Jenn wrote:
Choosing a good detergent for your cloth diapers is easy. When you purchase from Cotton Babies' detergent selection, anything you pick is fine. Cotton Babies ships all detergents for free using the coupon code GOODWASH. No minimum order. Order as often as you want to... we want you to take care of your diapers well.The good news for you is that now, free shipping extends to most products carried by Cotton Babies. No coupon code needed! For full details on Cotton Babies free economy shipping, please see our shipping page.
In 2009, Jenn wrote:
Mainstream Detergents - We're often asked if there is a mainstream detergent available that is "safe" for cloth diapers. The answer is no. The least of the evils is Tide Free. Tide Free does not contain any fragrances, optical brighteners or dyes. It does contain enzymes though and will require diligence with rinsing your diapers well or more frequent diaper changes to avoid the mild diaper rash that can be caused by lingering enzymes from the detergent.
There is more good news here as well. There are a few cloth diaper safe detergents that have recently been spotted in stores, although depending on where you live and what stores you have in your area, they still may be difficult to find. Country Save is often available in Whole Foods and other natural life stores and is a highly recommended detergent for cloth diapers. Seventh Generation Delicate Care formula is sometimes available in stores, but be careful - only the Delicate Care formula is safe for cloth diapers, not the other varieties. Some customers have also reported success with Dropps Baby; while it is free of enzymes, brighteners and scents, these are pre-measured packets, so you won't be able to adjust your detergent amount as easily if you have especially soft or hard water conditions.
One of the common mistakes we see is that people sometimes assume laundry detergents marketed for babies (such as Dreft, Ivory Snow, etc.) are safe for their cloth diapers. These detergents often have enzymes, brighteners and scents which can clog the fibers of your cloth diapers and lead to leaks.
The bottom line about detergents was best said by Jenn in her "What To Avoid" list:
- Optical brighteners - if the box mentions anything about making your colors brighter or your whites whiter, don't buy it. Optical brighteners remain in your clothing and are designed to "bend the light" so you see the colors brighter or whiter. They do nothing to extend the life of your clothing. Optical brighteners caused buildup.
- Enzymes - if the box talks about removing certain kinds of stains easily, don't buy it. Enzymes attack protein-based stains. Those same enzymes can react with your baby's skin and cause a mild rash.
- Perfumes/Fragrances - that mountain breeze is best left on the mountain where it came from. Really, perfumes and fragrances are oil based. Oils are left in fabrics when rinsed. Again, this can cause a diaper rash and buildup.
- Dyes - dyes can remain in your fabrics when rinsed, potentially causing diaper rash and buildup.
Would love for y'all to address the new argument that enzymes are actually good for breaking down the urine, etc. in dipes...after years of avoiding the stuff, now I'm not sure what to buy!
ReplyDeleteOr what about Happy Heinys, who actually recommends using regular Tide for their diapers first?! I'm confused...
ReplyDeleteDetergent is definitely the most controversial aspect of cloth diapering. Every different brand swears that theirs is the best and it is hard to get your routine down pat. Thanks for explaining what to avoid.
ReplyDeleteI've also been counseled not to use liquid but powder since the latter rinses out of the material better. Lastly, I have several brands in my stash (BumG OS and XS/NB - AIOs and Bamboo Fitted with Thirsties covers; Kissiluvs fitted with Thirsties covers; Best Bottoms; Flips; FuzziBunzs fitted; MotherEase NB with cover) and now I'm not sure if I can wash them all the same, etc. Help!
ReplyDeleteI just started using the Dropps Baby. They just making cleaning a bit easier. I havent had any issues yet with them being premeasured packets, but defintely something that mommas should watch for.
ReplyDeleteThe reason there are so many different answers is that each family, baby and household are different. Factors like type of washing machine and water hardness definitely make a difference in which detergent will work best for you. That's why Cotton Babies carries a variety of types of detergents to meet families' needs.
ReplyDelete@PretaniVirago, there is a bit of trial and error to find what works best for you. Generally speaking you should be able to wash similar fibers together. For example, microfiber, suedecloth, PUL covers and synthetic fibers usually can wash well together. Cotton, hemp and other natural fibers may need to be washed separately.
I found this chart very helpful in determining laundry detergent.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html
I tried many detergents at the beginning and settled for Planet with a monthly stripping, which was required or my little guy got a rash. It was hard for me to find the balance between too much detergent and not enough. Once I switched to the Bum Genuis brand, I haven't need to strip AT ALL! His skin is clear and healthy and every once in a while I will check the prewash cycle for suds and I never see any from build up. Thanks so much for making this challenge super easy for this cloth diapering mama!
ReplyDeleteIs the reference chart posted on the CB web site kept updated? We've been using the Military version of All Free & Clear for well over a year, and it works well for us. It's on the chart on your web site as being free of all the things to avoid, but you don't mention it above when discussing mainstream detergents.
ReplyDeleteI've pretty much stuck with Planet with a stripping every 4 to 6 weeks. That seems to work best for us. I haven't really tried anything else since Planet wasn't giving me any issues. But I do appreciate the explanation on what to look for.
