What does stripping your cloth diapers mean?
When you strip your cloth diapers you are deep cleaning and removing residue from:
- Hard water minerals that have built up
- Left over detergent that has built up
And yes, detergent CAN buildup. It is designed to rinse out when appropriate amounts are used. When too much is used, excess suds are created. The extra suds prevent your diapers from rubbing together by creating a chemical buffer. That rubbing is a crucial part on how laundry gets clean. Excess suds can also prevent some of the impurities from being completely rinsed out of the machine properly. This means they are redeposited back on your diapers for next time. So the problem snowballs. This information comes from Tide, you can see more details here.
Having those residues can cause stink, rashes and leaks.
The strip helps to get rid of ammonia issues and stink from a bad wash routine. But you MUST fix the issue with your wash routine or the stink and rashes will just come right back.
Before you strip cloth diapers, look at your wash routine FIRST. Sometimes one simple change is all that is needed. Not all issues are solved with stripping.
How do you know if you need to strip your cloth diapers?
- They smell out of the wash, after drying or immediately after a pee. Again. Always try to adjust your wash routine first as no matter how you strip, if the issue with your routine isn’t fixed, the smell will just come right back.
- They are leaking and you’ve already checked for a good fit and that you have enough absorbency. Leaking from hard water mineral build-up often presents itself with the insert still being dry in spots when it leaks. If it’s fully saturated then you need more absorbency.
How to Strip Cloth Diapers in Hard Water
GroVia Mighty Bubbles are my personal favorite for stripping or if I want to deep clean cloth diapers. It is made in the USA and not tested on animals. The ingredients listed are: Sodium carbonate, Sodium percarbonate, Sodium polyitaconate, Surfactants, Enzymes, Oxygen bleach activator, Sodium silicate. If you can get your hands on it, this is what I recommend to use to strip. Mighty Bubbles is also affordable. Mighty Bubbles is available on Amazon, most cloth diaper boutiques, and directly on Grovia’s webstie.
You can also use RLR. I find that RLR really shines if you have issues with hard water.
You DO NOT need to add a water softener when stripping cloth diapers.
Directions for GroVia Mighty Bubbles:
- This must be done on already washed, clean cloth diapers.
- One Mighty Bubbles pod per 24 diapers (this is one full diaper including the cover, inserts, prefold, or flats.) If you have more than 24, do it in another separate load following the same directions.
- Use the heavy duty wash cycle on hot and throw in one Mighty Bubbles pod. Do not add detergent or other additives. Do one extra hot rinse or wash cycle.
- If the cloth diapers still smell or seem to have issues such as causing rashes, repeat steps 2 and 3 (up to 3 times).
- Dry the diapers.
- No need to soak with the Mighty Bubbles. GroVia strongly recommends against it. Their chemists created it to work right in your washing machine without all that extra time and effort.
- Keep pods away from children.
Directions for RLR :
- This should be done on already washed, clean cloth diapers.
- One pack of RLR per large load. This is up to approximately 30 diapers. If you have more than a full load, do it in another separate load following the same directions. If you have small or medium loads you may still use the full packet.
- Add the RLR and a very small amount of the detergent you normally use. No more than to the one line for up to 30 diapers. Use less for smaller loads. Remember, the diapers have already been washed.
- Wash on the longest, heavy duty, hot wash cycle available.
- If there are suds remaining after final rinse, run one additional rinse or short wash cycle.
How to Strip Cloth Diapers in Soft Water
In soft water situations, the issue is often built up detergent. This usually occurs due to overuse of detergent in each wash load.
Run clean diapers through a HOT wash (must agitate). No detergent, no additives. Just cloth diapers and HOT water. If you can see in during the cycle, check after a few minutes of agitation, if you see suds…do another hot wash/rinse. Continue until most suds are gone. Some bubbles are normal as there will always be air bubbles present. If you can’t see inside, then do at least 2 hot washes as described. More may be needed.
If you have a small number of diapers that need this treatment, you may also run under hotter water in your sink or bath tub. Squeeze the water out of the insert or diaper while doing so.
Remember, if you are stripping due to stink or rashes, no matter how you strip, if the underlying issue with your wash routine isn’t fixed, the problem will just come back. For info on fixing that, check out my top 10 tips on washing cloth diapers.
