bum genious 3.0

Meaghan - posted on 02/18/2009

Bleach does not affect the diaper at all but it will the elastic so once a month is what is recommended.

Audrey - posted on 02/17/2009

Oh and a dry pail is better for these dipes since the stink can linger in the covers if they're soaked. Basically, you'll have to try many things until it works for you, your washer, your water. It was trial and error for me and I now have super white and super clean BG 3.0.

Audrey - posted on 02/17/2009

you're not supposed to use an detergent with enzymes in it or brighteners. Keep it simple. You don't need anything special to wash them. If you water is hard, add some baking soda in the wash. Bleach isn't the only way to sanitize them. Vinegar does it too as does the heat from the dryer or the sun from drying outside. I do a rinse before I start washing mine, and that helps a ton. Also, make sure you aren't using too much detergent. You really only need a small amount to wash dipes... so mot as much as you'd use to wash clothing. The residue build-up can cause them not to be as absorbent or make them stinky. Good luck!

Melissa - posted on 02/17/2009

Quoting Meaghan:

I would start at your detergent. The list of recommended is on pinstripes and polkadots.com and those are all the 5 to 4 star detergents safe for cloth diapers. Dreft and Biokleen Back Out can build up in your diapers so stripping them with a tsp of Dawn for a front load is recommended along with 3/4 cup of bleach for a stripping cycle, other then that 1/4 cup is recommended at least every month to strip out ordor causing bacteria from the micro-fiber. Being an employee of Cottonbabies, the manufacter of BumGenius and a mom using the BG's this is the info we are told.

Can you really use bleach?  Does it affect the color of the diapers at all?

Melissa - posted on 02/17/2009

We use Arm and Hammer Naturals free and clear.  The instructions for washing say not to use anything with added baking soda, etc, but we've found that this cleans the diapers really well AND gets out any lingering smells, even better than with vinegar!

Elizabeth - posted on 02/16/2009

Oh, and I just thought of something else.... if you have hard water, you may be getting mineral buildup on the inserts. That could be trapping ammonia and causing the smell. Have you tried adding a water softener like Calgon to your wash?

Dawn - posted on 02/16/2009

I use a costco brand called Kirkland free and clear for an HE machine. I start w/ a cold cycle and add a little soap. Then I do a hot wash cycle and do not add any soap. If I see any soap leftover during the second cycle, I'll do a rinse/spin setting. Don't have the ammonia smell. Hot water works better than warm. Good luck

Chris - posted on 02/16/2009

I just 'quick' wash mine on hot 3-4 times after I wash them to ensure all of the detergent is out. Its a pain but it keeps the smell away. (I have an HE machine)

Kristal - posted on 02/16/2009

I've used apple cider vinegar but baking soda also works.

Sprinkle baking soda on the diapers to help the odor.

Detergent-wise, I use "All perfume free" detergent.

Do you use a dry pail or wet pail?

Betsy - posted on 02/16/2009

ALL Free & Clear. It's the best. I know the smell you are talking about. That ALL will do the trick for the most part. You might want to try a small amount of bleach once a month!.



Here's what I do:



I use "Cutiepatootie One Size" diapers. To keep my diapers from getting stinky, I wash them on cold/cold with "ALL free & clear", then on hot/cold with the same amount of "ALL F&C". It is very important to use a detergent that has no fragrance. Sometimes I use the powder, I'll use just less than a quarter of a cup. Sometimes I use the liquid concentrate, I'll fill the cap untill it is almost to the "1" Line. I have an extra rinse cycle on my machine, and I always have it "on". I've noticed that just switching to the "ALL" reduced the stink by itself. The diapers don't even stink when they are waiting to go in the wash. Poopie diapers, I always (almost) clean them off thouroghly with a water sprayer in the toilet, then wring them out. One time each month I add a quarter cup of "Clorox Bleach" to the first wash cycle and set the temperature for both washes to hot/cold. I do that for each load until all the diapers have been bleached one or two times. That's all I do.

Angela - posted on 02/16/2009

vinegar can remove or cause oder problems depending on the type of water you have. It might be time to strip your diapers to remove detergent buildup which causes the ammonia smell to instantly appear once the diaper's been wet. I stripped my diapers by washing like normal but before doing the extra rinse I turned the water heater up to get the water really hot (or you can add a pot or two of boiling water) and washing them again 2 or 3 times in hot water only with a warm rinse cycle. It did the trick. I'm not really sure how to strip the covers I haven't done it.

Brandie - posted on 02/15/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I use Charlie's Soap powder detergernt I think this is the best for cloth diapering.  I also add some vinegar to my diaper wash.  I never have problems with smell.  I also dry everything in the sun before softening up in the dryer but I don't know if this makes a difference with smell.  I know especially with BG diapers you have to be careful with the detergent you use.  Charlie's Soap really is awesome and you don't have to use much so it is worth the price.  I order through internet.

