Urine smell after washing cloth nappies?

[Mary Jo]

I did a small load of nappies and wraps today - Little Lambs, cotton and bamboo - and after they had been through the dryer, one of the bamboos smelled fairly strongly of urine.

How do I get rid of it and prevent it from happening again? I have been dry-pailing my nappies, and none of them were in the pail longer than 2 days, and I washed at 40C, using half a capful (normal dose is one capful) of non-bio detergent.

 

[thelilbump]

I've had this issue with some of my nappies aswell. The only thing i've found so far that calms it is using white vinegar in the wash. Just add a capful to the wash as you would fabric softener in a regular wash.

 

[saraendepity]

how long have you been using them??? they might need stripping....

wash them on a hot wash (check the label for how hot you can go) with a full load of detergent then rinse over and over till theres no suds when the washer rinses them hope this helps hun

sara

xxxxxxx

 

[thelilbump]

oo thanks sara i'm gonna give that ago myself aswell

 

[saraendepity]

no probs hun

 

[Mary Jo]

thanks, Sara - my boy has only been in these nappies a couple of weeks but they are pre-loved. I did sniff them all as I bought them, and I did wash everything before using for the first time, and they seemed fine, but I guess I'll have to strip them.

thelilbump - do you know if the vinegar is ok on the velcro and elastic in the nappies? I assume it'll be so diluted it'll be fine but I don't want to damage them as I'm hoping to sell them on in due course.

 

[thelilbump]

I've been using it and not had any problems so far. I don't use it every wash, probably only every second or third wash and, as you say, as it's so diluted i can't really see it doing any damage tbh.