If you aren’t sure if you have hard water or not, don’t worry. You can safely use GroVia Mighty Bubbles or RLR in any water type. It will just suds up more in softer water which may require additional rinses.
Why am I not recommending the DIY stripping recipe that you see floating around?
The DIY recipe is basically just three different products that act as water softeners. They are washing soda, borax, and Calgon. To get all three you’ll easily spend $16 or MORE. Plus, you have measure out the ingredients and have to soak.
Yes, you will still have full packages of products to use. However, I really want you to keep something in mind. Over 80% of the United States has some level of hard water. That DOES NOT mean that 80% needs to use a water softener to get clean laundry. Often a good detergent on its own is plenty. Also, I’m not saying no one needs to soften their water. Because there are people that do. I’m just saying do your research first.
The DIY recipe is fine if that is what the actual issue is. Hard water mineral build up. But in my many years of dealing with cloth diapers I’ve found that people really had more issues with the actual wash routine and OVER usage of detergents. My hope is to give you the simplest info I can that works.
I polled people in my AACD Chat group on their preference. I asked if they had used either Mighty Bubbles or RLR AND also done a strip with the DIY recipe which they liked better. Over 100 people participated. 98 claimed GroVia Mighty Bubbles as their favorite for stripping cloth diapers. 13 selected RLR. And just 4 chose the DIY recipe.
S says
After a couple years my prefolds are starting to smell like ammonia when peed in. Other websites are saying the detergents I’ve used (Ecos Free and Clear and Up and Up Free and Clear) contain sodium cocoate, which coats fabric. Does this substance build up in diapers, and would it wash away with just a hot rinse, or would it need a stripping agent? If I need to use a stripping agent, are you saying borax and washing powder would be ineffective, or just more expensive? I already own these products (not Calgon though, no hard water anywhere near here), and this is my last baby so I would not likely go through an entire package of Grovia Mighty Bubbles.
Thank you for putting all this information together and helping moms like me!
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Sodium Coconate is a natural soap. While there are groups that claim this is dangerous for cloth, thousands have used those detergents on diapers successfully. What you are smelling means that the diapers aren’t getting clean in the wash. When that happens to me before I worry about a strip, I first try a deep clean. That can mean soaking the diapers for a minimum of 6 hours in detergent or something like oxiclean. Then washing. You might also try adjusting your wash routine. That could mean longer pre or main cycles. Hotter water, try it in the prewash as well. Make sure the machine isn’t over or underloaded. You can google that for your machine type for visual examples. And if you’ve haven’t cleaned the washer lately, do that. THere are great directions here on the site. I can’t link it here but it’s easy to find in the search bar. I wish you good luck! Comment again if you need help!
Keelyn White says
Hi there,
I just read your instructions for stripping cloth diapers but I was unclear of the instructions for stripping in soft water. You said to do a hot wash with no detergent or additives. Do you mean just mighty bubbles or rlr but nothing else, or just got water and absolutely nothing? (I have an HE front loader).
I have a horrible smell build up in my cloth diapers and I did a bleach soak for too long and they smell worse than they did before. I am hoping a strip followed by a short bleach soak will help.
Thanks!
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Hey! For soft water it’s just the already washed diapers and HOT WATER. No detergent. No additives at all.
Whitney Hargis says
I need advice, please. I have been using medium prefolds for about six months and now my son is getting a rash and the diapers stink after one pee. I got my wash routine from Fluff Love and I think it may not be working. I usually have about 19 prefolds in an HE top loader. I use Tide free and gentle powder. I put the quickwash on small load, warm water, and the cap up to four. (five is max) The second is main wash, medium load with clothes, hot water, and a heaping cap (which is over 5). I have very soft water. Do I need to strip? Is it because they are not getting clean? Are they too clean and it’s detergent build up? Thank you!
Rosie says
With soft water less is more with soap. And extra rinse cycle or two are needed. To strip them back try washing 2-3 ime in hot water only no soaps.
