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Trouble-Shooting Problems
Leaky Diapers
When you receive your cloth diapers, wash and dry them several times in warm water. Brand new diapers require
several washings to remove natural plant oils before they become absorbent. Try shaking a few drops of water on
your diapers - does the water bead up on the surface or get instantly absorbed?
If the water droplets bead up then your diapers need a few more washings in hot or warm water using detergent.
If your baby's diaper leak from around the legs while the inside stays relatively dry, then most probably you
have the repelling issue with the fleece. To confirm this, do the water droplets test on the fleece like we
described above.
What if you wash and wash and wash - and the fleece is still repelling waters ? Then most probably it's the issue
with the detergent. Check your detergent to see if it contains fabric softeners. Fabric softeners work by coating
fabric fibers - and this coating can greatly decrease absorbency. Dynamo and Persil seems to give rise to this
repelling issue. Skip down to the section on strip washing the diapers in order to fix this problem. Our household
uses front loader washing machines and because of that we use low-suds detergent powder. We have used Spin and Top
(the low - suds version) with no problem. We have also used Kao Attack (without any softener) with great success
as well. Our customers have also used baby detergents such as Pigeon and Kodomo with no problem as well.
IMPORTANT: Machine-Wash Your Diapers Before the First Use
We cannot stress often enough on how important it is to wash your new diapers and inserts at least three
times before using for the first time. This will ensure the absorbency of the cotton and will make the diaper
"fluff up." If not pre-washed, the diapers will not absorb urine properly because during the manufacturing
process, there is a waxy buildup on the cotton. A great way to pre-wash your diapers is just to wash them with
your regular clothes for 3-4 times. Avoid softeners as they create waxy build up on the cloth diapers that will
cause the diapers to repel water instead of absorbing it. Dynamo detergent contains some fabric softener and
should therefore not be used in washing of the cloth diapers.
If you put any brand new cloth diaper on a baby and he/she wets it, urine will simply bead up and run right out
of the diaper. The machine washing swells and fluffs the cotton fibers maximizing your absorbency. Once this is
done, you will notice that your baby's pee stays in the cloth diaper and doesn't run out the sides.
Stinky Diapers
Cloth diapering should never be stinky. If your diapers smell bad as soon as they get used, then there is a
problem. Usually the problem is detergent build-up. Occasionally the problem is that they are not getting clean
enough. Smell them when they are wet out of the washer or warm out of the dryer. If they smell at that point,
then they are not getting cleaned enough.
If they smell fine but stink as soon as your baby pees in it, then they have detergent build-up problem. Build-up
refers to residue left by detergents, fabric softeners, and other substances used to clean diapers. The first
suggestion which will work for both problems is to make sure you have enough water in your washing machine and
enough "swish" room for your diapers. Some front-loading washing machines do not add enough water to thoroughly
soak the diapers and will not do a good job in getting them clean. Adding water to the machine can remedy this
problem. Do not overload your machine with diapers or they will not get clean. The diapers need their "swish"
room.
If you have detergent build-up, then it is time to strip wash them. Please refer to the section on strip washing
the diapers.
Strip-washing diapers
Diapers sometimes need to be stripped in order to remove the residue left on the fleece by detergents and/or
softener. Fill a sink with hot water and add in some dish washing detergent. Hand wash your diapers, rubbing the
fleece vigorously together or use a medium bristle dish brush or hard bristle tooth brush to scrub the fleece.
Turn inside out and repeat on this side. Rinse well, making sure that the water runs clear. To make double sure all
the detergent has been rinsed out, we recommend washing them again in the washing machine WITHOUT any detergent.
It's best if you do not return to using the same detergent that caused the problem.
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