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| I have used a dry pail method for my dirty cloth diapers and have wondered if a wet pail would reduce odor? Will a wet pail cause/prevent bacteria or mold growth? Any Pros/Cons of both would be helpful in deciding which method would work best for us. |
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You know I've seen varying answers as to which, dry or wet, is best for the diapers themselves. Some claim that sitting in urine/poop water can weaken fibers and cause odors while others claim that undiluted urine sitting on diapers in a dry pail could damage fibers and set in odors.
Personally I think if there is a difference it's very minor as people using either system don't seem to have problems.
So basically I think it comes down to what works best for you personally. A wet pail might help with odor, I'm not sure. I used to use a wet pail but I don't recall it being that much different as far as odors go. The smell never bothered me that much personally (can't smell anything with the lid closed and the smell only really got bad when it was time to wash anyway) but if it bothers you more you can try sprinkling baking soda on top once a day or so, that should help a lot.
You can always experiment to see for yourself but personally I think the hassle with a wet pail just isn't worth it though. It's very very heavy and difficult to lug around. It's also ackward and messy to get diapers from the pail to the washer. Technically it's also a drowning hazard for curious toddlers. Only advantages I can really think of is that a wet pail reduces staining and can sometimes take the place of the pre-rinse come washing time.
A great compromise that worked well for us (when we only had 2 children, not the 4 we have now) was to use the washer as a wet pail. Just throw your diapers in as you use them and add water just to keep them covered. If you're so inclined you could even spin them out to change the water every day (ME recomends this though I know very few people that actually bother). That way you get the stain reducing benefits of a wet pail with none of the cons... Of course this is assuming you can organize your regular laundry enough to be done during the time just after you've done a load of diapers.
Karen. |
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I used a wet pail years ago, (17 to be exact..lol) and it was heavy and messy, and smelly and I ran into problems with my ds having a terrible rash of yeast. Granted there wasn't much support for cloth diapers back then, so all I had to go on was the directions on the cheap diapers I bought, so I knew nothing about detergent build up etc....lol.
I use a dry pail now, and the only time I have smell issues, is actually when I spray bac out on the diapers for a stain. The smell when I open the lid, is sort of overwhelming sweet smeel if I use that. Otherwise no smell at all, but I do wash every other day, and spray poopy diapers pretty clean.
One solution I have heard for people with smell issues in a dry pail, is to rinse every diaper with cold water(even the pee ones) before putting them in the pail. Some say that it's the ammonia that dries and forms ammonia salts which smell, and if you rinse them out this dilutes the urine and it won't happen.
Kathy |
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Thank You much for the replies! I think we'll stay with a dry pail. The smell doesn't bother me as much as my husband. I'll try some baking soda just for him 
Thanks again |
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| I dry pail and there is no smell unless the pail is open. If you don't want to rinse all diapers, rinsing just the night ones can really help make the pail less stinky on opening. |
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| A couple drops of Tea Tree or Orange Oil on a wash cloth can keep things smelling better too. |
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| I'd like to try TTO or something...where's the best place to buy it? |
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Dry pail for a couple of reasons:
-I rinse most of the diapers before they go into the pail, so that helps with smell.
-If all the diapers are soaking wet, the pail is way to heavy to carry down two flights of stairs (especially when you are 8 months pregnant!).
-I find also that if they are in a wet pail, I'm not in such a rush to wash..and that's not good for the diapers either.
>SarahF |
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| Hi there, I tried both dry and wet with baking soda but nothing worked. So now, what I do is after each use, I quickly rinse the CD with water then hang them dry. I wash them after a couple of days. This method seems to work for me. |
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I'm not sure if you've found the TTO? I can't say where the BEST place to buy it is, but I didn't know where to find it at first and someone else gave me the tip that it is in the pharmacy section...I found it in Shopper's Drug Mart, and a grocery store pharmacy section, and just went for the best price.
I use a dry pail, and I rinse only the night time diapers after use, then put them in the dry pail (and of course rinse the soiled ones), and we don't seem to have any trouble with smell issues. |
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I buy my Tea Tree Oil at Mountain Rose Herbs...
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/aroma/ess.html
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