# I tried salt and vinegar!



## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

I just did my first wash load using 1/4 c of salt and a 1/4 vinegar and my dipes came out clean, no smells AND I didn't need to rinse them 10 million times!!!!

I pre treat w/microbe clean which is like bac-out w/out the essential oils.

Worth a try for anyone battling deterg issues!


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## tiffanymm (Aug 19, 2006)

What kind of washer do you have, front or top loader?

Thanks!


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## lisad1 (Aug 7, 2007)

I've never heard of this before - I'll have to test it out


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

I have a top loader but I'll be spending the summer w/a front loader and I plan to use the same washing routine. It's actually been a week now and it is working REALLY well! I literally had to rinse dipes all day long to get the deterg out and I was using only drops of the stuff (planet deterg) and now I just rinse the microbe clean out, do a cycle w/the salt and vinegar and Voila! I have a LOT of hemp that is second generation (2 of my kids used it) and thus more given to "odors/build-up" and it is coming out soft and odor free







!


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## Mrs.Oz (Mar 20, 2008)

Does this get stains out too?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

IMVHO I can honestly say that after cd'ing 3 kids NOTHING but bleach is going to get ALL stains except for sunning them out. I generally rinse my kids dipes after poopies and this gets rid of most of the stain making beasties. The stains that are left after rinsing and spraying w/microbe clean (bac-out equivalent) don't come out even w/regular deterg (and I've tried at least 6 varieties over the yrs). I don't use bleach and sunning is not an option for me so I don't mind the odd stain here and there as long as there's no lingering odor! So the answer is I don't see much difference (stain fighting wise) between salt/vinegar and deterg. Neither of these methods is going to get out stubborn stains. What I do notice a difference w/is that the dipes often retain odors when I wash them w/deterg. This didn't happen when I used microbe-clean and salt/vinegar.


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## mommathea (Apr 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aris99* 
I just did my first wash load using 1/4 c of salt and a 1/4 vinegar and my dipes came out clean, no smells AND I didn't need to rinse them 10 million times!!!!

I pre treat w/microbe clean which is like bac-out w/out the essential oils.

Worth a try for anyone battling deterg issues!


Ok, let me get this right. you do a rince to get the bac-out out. Then do a wash with the salt/vinegar. Do you add both at the same time or was with salt and rinse with vinegar?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

I just do a rinse to get rid of the bac-out and then I mix 1/4c salt w/a 1/4 c vinegar in a glass, add enough hot water to the glass to dissolve the salt and throw the contents of the glass into a hot wash and that's it!


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## mommathea (Apr 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aris99* 
I just do a rinse to get rid of the bac-out and then I mix 1/4c salt w/a 1/4 c vinegar in a glass, add enough hot water to the glass to dissolve the salt and throw the contents of the glass into a hot wash and that's it!

Awsome! Thanks. I think I'm going to try that. My diapers come out clean, don't stink, but have a strange odor that my preggo nose doesn't like. I hope that maby using no detergent will work.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Never used salt but I've been using white vinegar in my prewash ever since I started CD'ing two years ago. I've never had a buildup problem, and if a stain is bugging me I'll throw in a sprinkle of borax to get rid of it. I just might try the salt though!


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## irishmkmt2 (Nov 21, 2003)

Hmmm, I've never heard of using salt before. And since I think I've used every.other.thing in an attempt to get rid of my stink probelm







, I'm going to have to give this a try! Thanks for the idea!


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## lab80 (Feb 1, 2006)

What kind of salt do you use? Kosher or table?

Have you figured out much it costs per load as opposed to detergent?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Table salt and no I haven't estimated the cost. I have only one in dipes and she's almost 2.5 so I am doing only 2-3 loads of dipes a week. Cost for me is important but clean dipes and not having to use half a lake to get rid of the deterg every time I use the washing machine is even more critical for me. I hope the salt works for everyone.


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## Mrsboyko (Nov 13, 2007)

Tried this last night. Still waiting on the pee test though. You know, the test where she pees and if it immediately stinks I say it is a failure, and if it doesn't it is a total (hoping) win.

Normally i do a cold rinse with 1/2 detergent (usually arm and hammer essentials) then a hot wash with Borax, then a cold rinse. This time I did a warm wash with salt/ vinegar, then a hot wash with borax and a cold rinse. If this does work, I am going to try switching it around a little and doing 1/2 the amount of borax in the cold rinse, then the salt/ vinegar in the hot wash.


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Keeping my fingers crossed for the pee test







! I just got my first soap nuts and I'm going to use those w/a bac-out rinse before the salt/vinegar wash. It's been over a week w/salt and vinegar and all I can say is the soap rashes and the smell are gone gone gone!!!!


