Even the most experienced cloth families run into issues now and then — here’s how to troubleshoot like a pro.
Barnyard Stink or Ammonia Smell
Barnyard stink smells like exactly what you think-poo. This generally means that somehow your diapers are not getting cleaned enough. This is often smelled in clean diapers straight from the wash or dryer. And it's especially a bad smell when a diaper has been used further. Ammonia smell is s REALLY strong smell of ammonia in diapers that are otherwise clean, fresh from the dryer/wash, or after baby's first pee in them. Urine breaks down to ammonia, so it is normal for diapers to smell stronger as they sit and wait for wash day. Ammonia smell that is a problem is noticeably stronger (like singe your eyebrows strong), and can cause rash or excoriation (burns) on baby's skin if not addressed and cleared up.
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First, DO A SWISH TEST! — If the issue is that you are using too much detergent and it is not rinsing out properly, that also means the waste is not getting properly cleaned out of your diapers too. Take an insert and swish it around in a clear bowl of water. You can also use another clear bowl of water a control. If you get obvious bubbles and/or suds, you have found your problem. See below for detergent buildup help. If there are no bubbles or suds, and maybe just a film on the surface of the water at most, it could be either mineral buildup or just particles from the insert fibers. See how to strip for mineral buildup below.
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Adjust your wash routine as necessary. Make sure your'e following the general wash guidelines for cleaning information and how-to. If you're still confused or need more in-depth help, join a wash and care group on line like Cloth Diapers for Beginners can be useful.
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Don’t overload the machine — diapers need space to agitate. Too many diapers means no room for the diapers to rub against each other (agitate) and get clean. On the other side, too few means they have nothing to agitate against and also do not become clean. Think "stew" consistency, not "soup".
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If diapers are sitting more than 3-4 days between washes, consider rinsing them and letting them air-dry overnight so the ammonia in the urine doesn't sit and make your inserts bald or smell worse. This is especially helpful when using diapers overnight. Those can often have large amounts of more concentrated urine in them and rinsing them helps alleviate that waste load on wash day. Letting them drip dry/air dry before putting them back into the wet bag prevents leaking through the containers or mold.
- Check the section for stripping and sanitizing.
Detergent Buildup
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Buildup feels like greasy, stiff, or overly “sudsy” fabric.
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Happens more often in soft water or if too much detergent is used.
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If detergent buildup isn't too bad, try a hot water rinse with no detergent — repeat until the water is clear and suds-free. You can add ½ - 1 Cup Vinegar to help neutralize detergent (Be advised, too much vinegar and in too strong a concentration can ruin elastics and PUL. Vinegar is an acid and can damage these things, please use sparingly) Most often detergent buildup will not be able to be rinsed out with a machine. It will take some elbow grease and manual rinsing, wringing, and grape stomping in a tub.
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Once the detergent is rinsed out, cut back on the amount of detergent going forward. You can always start low and work your way up to an amount that works best for you. If you have soft water, consider a reverse wash, or only adding detergent to the first wash. You may also need an extra rinse.
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Make sure your load size allows for enough agitation — too big or too small can both cause issues.
Removing Stains: Keep Your Diapers Looking Fresh
Stains happen — especially with natural fibers and breastfed baby poop. The good news is that they’re usually easy to deal with and don’t affect function at all.
Here are some stain-fighting tips:
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Sun bleach damp diapers. Lay them flat stain‑side up in a sunny area. You can keep wetting them to let the sun do its work for longer. Works well on EBF stains.
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Lemon juice dab for stubborn spots. (Use sparingly in combination with sunning and rinse after)
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Warm OxiClean soak (inserts only) if sun isn’t an option. Or add it to your routine. Oxiclean is a cloth-diaper safe laundry additive.
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Enzyme sprays like Bac‑Out tackle odor + stains. These work best by defiantly following the manufacturer instructions for amount to spray and time to let sit. Sometimes toddler poo can be stinky, and fabrics like AWJ can hold onto smells in an otherwise clean diaper. Bad-out is a useful took for these stubborn stains and lingering smells.
Leaks
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Check fit. Some settings can be adjusted for a better fit. Too tight can lead to leaks the same way too loose can. See our Fit Guide in another blog post.
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Ensure elastics are snug but not tight.
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Confirm inserts are flat & fully tucked. Often inserts can move around in side the pocket or cover. Make sure they are covering the whole wet zone. Also make sure your absorbency is adequate enough for baby's needs. Inserts can only hold so much, and if they are soaked, they won't absorb anymore and can fold and leave areas uncovered in the wet zone. Some diapers may be wider than the absorbency you have. Some kids may hold their urine and then flood all at once. It is normal for kids to outgrow their absorbency and pee more as they get older, and to have different absorbency needs.
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Add a hemp or bamboo booster for heavy wetters/flooders, or find a different absorbency type that may work best.
- Make sure you are using creams that are cloth-safe. Generally you should avoid all petroleum products as they can coat the fibers and make them repel liquids. Zinc-oxide is cloth-safe, but can cause stains. Thick creams can take more than a normal wash cycle to wash out. Consider using liners when needing to apply creams thickly to protect the skin. Also avoid fish oil, as it can hang around the fibers and stink.