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| I'm sooo confused as to what detergent i can use on my diapers. I think my diapers are starting to stink when she pees and i don't know what to do. Every list seems to say something different for what's safe. Some lists say Nature clean is safe and others say it's horrible. I can't seem to find anything in my grocery stores that are on the safe list??? What detergents do you use??? I'm in Canada but don't have Superstore or Loblaws where i live. |
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Most likely your detergent is just fine but maybe you're using too much? Which detergent are you using and how much? Usually you shouldn't use more than 1/3 -1/2 of the 'recomended' amount. They might need a light stripping to get rid of any build-up and then using a reduced amount would help prevent it from happening again (maybe make sure you put an extra rinse at the end of the cycle just to be sure??).
As for specific recomendations I love love love my soap nuts!! Sometimes I sprinkle a little washing soda in with it but it works great alone too. Mine are from <A href="http://www.natureemporium.com/">www.natureemporium.com</A> which is a supplier in QC.
Karen. |
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Do you have London Drugs near where you live? We get CountrySave at London Drugs, we had seen it on a list of safe detergents for CD and we have found it to be really good and cheap. My understanding, though, is that what works for one person can be very different from what works for the next person, it depends on the water softness, etc. But if you can find it, it might be worth a try.
Of course, your current detergent may not be the problem. You may just use too much, or not enough, or you need to do an extra rinse, or maybe your daughter has more concentrated pee now and that's what causes the stink, or... I know, it's more confusion again. I just mean that although you can try a different detergent, the cause of your problem could be something else, so if you cannot find a "good" detergent where you live, you may want to try a few other things before, for instance, paying more to order something online.
Good luck! |
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Just wanted to correct the link I gave above... It's actually <A href="http://www.naturemporium.com">www.naturemporium.com</A> Sorry about that.
Karen. |
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We use ECOS, its environmentally friendly. We first bought it at Costco, but now they also carry it at Canadian Tire.
I agree with the other posters that it may not be the detergent, but the amount. It has been a constant struggle with my husband to get him to use the 1/3 of the normal amount, he is convinced they won't come clean. But we rinse first, and then wash and have never had a problem. About once a month we throw in some vinegar in the rinse cylce to rid any lingering smells...and line drying in the sun is the BEST for getting out stains!!
Good luck! |
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well. i was using Xtra until i found out it had whiteners and softeners in it so i found some Ecos at Canadian tire but it's a scented one and has soy softener. it says just to use 2 TBls for a full load so i was using 1 for my diaper load. I'vae recently noticehd that the 2 Tbls isn't getting our clothes clean so not sure if 1 tbls is enough. i do an xtra rinse plus a pre wash with a little vinegar.
we don't have London drugs here. I found a place that has nature clean but i've heard different things about that! i found a store called Diaper Service company in the next town over(where my husband works) i haven't had the chance to go there yet since we've been sick with the flu! i was going to see if they sell something or suggest something to use. I'd love to buy soap nuts but i'd really prefer to find something i can find in town and they seem a little pricier than normal detergent.
i read someting about dawn dish detergent and also the washing soda with simple green??anyone use that??
we have hard water too so i don't know if that's making it not clean as well? |
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well. i was using Xtra until i found out it had whiteners and softeners in it so i found some Ecos at Canadian tire but it's a scented one and has soy softener. it says just to use 2 TBls for a full load so i was using 1 for my diaper load. I'vae recently noticehd that the 2 Tbls isn't getting our clothes clean so not sure if 1 tbls is enough. i do an xtra rinse plus a pre wash with a little vinegar.
we don't have London drugs here. I found a place that has nature clean but i've heard different things about that! i found a store called Diaper Service company in the next town over(where my husband works) i haven't had the chance to go there yet since we've been sick with the flu! i was going to see if they sell something or suggest something to use. I'd love to buy soap nuts but i'd really prefer to find something i can find in town and they seem a little pricier than normal detergent.
i read someting about dawn dish detergent and also the washing soda with simple green??anyone use that??
we have hard water too so i don't know if that's making it not clean as well? |
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Actually soap nuts are very inexpensive. The ones I have now I got from a local store and it was just a small bag. But I checked the website I mentioned and even with shipping and everything it comes to about $20 for a bag that should do about 144 loads! Plus you can then boil the shells to make some all-purpose cleaner, liquid laundry detergent, shampoo etc...