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## maxwill129 (May 12, 2005)

Question: Did it take more than one time to get the smell completely gone? I did this and my diapers still stink, although not as bad. Also, what kind of water do you have?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi,

You know I think the smell was almost completely gone the first time I tried it and completely gone after second or third washload. I am not sure what my water is. It tends to leave yellowish deposits in the dishwasher, but I don't have trouble rinsing soap off in the shower and my regular clothes wash is rinsed bubble free after a single rinse. Somehow though w/dipes I can't EVER get rid of the bubbles unless I rinse 10 times! The water use was killing me! I was using very very little deterg, too small an amt to get rid of stains or smells but yet still too much bubble-wise. I have tried: Allens, Charlies, Dropps, sensiclean (guessing that these last 3 are all the same deterg







), All free and clear, dawn, planet among others.


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## maxwill129 (May 12, 2005)

Thanks! I'm going to try washing them a couple more times in the salt/vinager solution to see how it goes. I hope this works! We are NOT using cloth diapers right now because of stink and the cost of sposies is KILLING US!


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

salt is really groovy--it's not an actual cleanser (as I understand it) it actually just gets in and separates the fibers of the fabrics, allowing all the ikkies to get out... even better than chemicals IMO!!

Also, i've heard that borax breaks down PUL, so if you have PUL dipes/covers you don't want to use borax...

I have been recently thinking of washing my dipes in baking soda, salt, and TTO. I actually got on MDC this morning to come here to diapering and ask about it...and here I find this thread! How fabulous! I am SO switching right now!

thanks mamas!


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi,

Glad someone else is as excited about salt as me







I know salt isn't a "cleanser" per se....no bubbles, enzymatic action BUT I think it works well on yeast, viruses and bacteria. When my kids get yeast infections I put them in a sea salt bath. Yeast is gone very quickly. When I had dental work done and got canker sores which I believe are viral I did a very PAINFUL rinse at night and the sores disappeared by the end of the next day. So there's got to be something to it!

We can't use tto because my kids get terrible rashes from it and I'm not sure what water hardness we have so I'm a little leery of baking soda...what exactly does baking soda do in the wash? Does it soften the water?


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## maddymama (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi mamas,
I'm so excited to try this with my next wash.... Question.... I have a mix of everything (FB, BG, ME, Bummis, etc.)- is this safe for all of them? I'm also assuming you are using plain white cheap vinegar....
Can't wait to try this....
~maddymama


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

there's a great article on diaper pin about the difference between washign soda and baking soda....but the short version is that urine (and fecal matter) is acidic, and baking soda is basic (just enough to neutralize the urine/etc). Washing soda is VERY basic, so much so that it's actually caustic (oneshould wear gloves to handle it). Anyway, baking soda should neutralize odors, as well as the actual acids...I guess it helps prevent breakdown of the actual diapers (by neutralizing the acids).
I'm told that baking soda is an 'enhancer' so it will 'boost' detergent performance, but that it's not a 'cleanser' of its own accord. Like you were saying about the salt though, I'm not entirely conviced that a soap-type product is necessary here!

I HAVE heard that if your'e useing both baking soda and vinegar, you need to use them separately (remember those elementary school volcanos?!) The most common thing I've heard is to do baking soda/salt in the wash, and then pour vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser, so it will get in on the rinse cycle.
Actually, come to think of it....the bubbling of the reaction might do a marvelous job of actually cleaning the diapers, so maybe I should try them together! What do yhou think?!


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

maddymama: Hi! I am washing mostly fitteds, hemp, cotton and fleece. I think your dipes should be ok. The deterg I used to use, planet, had salt listed as an ingredient and I used to wash motherease bedwetters(PUL AIO's) w/this, adding vinegar to the rinse. I actually started off using apple cider because I didn't have distilled white but I'm using white now...seems like either works.

brightonwoman: Well, actually the salt and the vinegar together cause a little bubbling action...now I'm curious....off to create a volcano...at the very least my kids will be entertained







!!


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## Jannah6 (Aug 29, 2007)

I'm having a major problem with STINK. I just tried the vingear and salt with handwash. I'll see how it turns out, DH has asked why don't I switch back to disposables


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jannah5* 
I'm having a major problem with STINK. I just tried the vingear and salt with handwash. I'll see how it turns out, DH has asked why don't I switch back to disposables









I'm so sorry! I hope the salt and vinegar works for you....baking soda sounds like a good option also provided you're not using detergent. My DH is like that too but after cd'ing 3 kids I think he sees the benefits over disposies at least where $$ is concerned







!


