Ways to make DH hate cloth less?

[frazzledgirl]

Been using reusables for six months (wambamboos, ME wraps, wonderoos). I like them and am happy to wash them etc, but DH really doesn't.

Had discussion about them this morning, and DH pointed out that:

1. The nappy bucket in DS's room (drypail) smells and he is revolted and also concerned about the hygiene
2. DS has nappy rash a lot - every time he poos, which is several times a day even though he's one on Sunday
3. Having said we would 'try them out' I am now completely fanatical about them.

I have to admit that

1. Yes, it does, but only for a minute or so on opening
2. He does quite a bit, but goes quick and doesn't seem to bother him much
3. I am fanatical because DH has been so negative that I feel permanently on the defensive.

He admitted in turn that I had a point and said he's willing to try harder if bucket can be less gross and rash less prevalent.

So, o Mumsnet cloth gurus, any words of wisdom to make my home more harmonious?

1. we found the whole business of cloth significantly less smelly if we do a rinse before a wash (random but it works - seems like the buildup of old-wee smell makes even freshly-wetted nappies honk).

1. have you fleece liners? do you use a good barrier cream?

1. do not whatever you do expect dh to ever get excited about them. Do not engage him in conversation about exciting new wraps etc at any point - tell us instead .

Fleece liners yes, and many many creams (Metanium, red clover, Kamillosan, Sudocrem, I could go on...) but neither advised with the Wonderoos (I do cheat and use a dab of red clover or Kamillosan fairly often tho).

The problem with the smell is the bucket of dirty nappies honking, not the clean ones - I use vinegar in the wash and it does seem to help.

DH getting excited about new ones - ha! I smuggle them into the house and hope he doesn't notice. I just get mildly shirty occasionally, like this morning (he has DS all day every Fri so I can come into the office), when he comes in with DS in a dispy and some excuse about the bucket looking a bit full. When I know that if the bucket was empty, he would still find a reason, during the day, to ditch the cloth.

Grrr.

I feel better for saying that

my dh moans every time he changes a cloth nappy/washes them - and we are on our third child in them.

We dry pail, but keep the bucket in the loo so there is no smell (real or imagined) pervading through the house. I wash the nappies every couple of days. I flush poo down the loo as it goes, and

One compromise I reached with dh was that the babies wear a paper nappy at night (one of my dhs gripes was that they wake up more in cloth nappies - I don't know if this is true, but I compromised with him on this).

Otherwise I just witter on about the cost savings (and try to hide how many nappies I buy ) - this seems to be the best way to convince my dh. He is not remotely interested in how fluffy certain nappies are, and which are the cutest wraps Cost is the only interesting factor to him.

I put a few drops of tea tree oil and a few of lavender oil in my bucket to help with the whiff.

timodine is a fab nappy rash cream - can't use it for long periods but it really does the trick if it's not helped by sudocrem, bepanthan etc

I have a large bucket that I keep outside the back door.

Hmm, essential oils sound good but we're in an upstairs flat so can't keep bucket outside. Am thinking bathroom prolly less offensive place than ds's room, though.

I knwo it's the dirty nappies that smell but that was what I meant - the extra rinse means ours they smell less once used, not smell better when clean.

all the creams you mention are for treating rash, I was thinking more along the lines of bottom butter / vaseline type that forms a protective layer to stop the poo getting at the skin before rash starts.

Blimey - the smell from a bin full of used disposables is far worse IMO

We dry pail with a bucket in the bathroom.

I wet a muslin with water from teh tap and add a few drops of lavender and tea tree oil and chuck artfully drape that over all the nappies.
Each time I put one in I have to lift it which sends the smell out and masks smell so well that my nappies are kept in a bin one of my kitchen cupboards without anyone realising (unless they get a nasty shock while looking for a plate....)
Dh hates using them as he doesn't like getting wet hands when he changes them, so I make him pay for any dispies he wants to use, he is coming around now as he is horrified that a pack of tesco own nappies is the same as 2 pints of beer, or a bottle of wine

I would also suggest trying a different detergent to see if this helps with the nappy rash. Biological rather than non-biological seems to be better for some babies (yes really!) Also try reducing the amount of detergent you use - you only really need about 1/2 of the recommended amount IME.

Like the muslin idea a lot, had been wondering something along those lines.

I am using Surcare, half recommended. Is bio really better? Might give it a go.

all the 'eco' ones are crap for nappies, IME

use evil fishkilling stuff [bad influence]

I am happy to be bad-influenced if it helps...

Which brand works for you? And will it be OK with the PUL lining on Wonderoos etc?

I have to use persil bio as the only one that doesn't affect dd2's eczma, since we have used it the nappies have been a lot fresher both before and after piddle!! Ihave a sanitary towel stuck in the lid of the nappy buckets and i put a few drops of tea tree oil on it to freshen the bin up, it really works.

I use Tesco own brand bio tablets and have gone back to two per wash . Never used Wonderoos (or indeed any pockets) but they are fine on ME and Nature Babies PUL wraps.

Oh hang on, did you mean which nappy cream?
We use the famous Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter and it hasn't left the alleged 'greasy residue' on the fleece inners of any of our Bimbles / Bumbles.
I think it might be because it's mostly olive oil (which laundry detergent gets out) rather than petroleum-based vaseline/sudocrem type that doesn't dissolve in soapy water.

4andnotout, what a brilliant idea.

And Badger, both v handy to know.

I love mumsnet

Can you have the bin not in his room to help move the wiff? We keep ours downstairs under the sink of the downstairs loo so kind of out of sight though useful for ds to stand on to wash his mits

tesco bio concentrate liquid is doing a great job at the moment. we use a dab of tea tree on a cotton bud taped under the lid.
if he really needs convincing buy nappies designed by men- little kiwi quick flips, little lambs...
and for nappy rash sudocrem (or the tesco own label) are both fine with cloth, as are metanium and weleda. if fleece clogs with it rub with washing up liquid and rinse hot.

You have definitely got a well fitting lid on your bin? Any chance of putting it say in bathroom? I always change nappies in bathroom regardless of space, so can flush the "solids" away directly.

Have not noticed a serious smell - it is NOTHING to the foul smell of festering disposables, that really made me gag.

My DH absolutely refuses to have anything to do with cloth nappies too.

Its compounded with the fact he does some work for a nappy manufacturer who blinds him with science about how good disposables are these days, how much damage washables do to the environment etc etc.

TBH, I dont have any advice for you. I just get on with it myself.

Keep a jar and put the price of at least one bag of disposables into each week and watch it mount up so that he can see how much you are saving and have saved over the past 6m. (unless of course, you have a nappy buying addiction that's cost you a fortune )

juuule, I don't know why you suggested that

I could have a jar showing how much I'm saving by not buying disposables - but I guess the Minus Jar which the nappy money comes out of would have to stay a deep dark secret...

Sounds like a good plan

Every time DP whinges about reusables, I point out the smell of disposables would be horrific with 2 under the age of 2 in the bin which is collected every 2 weeks!

Tea tree oil, lavender oil - helps, which has already been mentioned

But also, the smell may stay in your bucket? I do vinegar and boiling water every week or so.

Also, do you use nets?? I have a couple so it can go in the wash. The nets tend to hold onto smells also!