Ammonia

Ammonia--- It's a smell I never expected to find fuming from my baby's saturated diaper.  It honestly reminds me more of cleaning supplies than anything.  One thing is sure: once you get a whiff, there's no denying it.  You have ammonia in your diapers, and you have to do something about it!  Ignore the problem, and the smell (and possibly a rash your baby's bum) will only get worse...until one day when you want to toss all the diapers out the window!

Here is a brief bit of info to help you understand ammonia.  It can form in your diapers for two different reasons:

1.) Urea, which is one of the components of urine, is a very similar chemical to ammonia.  I am not a chemist, so I don't fully understand the science behind it...but somehow under the right conditions (warmth, long amount of time), the urea in the diaper fabric converts into ammonia.  The urea/ammonia substance finds a way to secure itself to the diaper by forming crystals in the threads of the fabric.

2.) Bacterial build-up can also cause ammonia to form in the diapers.  This cause becomes more common for babies when they begin eating solids, as they have more bacteria in their guts.

As you can imagine, a regular washing of your diapers is not going to pull out the crystallized ammonia or the bacterial build-up.  This is why it is so important to immediately strip your diapers.  It is equally important to develop a laundry routine that prevents this toxic substance from building up in your diapers, or else you will find yourself stripping the diapers every few weeks when the ammonia returns.  A few techniques I have integrated into my washing routine to prevent the return of ammonia include:

1.) Rinsing diapers after each diaper change.
2.) Using an old tooth brush to gently scrub off any bacteria-causing poo that is on the fabric.
3.) Storing the soiled diapers in an open container to prevent breeding grounds for bacteria.  Bacteria loves damp, warm, oxygen-free spaces.
4.) Going no longer than 48-60 hours between washings.
5.) Stripping my diapers every 6 months.
6.) Using only natural creams on my baby's bum.

Care to read more about ammonia?  Here's a great page by Rockin Green.