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## Mrsboyko (Nov 13, 2007)

So 2 things.
1) No I didn't realize borax was bad for PUL diapers. I thought it was fine since many people raved about how it helped with hard water. Not that we have hard water, but I figured it couldn't hurt, KWIM?
2) The salt and vinegar did not work for us. Our fitteds stink. They didn't smell before.

I am liking the washer= volcano idea though. Could be fun and it would probably work really well.

Now more of a theory question. Clothing detergent is used to get rid of dirt and smells in regular laundry, correct? Diapers do not get "dirty" they just have pee and/ or a little poop on them. So in theory they do not need a detergent to get them clean, just something to remove or neutralize the pee and minimal poop. Am I following things right here? So baking soda (basic= neutralize acidic pee) and salt (to "seperate fibers and get ickies out") and vinegar (to kill yeasties and make "volcanic" reaction bubbles) should cover all our bases, right?

Oh, this sounds more complex than it is I am sure. I really want to get away from having to fill hte washer more than 2x for a load. It seems wasteful to rinse an extra time to get rid of bubbles.


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

I did a baking soda/salt/TTO load last week. They came out cleaner than they've smelled in months! (In spite of repeated strippings etc). Woohoo!
Today I tried the vinegar/salt blend, plus put in a little baking soda (bubblebubblebubble!) and put that in. We'll see how they go--they're still rinsing right now.









MrsBoyko, I tihnk you're right that neutralizing the acids and killing yeasties should be all that diapers need. Unless your kiddo is draggin dipes in the mud!







I think the baking soda/vinegar should be sufficient, with salt as an enhancer it should be GREAT. I like the idea of thowing in a little lavendar or tea tree oil for that anti-microbial boost, but I don't think that even needs to be in every load...just once every 4-5 loads or something.

I am getting one of those 20lb bags of salt and a couple gallons of vinegar on my next costco trip!


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *aris99* 
Hi,

Glad someone else is as excited about salt as me







I know salt isn't a "cleanser" per se....no bubbles, enzymatic action BUT I think it works well on yeast, viruses and bacteria. When my kids get yeast infections I put them in a sea salt bath. Yeast is gone very quickly. When I had dental work done and got canker sores which I believe are viral I did a very PAINFUL rinse at night and the sores disappeared by the end of the next day. So there's got to be something to it!

We can't use tto because my kids get terrible rashes from it and I'm not sure what water hardness we have so I'm a little leery of baking soda...what exactly does baking soda do in the wash? Does it soften the water?

Sodium chloride, or salt, is a natural antiseptic.


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## lyttlewon (Mar 7, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jannah5* 
I'm having a major problem with STINK. I just tried the vingear and salt with handwash. I'll see how it turns out, DH has asked why don't I switch back to disposables









How did you dry them? Everything will smell like vinegar when fresh out of the wash but drying in the drier it looses the smell. Not sure about hang drying.


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## norajune'smama (Jan 29, 2008)

this is great. i've been having all the same issues and am now on day two of sposies while we figure out the detergent situation. :-( so...i have several questions.
what is bac-out? where do you get it and how do you use it? if it is an enzymatic thing, how is it different than the enzymes in detergents that we're suppossed to avoid?
where did you get the soap nuggets?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi,

Well, it is my understanding that bac-out is an odor neutralizer/stain remover made using plant based enzymes. The enzymes essentially digest odor causing bacteria. You do need to rinse the enzymes out but they are much more easily removed than those found in "enzymatic laundry deterg". In fact all you have to do to get rid of the plant based enzymes is to put the dipes through a hot wash cycle! I do a cold rinse w/the bac-out or microbe clean (same thing) and follow it w/ a hot wash w/salt/vinegar/baking soda (baking soda if you want the volcano effect







)

I bought bac-out from earthfare in NC but then nobody was selling where I am in PA so i switched to microbe clean (wholefoods) but they stopped socking it so I found it at petco.com for under $7. Most local healthfood stores should carry bac-out or something very similar.

I am still on cloud 9 w/this washing routine!!! Too bad my third and last baby is almost 2.5 and probably won't be in dipes that much longer...sniff sniff...I wish I'd known about this in the beginning!

I ordered a huge bag of soap nuts from

http://www.rawreform.com/

Then I bought some super smelling essential oil w/rose and geranium scents from frontiercoop. Supposedly you can put some drops of this on a cloth and add it to your dryer to make everything smell like roses







...I never knew that washing clothes could be this much fun


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## rocketgirl96 (Jan 30, 2008)

What are the soap nuts for?

Christine


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## alison_in_oh (Nov 23, 2005)

Y'all that are putting baking soda and vinegar in the same load...just note that baking soda plus vinegar pretty much makes just water plus carbon dioxide. Lots of bubbles...not much else.









Also, there's surfactant in the Bac-out so you're getting your grease-fighting ingredient right there!


