Leaking and Wicking

If you're having trouble with your diapers leaking, this article is for you!

Leaking - baby pees on diaper, clothes, blankets, carseat, mom, etc. is wet. This is a major event of liquid everywhere.

Wicking - leg holes of onesies are slightly damp. Bottom of t-shirt slightly damp. Damp line along back of diaper on shirt. Crotch of pants slightly wet. This could necessitate a clothing change, but could also be dealt with.

Leaking is caused by one of two things:

1. Not enough absorbency (i.e. the baby just peed 15 oz., and the diaper only holds 12 oz.)

2. Detergent Residue.

Let's address these two issues.

1. Absorbency. Most babies' bladders will not hold 15 oz. Some babies will hold their urine for a while and let it all out at once, while others will squirt a bit whenever urine is 'deposited' into their bladder. Sometimes it's hard to tell if a cloth diaper is wet, so it seems as though they are dry when they've just wet a little. If you can place your finger between a prefold/fitted diaper and the cover to check, you should be able to feel the moisture. You can also reach around to the back of a pocket diaper and feel the insert. That's a surefire way to find out. If you take a diaper off the baby and it is completely soaked - not a dry spot anywhere - then you probably have an absorbency problem.

2. Residue. Do the nasal-aspriator test. Take a clean, dry diaper, lay flat on a countertop. Get your baby's nasal aspirator (blue bulb syringe thingy) and fill with water. Pretend that your aspirator is the baby's bladder. Squeeze some water onto the diaper as if your baby were peeing on it. Does the water soak in, or does it bead up and roll away. If it beads up, you have residue. If it soaks in, you're ok.


How to deal with....

1. Absorbency - add a doubler (a small square or oval piece of cloth designed to add 3-5 oz. of absorbency to diapers) or try a more absorbent diaper. Your local cloth diaper store or expert can help you with this!

2. Residue - time to "strip" your diapers. There are many ways that people have done this. The easiest and safest way is to wash your diapers without your detergent, but with a pea to dime sized drop of dawn (sun, joy, etc.) dish soap instead. Rinse all the bubbles out, and dry as usual. You may need to repeat this process. For more specialized instructions, please contact your local diapering expert.

Diaper Stink

Diaper Stink is the lovely term we in the cloth-diapering world use to describe that not-quite-clean smell that our cloth diapers sometimes retain. I wouldn't call it mildew, or ammonia, or really even poopy. I'd call it.... funk.

There are many reasons why diapers retain this wonderful "funk" smell, and here are just a few.

1. Bacteria and Fungus.
Yup, the good stuff. It's time to wash on the Sanitary Cycle, or add just a teensy bit of bleach (a capful should do it). You can also use a couple of drops of tea tree oil to help kill whatever it is. There are many types of bacteria (e.coli, which naturally occurs in digestive tracts) and fungus (i.e. mold, mildew, yeast, etc.)

2. Needing to wash more often.
It is really a good idea for home laundering of cloth diapers to wash no less often than every 3 days at most. Every 2 days is better. The synthetic fabric will retain smell more than natural fibers such as cotton or hemp. In addition, cotton and hemp can be washed in higher temperatures than the PUL material can, and this can help eliminate odors. So, if you wash more often, the smell will not linger on the diapers for as long, thus eliminating the problem before it starts.

3. Detergent Residue.
If you're either using a detergent that doesn't have five yellow stars according to either the regular detergent list or the HE detergent list, you ought to consider switching. Many detergents leave a residue that can retain odors and stains, and make the diapers repel moisture (meaning they wil not absorb urine). Also, be sure you're only using 1/2 the recommended amount for your washing machine (as directed by the detergent packaging) and be sure all detergent is thoroughly rinsed out. It is prudent to do an extra rinse, especially if you have an HE (front-loading) washer.

4. Rash Cream.
You've used rash cream and it has left an oily residue. Some rash creams contain fish oil (yuck) and other stinky substances that can leave stains and residue. Visit here for a list of rash creams. I personally use Dercut or Aura Cacia.

What can you do about diaper stink?

There are a few options:
1. Wash your diapers again. Maybe even without detergent.
2. Wash your diapers with a pea-sized drop of dawn (or joy, or sun, etc.) dish soap. Be sure to rinse all the bubbles out. This can help remove residue.
3. Sunshine! Lay diapers inside up outside on a sunny afternoon for a couple of hours. You'll be suprised. Stink and Stains be gone!
4. SOME diapers can be washed using 1/4 cup baking soda in the first wash, a 1/4 cup vinegar in the first rinse, and a second rinse with nothing. Please be sure this is ok for your particular diapers before proceeding. Baking soda can wear out some elastics.
5. Last resort - up to a 1/4 cup of bleach in the wash. Do not put bleach directly on diapers. Dilute first with water, or add to full washer and then add diapers. If you must do this, please be sure it is ok for your particular diapers. Color-safe bleach is NOT ok.