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  Using tea tree oil? (KatieJo3)
Posted: 10:01:24 pm on 4/1/2008 Modified: Never
 
I've got some ME dipes with a bit of a musty stink to them (bought them used).  Someone recommended using tea tree oil in the wash.  How much should I put in to wash about 10 diapers?  Do I put detergent in with it too?  Thanks!
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KarenC)
Posted: 8:55:34 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
For 10 diapers, I'd say maybe 5-15 drops or so should be plenty (depending on water level and how much disinfecting you think they need). Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant (although I'm not sure exactly how much you need to truly disinfect a load of laundry, which is why I'm recomending a bit more than what someone would use for everyday laundering) so it's not a bad idea with used diapers anyway.

I'd recomend washing once with a really small amount of detergent and the tea tree oil (that way you're sure you're starting out with really clean diapers). Then I'd run it through at least another hot cycle or two with nothing at all. I'd suspect that at least part of that smell comes from a detergent build-up so the heavy rinsing will help with that, plus it'll ensure that the tea tree oil is well rinsed out.

Karen.
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KatieJo3)
Posted: 9:26:36 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
Thanks Karen.  I've got 10 dipes that I'm still just not comfortable with the smell even after repeated washings.  I think at some point I'll put all my dipes through a tea tree wash (all but 1 are used)just for the disenfectant.

I usually do a hot cycle wash, followed by 2 cold rinses.  Would I still want to do the cold rinses after doing an additional 1-2 hot washes with no detergent?

Thanks!
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KarenC)
Posted: 9:36:40 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
It's up to you, the cold rinses will help of course but what should really do the work will be the hot detergent-free wash. If it were me I'd do an additional hot or warm 'rinse' before an additional cold one (at least for stripping purposes). The tea tree oil can't do any harm, that's for sure. I'd really make sure to do a good stripping as well though, the repeated washings may not be doing much if you're using detergent in them. You can even try soaking in a heavy concentration of vinegar (for a regular washer-full I'd say at least 4-5 cups if not more) for a few hours to see if that helps. It will dislodge build-up even more and if the previous owner had hard water it'll help get those minerals out (which could be contributing to the build-up).

Karen.

  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KatieJo3)
Posted: 10:04:20 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
Does it matter if the vinegar is the white or the brown vinegar?  (Sorry, I'm new to this).
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KarenC)
Posted: 10:18:53 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
Hmmm, I don't know... I've always used plain white vinegar and that's by far the most readily available where I live (but I know that's not the case everywhere). It's the acidity that does the work so if the brown/malt is just as acidic I don't see why it wouldn't work. That's just a guess though, never tried it.

Can anyone else confirm or deny this?

Karen.
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (OLY)
Posted: 11:53:18 am on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
It is my understanding that any vinegar other than distilled white vinegar will leave your diapers looking brown and dingy.
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KarenC)
Posted: 3:04:28 pm on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
There you go, thanks for clarifying! Makes sense now that I think about it....

Karen.
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (aavt)
Posted: 3:55:28 pm on 4/2/2008 Modified: Never
 
Although I typically use distilled malt vinegar when I add it (this is clear; white vinegar as is so easy to buy in huge jugs in the US isn't as common here, but I can get the above at my local grocery), I've used brown malt vinegar on my diapers before to use up the bottle and can't say that I noticed any ill effects.  I probably only did this two or three times, given the size of the bottle, and I was only adding some to the rinse cycle (and then rinsing additionally after), not soaking in high concentration, but I figured it was fine because, as Karen said, it's really the acidity that I was going for.  
  Re: Using tea tree oil? (KatieJo3)
Posted: 9:40:25 am on 4/3/2008 Modified: Never
 
Thanks!
 
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