Good luck!

I also use charlies soap.  For the first few months i was also using vinegar but saw that BG makers dont recommend it, so i stopped.  I have never had any issues with a smell at all, ive never had to bleach either. 

I do one wash with a full cup on cold, one wash full cup on hot, and a full cycle with no detergent.  I know it says to just do a rinse but i figure i like to make sure all the detergent is gone because there have been cases where people get rashes with Carlies soap. 

Now if you start using it you cant use any other kind of detergent in your machine because it leaves residue, and you cannot use fabric sofener.

Carissa - posted on 02/15/2009

I had the same problem - stripping w/ Dawn worked, and then i switched my detergent- i was using BioKleen which apparently causes buildup. Now I use Purex free and clear and no problems.

Jennifer - posted on 02/14/2009

I use Charlie's Soap powder detergernt I think this is the best for cloth diapering.  I also add some vinegar to my diaper wash.  I never have problems with smell.  I also dry everything in the sun before softening up in the dryer but I don't know if this makes a difference with smell.  I know especially with BG diapers you have to be careful with the detergent you use.  Charlie's Soap really is awesome and you don't have to use much so it is worth the price.  I order through internet.

Good luck!

Cory - posted on 02/14/2009

Ammonia smell is almost always a residue build up problem. Strip your diapers (cotton babies web site has info on how to best do this for BG's) then start out with a different detergent and make sure you check your diapers from now on while agitating in the rinse cycle. If there are a bunch of soap bubbles still there- rinse again. If this is always the case, you may be using to much detergent.

Krystal - posted on 02/14/2009

It is probably a detergent issue. I know some sites say it is ok to use free and clear detergents but some say no. I use Country save and havent had an issue. So I would strip them and then switch detergents. When it gets warmer here I will start hanging them to dry but I am in Maine and it is cold!!!

Meaghan - posted on 02/13/2009

I would start at your detergent. The list of recommended is on pinstripes and polkadots.com and those are all the 5 to 4 star detergents safe for cloth diapers. Dreft and Biokleen Back Out can build up in your diapers so stripping them with a tsp of Dawn for a front load is recommended along with 3/4 cup of bleach for a stripping cycle, other then that 1/4 cup is recommended at least every month to strip out ordor causing bacteria from the micro-fiber. Being an employee of Cottonbabies, the manufacter of BumGenius and a mom using the BG's this is the info we are told.

Elizabeth - posted on 02/10/2009

You are just going to have to experiment with it... some people need vinegar, some people need baking soda. I personally don't use anything. If you have a front load washing machine, you might need extra rinse cycles because they use so little water. I would try stripping them and then use no more than 1 Tablespoon of detergent. And make sure you are using HOT water! I use Trader Joes laundry detergent and never had a problem.

Elizabeth - posted on 02/10/2009

BumGenius recommends using a small amount of bleach on the INSERTS ONLY once a month to sanitize. Don't bleach the pockets, as this will damage the waterproofing.

Heather - posted on 02/05/2009

You could try changing detergents. Some detergents react with your water and everyone's water is a little diferent, so what works for one might not work for another. I had the ammonia problem with Tide, but we switched to Arm&Hammer Sensitive Skin and no more issues!

Another thing you might try is stripping your diapers. You might just have a residue on them. Run them in a hot washer with a few tablespoons of blue Dawn dish soap. I also add 1/2 cup of bleach to this load too... because I had problems with yeast. Cotton Babies recommends using only blue dawn to strip, not sure why. Then you need to do a few rinses to make sure the soap is all out. Let your washer fill and agitate and when you lift the lid and there are no suds in the water, you have rinsed enough. Usually two rinses work for us!

Hope these suggestions help!

Heather - posted on 02/05/2009

You could try changing detergents. Some detergents react with your water and everyone's water is a little diferent, so what works for one might not work for another. I had the ammonia problem with Tide, but we switched to Arm&Hammer Sensitive Skin and no more issues!

Another thing you might try is stripping your diapers. You might just have a residue on them. Run them in a hot washer with a few tablespoons of blue Dawn dish soap. I also add 1/2 cup of bleach to this load too... because I had problems with yeast. Cotton Babies recommends using only blue dawn to strip, not sure why. Then you need to do a few rinses to make sure the soap is all out. Let your washer fill and agitate and when you lift the lid and there are no suds in the water, you have rinsed enough. Usually two rinses work for us!

Hope these suggestions help!

Amie - posted on 02/04/2009

Dry them in the sun (if possible). I stopped using vinegar in the rinse for that very reason and don't have much of an issue with the smell anymore. The other thing you could try is running them through a full extra cycle without soap (just warm water and force).