Cloth Diapers 201: Help! My diapers stink!

A question we get frequently in our customer service e-mail and phone calls is how to get rid of "stink" in cloth diapers. Keep in mind that as your little one's diet changes, their output changes. Sometimes this means that a laundry routine that has been working well for you suddenly seems like it's not working.

If you experience stink issues that you haven't had before, one of our first questions is, "Have you changed something in your laundry routine?" What we have learned over the years here at Cotton Babies that not every detergent works well for every customer, which is why we offer a variety of cloth diaper safe detergents for purchase. Factors such as water hardness or skin sensitivities can mean that your best friend's go to detergent or the "it" detergent of the moment may not work well for you.

One common reason for sudden stink is a change in detergent. Unfortunately, the best way to find a detergent that works for you is trial and error. We recommend trying a small package or sample size of a detergent to make sure it works well for you and your little one before committing to the value size.

If you haven't changed your detergent, our next question is, "What is your laundry routine?" Another common issue, especially with newer high efficiency machines, is that your diapers aren't being rinsed enough to remove all the urine or all the detergent.

If you are having "stink issues" we recommend changing to the following routine:

Wash a full cold wash/cold rinse cycle with recommended amount of detergent.

Wash a full hot wash/cold rinse cycle with recommended amount of detergent.

Run a second cold rinse cycle.

If this is your routine, you have a high efficiency machine and your diapers still smell, we recommend this little tip. To 'trick' a high efficiency machine into adding more water to your laundry cycles, try adding a wet towel (or two if they are small) to the beginning of your wash routine. Let the towel go through the entire laundry routine to make sure the machine adds the most water possible to every cycle.

If you are still having odors after trying these basic troubleshooting methods, give our customer service team a call at 1-888-332-2243. We can talk you through your laundry routine and give you some tips specific to your routine and little one's needs. We want your laundering routine and cloth diapering journey to be successful. We'll be glad to help you find the products and routine to ensure your success.