Stripping cloth diapers

When and how is a deep cleaning carried out

Cloth diapers are a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to disposable diapers. However, over time, residues such as detergent, limescale, or ammonia can build up in the fabric fibers, causing odors and impairing the diaper's absorbency. In such cases, a deep cleaning, also called "stripping," can help restore diapers to their original condition.

But when is stripping necessary and how does it work properly?

Contents:

1. When should you strip cloth diapers?
2. How does stripping cloth diapers work?

• • Stripping with lactic acid
  • Stripping with citric acid
  • Stripping with baking soda

3. Important tips for stripping cloth diapers

1. When should you strip cloth diapers?

Stripping your cloth diapers is not necessary for every wash and should only be done if:

• Your diapers smell unpleasant despite being washed properly

  • You take the diapers out of the laundry and they still smell of urine
  • Your child urinates in the diaper and the diaper immediately stinks, teething urine can be ruled out

• The absorbency of the diapers has decreased significantly.

  • Although you follow the correct washing routine and use the right detergent, you notice that something is wrong and your absorbent pads suddenly no longer absorb as well
  • You also only dry in the air and never use the dryer or if you do then only very rarely with a gentle program, nevertheless the suction power is significantly lower

• Skin irritation occurs in the baby

  • This can happen due to detergent residues
  • you did not wash the diapers with the correct washing routine and the recommended detergent, which could cause deposits to settle
  • after a fungal infection you are not sure if everything is out, even though you washed at 90°C

• The diapers have been washed incorrectly over a longer period of time

  • washing temperatures that are too cold
  • it was not rinsed and drained before the main wash program
  • you have not activated any additional water programs
  • the detergent was dosed incorrectly
  • the wrong detergent was used with too high a soap content
  • your water is very hard and you have not used any or too little descaler
• The diapers were stored incorrectly
  • Too long storage times in the wet bag, the liquid collects and leads to deposits, unpleasant odors and mold formation

  • the diapers are stored together with absorbent material or wet wipes that have come into contact with water

All of these factors can cause your diapers to suddenly start to smell or no longer absorb moisture, which is why proper storage and the right washing routine are extremely important!

2. How does stripping cloth diapers work?

Stripping can be performed using various methods. Here are the most common. Please note that all applications must be performed using clean or previously washed diapers!

1. Deep cleansing with lactic acid

This method is the gentlest for your materials and is the most commonly used. Lactic acid is the acid closest to the body, making it gentle on the skin and twice as effective as citric acid or baking soda. It reliably dissolves all residues such as urine scale or limescale.

How it works:

• Fill a bucket with lukewarm water
• Add about 20-30ml of lactic acid-based descaler to the water - Ulrich's descaler is of course best suited for this purpose
• Let it soak for about 30 minutes, if the deposits are very heavy you can leave it for up to 3 hours
• then wash everything thoroughly with water
• Then wash the diapers once in the machine as usual

2. Deep cleaning with citric acid

This method of stripping your cloth diapers is a bit more aggressive than using lactic acid and puts more strain on the materials. Therefore, we recommend only using it very rarely and thoroughly cleaning after use.

How it works:

• Fill a bucket or bathtub with lukewarm water
• Add about 7-9 tablespoons of citric acid and dissolve it well
• Put your cloth diapers in it and stir well
• Leave the diapers in it for about 20-30 minutes
• Rinse well with water after use
• Then wash the diapers once in the machine as usual

3. Deep cleaning with baking soda

This method is similar to that using citric acid, but it is slightly less damaging to the materials.

How it works:

• Fill a bucket or bathtub/sink with lukewarm water
• Add about 7-9 tablespoons of baking soda to the water and dissolve it
• Put your cloth diapers in it and stir everything well
• Leave the diapers in it for about 20-30 minutes
• Rinse well with water after use
• Then wash the diapers once in the washing machine as usual

Material compatibility of the methods:

In principle, all three methods are suitable for both overpants and pads. However, synthetic fiber materials should not be left in the wash for longer than 30 minutes, even with lactic acid, because the deep cleaning method causes irreparable damage to the synthetic fiber if exposed to it repeatedly or for longer periods.

3. Important tips for stripping cloth diapers

• Don't strip too often - Deep cleaning puts a lot of strain on your fabrics and materials and should therefore not be done lightly. Only when absolutely necessary.
• Regular care and proper use prevent this problem – check your washing routine and your detergent regularly to see if the problem occurs. Always ensure there's enough water in your wash cycles so everything can be rinsed out, and use a descaler if you have hard water.
• It is best to dry your cloth diapers in the sun - this will also ensure that bacteria are killed and the fresh wind will also break up lime crystals
• Always rinse well after stripping - To ensure that no residue remains in the diapers

Summary

Stripping cloth diapers is a sensible measure when they lose absorbency or develop an unpleasant odor. Various methods such as lactic acid, citric acid, or baking soda can effectively remove deposits. However, with a good washing routine and proper storage, you can often avoid the need for a deep cleaning altogether.