# Do I have an ammonia (or something else) problem?



## sidrajedi (Apr 10, 2014)

I first started cloth diapering with a diaper service. I used a laundromat so it seemed logical especially to start. My DD1 seemed to be prone to rashes. Store bought wipes irritated her, so I used only cloth with just water. After a few days she got rashy again so I applied coconut oil after every change and voila! No more rash.

After I stopped needing to change DD1 three times a night and she slept in the same diaper all night she had some leaks and the diaper would reek of ammonia. I tried doubling and then tripling the diaper. It was ridiculous. I bought a disana wool soaker and she had explosive doodoo out the back and I know i didn't lanolise it right so it leaked too (with DD2 I did lanolise it right and used it for day time). DD1 got rashy again. I gave up and put her in sposies at night. 

After three months I decided I could do it on my own. The diaper service washed diapers once a week, so when I discontinued the service I also washed diapers once a week. I mostly used Nellies and sometimes Rockin Green. Finally my local Whole Foods started to carry Charlie's so I am still using that. I washed once on hot and then washed again with detergent hot/cold. My diapers always smelled fine.

Sometimes if we were out on a hot day her diaper would smell like ammonia and she might (not every time) get a rash, but it would be gone soon because I always used coconut oil. 

I stripped my diapers twice in this time because I was using a laundromat. I bleached my diapers once because of mildew.

We moved into a house when DD1 was 15m and we bought a washer and dryer. I switched my washing routine to every other day to every three days and sometimes line dry. My diapers have been way better since then. DD1 hasn't had a rash since and DD2 has only had one rash, due to wearing a diaper out on a hot day for almost 3hrs. It smelled of ammonia when I took it off. No further problems with my diapers and the rash went away because I always use coconut oil.

I talked about this on another cloth diapering forum and everyone who spoke up suggested that I do a bleach soak and use tide or gain or whisk or some other mainstream detergent, saying that my diapers were not getting clean. I am reluctant to do this. I hated using bleach and I vowed never to do it again. I haven't used mainstream detergent in years and I don't plan to.

Do I have a problem? If so what is the crunchy solution? Do I make my own detergent? Is Rockin Green bad? If I have ammonia Rockin Green has a detergent for that, does it work? Grovia? What do I do instead of a bleach soak of Rockin Green is no good? Baking soda and vinegar?

I do not plan to use these diapers much longer but I want to sell my diapers. I know most people bleach used diapers before they use them anyway but if there is a problem with them I want to fix it first.


----------



## sidrajedi (Apr 10, 2014)

Well, just an update:

I didn't change anything and I no longer have to use coconut oil after every change. I think it was just my previous wash routine and my ODD's sensitive skin. I haven't tried cloth overnight yet bc I want to buy fitted diapers and doublers and all i have is prefolds, pul, and chinese pockets.

In case anyone is searching with a similar issue.


----------