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

you can clean with SALT? I've cleaned with baking soda (sodium bicarnate) but never with plain salt!

Will this work on other laundry? Will it work in cold water?


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rocketgirl96* 
What are the soap nuts for?

Christine

Soap nuts are are the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner. You throw them into your washing machine in a little bag and wash your clothes w/them. They are great for places in drought conditions because technically you don't even need to rinse your clothes after using them. They are great for dipes too







!


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
you can clean with SALT? I've cleaned with baking soda (sodium bicarnate) but never with plain salt!

Will this work on other laundry? Will it work in cold water?

I don't see why not. I googled salt as a laundry detergent and came up w/several recipes for salt and vinegar. Maybe do a pre rinse w/baking soda?

Here's a recipe for bleaching...I haven't tried this one:

"►To brighten your clothes try this natural bleaching technique. Get a large pot of water, add one cup of salt and one cup of baking soda, and bring to a boil. Put the fabric in that you want to bleach or brighten and soak for an hour."


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alison_in_oh* 
Y'all that are putting baking soda and vinegar in the same load...just note that baking soda plus vinegar pretty much makes just water plus carbon dioxide. Lots of bubbles...not much else.









Also, there's surfactant in the Bac-out so you're getting your grease-fighting ingredient right there!









I seem to remember when I first started cd'ing that there was a lot of talk about adding baking soda to the wash and vinegar to the rinse to neutralize. I stayed away from the baking soda because it was supposed to give the detergent more zip and some people found it caused more rash problems.

I know the bac-out has a surfactant but I was looking for a way to disinfect as well and I think the salt does this. Not sure if you need baking soda if you use bac-out because they are, in theory, supposed to be accomplishing the same thing.


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alison_in_oh* 
Y'all that are putting baking soda and vinegar in the same load...just note that baking soda plus vinegar pretty much makes just water plus carbon dioxide. Lots of bubbles...not much else.









Ah, yes, that is a very wise point.









After taht first load with all three together, I tried it with just the baking soda from the pail in the prewash, then doing the regular wash with salt/vinegar like aris explained, then two rinses as usual.
WOW





















I haveNEVER seen them look so white or feel so clean! EVER!
I'm gonna stick to keeping the soda separate from the vinegar, eventhough the bubbles were exciting.









I am so doing this forever now.


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

How has this been working for you in the long-term?
I loved it for the first few weeks, but now my dipes have developed a funky smell...they LOOK clean but they don't smell it anymore. I just got a fancy CD detergent this week again because the dipes had just become rank.







:cry (I was so excited for uber-cheap uber-green diaper washing)
Now YMMV depending what kind of dipes you've got. I have mostly pockets and AIOs with synthetics (microfleece inners and the cores are microfiber) and I know those are more finiky than, say, prefolds. I do have a few prefolds and they continue to be bright and clean with the salt/vinegar washing, but the pockets and AIOs are definitely not happy with this routine.








FYI, this was the routine I'd settled into: cold rinse with baking soda from pail, then hot wash with salt and vinegar (1/4c each, as described in pp), then two cold rinses. I wish I could do a warm rinse but my machine doesn't have that option. I have tried adding boiling water to the hot wash cycle and it seems to help, but that is a major hassle to do on a regular basis and without it I'm just not happy.


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## aris99 (Oct 24, 2005)

Hi!

I'm sorry it's taken a turn for the worse







I am spending the summer w/a friend who is on well water and the area is in severe drought. We run out of water frequently (water pressure drops too low for the pump) so we are using a front loader and minimal amts of water. There's no way I can go back to deterg!

The salt and vinegar is still working well for us but I do soak in bac-out over night (1/4 cup) and this REALLY helps w/odor. I follow a cold rinse w/an EXTREMELY hot water wash w/salt and sometimes soapnuts. Then I usually use vinegar in the rinse. Dipes are still coming out smelling clean!

As you pointed out though, it may be partly dependent on the types of diaper materials in question. My dd's dipes are non-synthetic. Hemp/cotton fitteds overnight (these are 2nd generation...my son used them, now my younger daughter is wearing them) and mostly cotton fitteds during the day.

I think hot water is a key to success....can you turn up your water heater when you do dipes? Good luck finding a deterg that works...I never could!


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## ssj77 (Apr 13, 2006)

Hmmm. . . Never heard of this. I'll have to try it on a few of my diapers at some point. Thanks!


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## brightonwoman (Mar 27, 2007)

Yeah, I think it really is about the diaper type and fiber type...I'm thinking with the next kiddo I'll be switching my stash over a few dipes at a time...microfiber is so cheap and absorbs a lot and dries fast...but it sure is hard to get the stank out!!


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