detergent/two cold rinses. Vinegar rinses also don't work well with my water type, so the diaper service helped me come up with the best routine for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627807 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 12:04:29 +0000 tlcbaby 2627807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never had much luck with at home stripping. Our local cloth diaper service has a stripping service where they will strip your diapers even if you don't. Or ally use their delivery service. I have to spring for it a couple times a year to keep ours under control. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cloth-diapers-smelling-like-ammonia#post-2627804 Tue, 27 Sep 2016 12:00:53 +0000 alphagam84 2627804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have been cloth diapering for a few months now. Cloth at home and disposables at daycare. 3 weeks ago when we'd go in to get DD in the morning her room would reek and my husband said it was like a biohazard. After 2 mornings of that happening we put her in disposables for the night stretch and that stopped the issue. But then we noticed the diapers she was wearing in the afternoons before bed were also smelling-not immediately but while in the pail waiting to be washed. Not just smelling a little but making the whole room we keep it in smell. I washed the diapers twice on hot water with no detergent and once with detergent followed with an extra rinse to strip them. Smelled clean when they finished washing. They still smelled of ammonia after she wore them. I then tried washing them 3 times in hot water with no detergent and on the 3rd cycle I did a vinegar rinse and did a 4th cycle with detergent and an extra rinse. They still smell to high heaven shortly after being taken off of her. The ammonia smell is so bad it makes the entire area surrounding the bathroom (where we keep the dirty diapers) smell. The garbage can has a lid on it. They should not be smelling this bad. I smelled one when I took it off her and it already was starting to smell of ammonia. Am I doomed? I can't think of what else to do. I can't keep washing them multiple times hoping to knock out the smell. We use the Rockin Green basic detergent. They never smell when they come out of the washer. Could her pee have changed somehow to make it more stinky? I really don't want to use disposables all the time but I can't justify our upstairs stinking all the time. </p>