ReplyDelete@Joan, we don't mention it as a mainstream detergent in this post because unless you live near a military base it is not readily available. We find the "military version" clarification to be very confusing to customers not in the military. It is a great detergent for cloth diapers, if you have access to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heather! Just curious if the liquid vs powder thing has any truth to it. We switched to liquid Planet (from All free and clear) to do the big people clothes and thought it'd be fine to use in the future for the CD's but was recently told that particularly with Planet I should switch again to powder if I end up staying with Planet (and to 'strip' my washer/dryer, too!). I was thinking of trying the HRGreen or 7th generation (can get the latter at our local grocery store) but was wondering if I do indeed need to strip the machines before CDing. Sorry for so many questions - I'd just like to iron this out before it actually comes time to wash the CDs.
ReplyDeleteDoes using Bac Out present any issues other than a risk of rash? It's the only thing that seems to keep the barnyard stink out of my dipes and my little guy seems to be doing fine with it.
ReplyDeleteI see people talking about "stripping" the diapers... what does that mean and how do you do it?
ReplyDeleteI am using Nellie's All Natural Laundry Soda but have to wash my diapers 3 times... once in cold, then hot, then either hot or cold again. Would "stripping" help me?
I could swear that I read on the website once that Purex Free & Clear and All Free & Clear were safe options to use. I've used both. What "damage" can result from using these detergents on the cloth diapers? We have BG Elementals. I'm worried that I've done damage. Please help!
ReplyDeleteTo Amber, If your diapers are dirty as well as stinky you should wash them before stripping, otherwise stains may be set in. Freshly washed diapers don't need to be dried before stripping, you can strip right after washing. Before stripping be sure to check the washing instructions for your diapers so you don't accidentally damage them. That is what stripping the diapers...hope this helps
ReplyDeleteI have found a liquid detergent that has nothing in it and works great. If you can find it it's Ecos Free and Clear, Ecos also makes a bunch of other detergents that have dyes and stuff but this one doesn't list any of that. I've been using it for 9 months and my diapers are clean and fresh.
ReplyDeleteLori B said...I make my own detergent for all of my family's clothing, including my daughter's cloth diapers. It's very economical and easy to make too. I have had the same 12 diapers and covers for her for the past 12 months and no problems.
ReplyDeleteAll Free & Clear, Purex Free & Clear didn't work for me...my daughter was always getting a rash. Now I make my own laundry detergent with a combination of Fels Naptha laundry bar soap, washing soda, and borax. Check it out. It's cheap and it works.
ReplyDeleteI'm also wondering about the Bac-Out. We got it because it was recommended for diapers, but with what you said about enzymes, I'm a bit confused. Our 7 month old recently came down with a strange rash and I am wondering if it's related.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
elisa
Allen's Naturally is THE BEST above and beyond. We have 2 kids in cloth diapers...the oldest just turned 3 and the younger is 9 months. NEVER had a case of diaper rash...ever. Our diapers don't stink. We have city water HE machine. Although Allen's Naturally can be hard to get in stores, they have an online store...and yes, shipping is spendy, but get this. For $30.00 you get a whole gallon. We use less then 1 Tblsp per load of wash with an HE machine. It lasts us almost a whole year. I do ALL my laundry with it too. $30.00 plush shipping for all my laundry is a heck of a lot better than anything else AND IT GETS ALL THE STAINS OUT TOO. I can't sing their praises enough. I'll still be using this soap when our children are out of diapers because it works better, is totally hypoallergenic, and it costs less than anything I've ever seen on the market. AllensNaturally.com They have other cleaning products also.
ReplyDeleteI have been using Rockin' Green Cloth Diaper Detergent since my daughter was born. It's fantastic...no stinkies & stains come out very easily!
ReplyDeletehttp://rockingreensoap.com/
@e&e, we do not recommend using Bac-Out. If your little one is reacting to something, our first suggestion is to strip your diapers to remove any detergent buildup that could be causing an issue. If you need further assistance, give us a call at 1-888-332-2243. We'd be glad to help you.
ReplyDeleteI used All Free and Clear for 12 months. Over time, the buildup on the diapers really caused them to stink. I frequently ran them through extra rinse cycles, tried different amounts of detergent, changed my babies every hour because otherwise the diapers would leak (I never knew this was due to a detergent problem). One of my babies had rash issues with this detergent, 2 did not.
ReplyDeleteI switched to BG 7 months ago and had no diaper rash issues or stink since. I never once have had to run extra rinse cycles, saving on lots of water, and don't spend any more on detergent than I did with all free and clear. Best of all, I don't have to change my babies diapers every hour. I strongly recommend saving yourself the headache of more frequent changes and diaper rash, and using Bum Genius detergent. There is no guess work on how much detergent to put in. BG does not get the stains out as well, but the diapers feel softer and stink much less.