I don't know much about your detergent but if the amount they recomend isn't enough for your clothes I might suspect you'd need more for diapers too. 2 tablespoons seems like a pretty small amount so I suspect it's not your typical detergent and perhaps you don't need to limit the quantity as much. Maybe try using more for a while and see what happens. Worse comes to worse they'll just start stinking way worse and then you'll know you need less. You'll just need to strip them really well, you can't really do any permanent damage or anything.
Simple Green and washing soda also works very well. Cleans well and leaves no troublesome residue. There is some question as to how natural it really is though as the Simple Green contains an ingredient that many (although not the manufacturer of course) consider toxic. Basically in comparison to other 'natural' or non-toxic cleaners, it doesn't quite measure up. But in comparison to regular detergents, I'm not sure that it's all that bad. Of course, the website where it was first found has now taken it down so I'm not sure what that means. But I found soap nuts and they work great for us so I figure why take the chance.
Since it sounds like you're close to the Ottawa area (I know cause I know the Diaper Service Co., I'm in Gatineau, QC myself, grew up in Ottawa) so you can always check out the Extraordinary Baby Shoppe in Ottawa (online as well as brick & mortar store in Westboro) or A Mother's Touch (online only but I think you can pick up merchandise by appointment). I think they both sell Allen's Naturally. I've never tried it myself but it's popular in the cloth world...
The Diaper Service Co sells Hydrox 2, a peroxide based cleaner/detergent. I used this a long long time ago on my diapers and didn't have problems but it was only a few months (store I got it from closed). Being hydrogen peroxide based I would be careful on colored diapers (especially if you soak your diapers) and there's some question that "oxy" type cleaners (which a hydrogen peroxide based detergent would definetly qualify) can be harsh on diapers long term.
Oh, and if you are in the general Ottawa area, the soap nuts distributor I mentioned isn't that far away, in Buckingham, QC (actually now a part of Gatineau, perhaps 30 - 40 min. from Ottawa). Perhaps not close enough to pick up in person depending where you are, but close enough that it wouldn't take long to get there at least...
And yes, hard water would definetly affect how a detergent works and especially how well it rinses (or more accuratetly, doesn't) rinse out. Many people find they need more detergent when used in hard water but it also tends to increase the potential for build-up of detergent and obviously minerals. Using vinegar and/or a water softener like Calgon could perhaps be helpful, especially if you don't have a water softener.
Karen. |
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| Although I'm not familiar with ECOS, some of the more environmentally-friendly detergents tend to behave more like soaps, and thus likely not work as well and be more prone to build-up, esp. in hard-water conditions. |
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gee..i must have looked on a different site the other day for soap nuts. I should definately look at the site you mentioned. I really do like the idea of soap nuts just didn't want to order. What kind of store did you find the soap nuts locally?? I am kinda close to ottawa but not really. I'm almost 2 hours away. The Diaper Service Company is actually in Petawawa and i'm in Pembroke.
I don't think i'll try the simple green..thanks for the advice about the toxins in it. I have only lived here for a few months but we haven't made any trips into ottawa but if we do then maybe we can check out those stores!
I noticed on the website for the diaper service that they sold the oxy stuff but like you mentioned i didn't want to use it because it's not good for them...i especially am trying to be careful since i have some bamboo ones!! I really don't want anything with whiteners in it!
i'll take a look at the soap nuts!! Thanks |
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It was a store called Maman Kangourou (they sell slings mostly, but other 'natural' parenting stuff like cloth diapers too). It's in Hull, QC, so not exactly around the corner from you.
I forgot that the Diaper Service Co was out there, I know they service the whole Ottawa/Gatineau area, I actually tried the service out for a few weeks a couple years ago. Very nice folks...
If you want to just give the soap nuts a try you could always call them to see if they supply any local stores closer to you. I found them by the packaging on my little bag so they distribute to local stores as well as sell directly... You could also just give them a try with a sample pack. I noticed they had a small trial size of 50grams on the website.
Karen. |
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Sorry, just double checked my totals for the soap nuts and I was off a bit. Hadn't considered taxes for starters... Did some experimenting and it comes to $30.45 for one bag (your shipping should be pretty close to mine if not the same) or about $25 a bag if your order 3 at a time.
Karen. |
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I found ECOS on a list of highly recommended detergents to use on cloth diapers. We have been using it for many months with no problems whatsoever. Mine does not say to use only 2 tblsps however, and does not have any kind of softener in it...so they must make different types! |
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I use Claudia’s Choices <A href="http://www.claudiaschoices.ca/store">www.claudiaschoices.ca/store</A> |
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