Help - I don't want to give up on cloth!!!

[blissieblue]

I stopped using detergent a couple of months ago cos I just couldn't get them rinsed properly and was having ammonia burn problems (new machine too!)

I dry pail and wash every 2 days, I'm then running a cold rinse with vinegar and finally a 60 wash with a scoop of mio fresh and an extra rinse.

I rinse off any poo in the toilet before I chuck them in the bucket and have recently started rinsing through night nappies and any others that are a bit smelly before putting those in the bucket.

Yet I'm still getting stinky ammonia nappies and DS2 is spending more and more time in disposables because of the rash he gets from his clothies.

I'm at my wits end - I'm constantly washing nappies (trying to strip them) and DS never seems to be wearing them for longer than a couple of days before he has to go back in disposables.

I'm close to giving up on cloth and he is my second DC in cloth so I'm pretty committed.

Is there anything else I can try??? Please??!

blissie is the rash all over his skin, or worse round the edges iykwim?

Some people find that it is hard to rinse the nappies effectively and certain things can linger in the edges/bindings of the nappies. I'm thinking if you use white vinegar, or lavender oil, or even just the ammonia (if he is quite sensitive skinned?)Just a thought.

If this might be the case then I personally would use a disposable at night, otherwise he is in a nappy potentially chafing for many hours.

Oh have just read your posts again, realised you use Tots Bots. I love Tots, using them 2nd time round with dd2. Her little bottom is generally as tough as a rhino, BUT if we ever do have the first sign of a rash it is generally after wearing a tots at night. I think it is because they (the nappies I mean) get very rough as time goes on and they get older, but that is just my opinion.

I put a big fleece liner inside but I think this hasn't helped you?

BTW I meant to name change when posting on these thread as I don't want people to think I am a lollipop agent trying to sell things!

Oh have just read your posts again, realised you use Tots Bots. I love Tots, using them 2nd time round with dd2. Her little bottom is generally as tough as a rhino, BUT if we ever do have the first sign of a rash it is generally after wearing a tots at night. I think it is because they (the nappies I mean) get very rough as time goes on and they get older, but that is just my opinion.

I put a big fleece liner inside but I think this hasn't helped you?

BTW I meant to name change when posting on these thread as I don't want people to think I am a lollipop agent trying to sell things!

My son suffers with this as well.

I eventually have gone to disposables overnight and it has helped loads.

I also posted here and it was suggested that because I live in a hard water area I was not using enough detergent for the water type.

So now I :

rinse nappies before dry pailing
rinse in machine before wash
Use half deterent, and add water softener
Wash at 60 degrees

This seems to have cured it.

I use both disposable and fleece liners, and don't notice a difference.

Oh and one other thing...try to track down a pot of Bum Bum Balm. It is the absolute best nappy rash cream out there!

I use Ariel bio after reading about it on a thread here some time ago.

Always used non bio in the past and had a bit of a thing about swapping over. Dunno why ?

About 80 mls. I've never had a problem.

Dont feel too hard on yourself. If its not meant to be ... its not meant to be.

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm going to start soaking my nappies and will switch to bio powder - might ditch all my old fleece liners too and replace them with flushable or at least new fleece. If I'm still having problems I'll stick him in disposables at night - no biggie. His big brother wears a disposable at night anyway.

Hopefully DS and I can start enjoying our cloth nappies again soon!