I just wanted to pipe in and share my experience even though it seems to go against the grain...I've been cloth diapering for 2 and a half years and for the first year or so I used Allen's with no problem. All of a sudden, I was faced with horrible stink issues. I tried stripping with no luck and then tried several other CD safe detergents with no luck, including rockin green. Out of desperation I tried original powdered tide. I have been using tide for over a year now with absolutely no stink, rash, or build up issues.
ReplyDeleteI have read that you should squirt your diaper with Bac Out by BioKleen (enzyme spray) to keep the stink down before putting it in your diaper pail.
ReplyDeleteBumG has a spray for diapers I'm not sure what it does. I have cloth diapered on and off for 14yrs.
My youngest child is 4 (she's been out of diapers since she was 2yr old.)
I'm due with my 8th child in June 2011~
So I'm gearing up and adding to my stash!
Peace+
Georgiann
If you have a problem with a build up on your diapers and they are not absorbing well,or a diaper rash issue you can't seem to wash away,or just about any problem at all BOIL YOUR DIAPERS!!!!
ReplyDeleteUse a big pot get it to a boil add three to five diapers bring it back to a boil let it go 10-30 min. (I do mine ten)you will probably see soap in your water after two or three batches. Then rewash in a hot water only cycle.And dry as normal.I've never used any thing other than the recommended detergents and I always rewashed everything two or three times with the min. amount of detergent and still had issues until I boiled them.
It was easy you won't scorch them because they float to the top of the pot. It is time consuming and very hot so use CAUTION.But you don't do it often maybe once every 4-6 months.
The underlying smell that only I seemed to be able to smell was gone.Don't have the baby hanging around your feet when you are doing this.Use caution.(works on sheets too)
I used Bum Genius with my older daughter who's been out of diapers for over a year. I saved them all and am now using them for my second daughter. About 8 of the 20 diapers had a little bit of dark spots that appeared to be mold on the inner polyester lining (strangely on the same 2 colors). We tried washing them and then tried bleaching them. The dark spots remain. Perhaps they may have had a little moisture on them when I packed them away, though I would dried them all together. And do you have a suggestion for cleaning them now?
ReplyDeleteWe do not recommend boiling any of our bumGenius, Flip or Econobum products as this can cause some elements of the diapers to deteriorate. If you need assistance with your laundry routine, please give us a call at 1-888-332-2243.
ReplyDeleteDoes Cotton Babies support/suggest/recommend any of the homemade detergent recipes out there? OxiClean, Borax, and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda seems to be the most common mixture.
ReplyDeleteI've recently begun using Nellie's. Anyone have any problems with it?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone use soap nuts?
ReplyDeleteBoiling the inserts or prefolds works great, I something use this technique if I have only a few new diapers I need to prep (inserts /prefolds only though) I will wash with a teenie bit of soap, then boil, rinse, boil, rinse until there is NO residue in the pot and then dry in the dryer. TIt usually takes 2 or 3 times and the inserts or prefolds are fully prepped, I do this with microfiber, bamboo, cotton, hemp. I never ever put the covers or AIO's in boiling water otherwise you will ruin them, those get washed in a normal, warm wash the first time.
ReplyDeleteI have an HE front load washer, we've used charlies, rockin' green, Ecos (the free and clear works ok but I can't get it locally) and ALL free and clear. The ALL free and clear caused buildup, the charlies worked for a little while but its expensive and i found my diapers still had an odor when finished washing even with an extra rinse.
The rockin' green was OK but I prefer to use it as a soak once a month or so for the poopy diapers.
We have really really hard water here, since moving we've had smell issues with the diapers and no matter what we did, nothing fixed it. I recently (several months ago) gave in and purchased reg. Tide, which I have never been able to use due to super sensitive skin, and its the only thing that is getting our diapers clean since moving into this new house. I do add an extra rinse in at the end, so far no build up issues and no rashes as long as we do that extra rinse. my diapers are super clean and they smell great.
I saw it mentioned once already, but I make my own. I use 1c borax, 1c Arm & Hammer super washing soda and 1 bar Fels Neptha. For heavily soiled dipes I use 2-3 tbsp and for lightly soiled just 1tbsp. I also use this on my sons clothes, I find it takes out food stains muche better than anything else. This recipe also has taken out stains from my diapers that bleach wouldn't take out (before I started sunning them, now I don't use bleach at all).
ReplyDeleteI've exclusively cloth diapered four children over the last ten years, and I've lived in a variety of places (hard water, soft water, my own washer, community washer, etc). I've used different detergents for at least a year at a time to really test them out and found that the detergents that have "nothing" in them simply don't work as well as Tide Free powder. I do one extra rinse to make sure the enzymes don't build up, and have no problems at all with my microfiber or cotton (with my current baby I use flips with flats & prefolds, and Fuzzibunz Elites). I currently live in a rural area with SUPER hard water (never seen anything like it! :p) and the Tide routine is still working well. Good luck to you all! :)
ReplyDeleteThe regular Seventh Generation detergent doesn't have any of the above mentioned things to avoid...why is it not recommended??
ReplyDelete