help smelly nappies!!

[misdee]

been using totsbots for a fair few months now. but i've noticed that when they are drying they smell a bit. is there a special treatment or a way to get rid of the smell. its a bit like stale wee (yuk). i put them on a 60 degree wash with a 40degree prewash as well. i use psersil non-bio, would using a bio just for the nappies (dd1 needs the non bio) help get rid of the smell? or should i buy some napisan even tho getting it here is hit and miss.

Do you presoak them? I use 3 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda in a bucket of water and after a soak they don't smell. I use a 60 degree wash with no prewash and they come out fine.
Could it be stale water rather than wee that's causing the smell? Totsbots are really thick, and perhaps the long drying time might make them a bit niffy.
Don't know what else to suggest other than a 95 degree wash once in a while.

dont pre-soak as i cant move the bucket with water in it. might try soaking once in a while, and run a 90degree wash as well.

Soaking is a nuisance; what about an extra pre-wash rinse?

I used to use two buckets, Misdee, wringing out the nappies into the second bucket before carying them to the washing machine. Some vinegar in the last rinse may help as well - I think it neutralises the ammonia in wee, though am not 100% sure on that!

i was wondering about aromatherepy oils. i'm sure i have some tea tree somewhere, would that help? once they are dry they dont smell at all, its just the dryer process, might be the dryer, but notice really with the nappies.

Every now and again put them on a hotter wash. I always wash mine on prewash and main wash on 60. But when they get a bit whiffy I put them on at 80, 90 scares me a bit
Then just put them outside for as long as you can, it seems to help to refreshen them for another couple of months.
You can try antibacterial powder in with the wash as well as lavender linen spray in the liquid draw.
HTH

Actually I've started noticing that my washing machine and tumble drier smells when they are washing and drying. So the smell must stay on them after the wash. Its the drying process that gets rid of smells. Hmmm, off to put another load in....

Welcome back Zebra!

A final rinse with Tea Tree oil would probably help (or you could wet pail them and put a few drops of Tea Tree oil in the bucket). I usually rinse the nappies in the machine then put them on for a 60 wash using the soak setting and if they are really bad put some Tea Tree oil in the fabric softener compartment. An occasional 95 wash wouldn't do them any harm and if possible hanging them outside really helps.

A lot of my washing used to be smelly when damp. It was a gradual thing. I put a thread in other subjects - about smelly washing machine. Was advised that it was probably soap/detergent build-up so I ran the washing machine empty on the hottest wash I had, with vinegar in the drawer. My washing smells much better now. Could this help - cos my stuff smelt nasty when drying too. but now it has improved, so it must have been the washing machine.

Instead of soaking I always put a few drops of Tea Tree into the bucket and add another couple on each nappy as I put them in. They always smell ever so faintly of teatree which is lovely and fresh and clean, and of course it is also naturally antiseptic! HTH

what vinegar should i use? i might go run an empty wash now b4 i do th next load.

use white distilled vinegar, misdee.