Marie says
Help! I am having trouble with my daughter getting rashes with her cloth diapers. The rash goes away immediately when I put her in disposables for a day or two. I assume its a build up in the diapers, and they did get a little ammonia smelling, so I stripped them with Mighty Bubbles but the problem persisted. I stripped them AGAIN with Mighty Bubbles and that time is seemed like at least the rash came on a little slower, over maybe 3 or 4 days? But still she got a rash. Do I need to strip them again? This has all been going down in the last 3 weeks or so and I was with Seventh Generation Power Plus detergent. I think I was initially not using enough detergent which caused the buildup – I am using now up to the 3 with the Quick Wash and then up to the 5 with the Normal wash. Any advice would be welcome, I’m nervous about wrecking the diapers with so many strips.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
You can try hotter water. A longer cycle with more agitation. I can’t really comment on the detergent without knowing how many diapers you are washing. Have you already read this? https://www.allaboutclothdiapers.com/top-10-tips-on-washing-cloth-diapers/
natalia says
hello i use bumgenius pockets with mf inserts i have a newborn and noticed her poo immediately started staining the inserts am not sure why as i had read breastfed baby poop washes right off. any idea why this is happening or any recommendations as to how to avoid it from happening again/ remove stains?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Stains are normal. It doesn’t mean they aren’t clean. Sunning is a great way to get them out!
Katja says
We use pocket diapers. At first, I used mainly microfibre inserts, then I purchased hemp inserts. For the first two-three months, everything worked amazing. But then the troubles started. My son’s diaper would leak often within an hour of putting it on. I made sure they still fit properly etc., to no avail. After a while, I finally figured out that the diaper pants had gotten water repelling. (Sometimes his diaper had leaked, but there was barely any moisture in the insert.) I tried to strip them with bleach & Blue Dawn. To no avail. Now trying the Mighty Bubbles route and am adding Calgon to each wash. We live in an area with hard water, and I use Charlie’s Soap for washing. My guess is that it’s the hard water, but not sure. Also, it seems to be only the pants, not the inserts, that have become repellent, because I’ve used the hemp inserts in some of the Flip covers I have, without any issue. Assuming the hard water is the issue, but still super confused……. (Oh, and no stink or rashes.)
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Do you use charlies for everything? If not I’d try whatever detergent you use on your clothing. Also, make sure you point him down when putting the diaper on. And double check the elastic. Any gap at all will leak.
Katja says
I do! However, I wasn’t initially, because I didn’t know that it pulls out all the residue from everywhere. (And we were living in an apartment building with a shared washer on top of that.) So hopefully the MIghty Bubbles treatment will act as a kind of “reset.”
Alla says
Help! I thought my washing machine would stay full of water all night to let the rlr soak, but when I came down this morning I noticed it had drained at some point during the night. Do I need to rewash and start over? Move them to the bathtub and continue soaking?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Do you have any idea how long it stayed full? If it immediatly drained you probably need to soak in the tub. But if it was a while you might be ok not doing that.
Rebekah says
I am extremely new to cloth diapering. I believe I have hard water due to seeing build up on pots and pans and the shower head( I have not tested). I recently bought used diapers and want to clean/disinfect them before using. Is a wash with the mighty bubbles enough or do I need to bleach? How do I bleach All In Ones I dont want to discolor the outside…. also can you help with a wash routine…should use vinger or borax for a softener??? Whats the best detergent??? Ugh i have so many questions I’m on information overload from reading and watching videos. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jennifer Huttenberger says
I’m not positive whether I have completely hard or soft water. I don’t have time to send water out for testing to find out. Can I safely use GroVia MB? Should I do hot water rinses first? I’ve adjusted all other aspects of washing (thanks for that post too!) to ensure the smell won’t return, but it’s this initial stripping to remove the smell I’m worried about.
Also- when the diapers are first soiled and I change them, I’ve been keeping them in a bucket filled with water, baking soda & a squirt of laundry detergent. Could leaving them dirty in the water be contributing to my problem? I assumed leaving them “dry” would let the stains & smells sink in more… Please help! I didn’t now this would be so complicated-haha! Thanks ?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Yes you can still use the mighty bubbles. If you have softer water you may just have to do an extra hot wash afterwards to get rid of the suds. It should be done on clean diapers and no more than 24 per load. If you are adding laundry detergent to each insert and then also when you are washing you might be using too much detergent. Have you tried dropping the detergent from the soiled inserts when you store them?
Colleen says
I have soft water, anew to me, and I was using a softener in my washes. I believe I’m experiencing stink issues due to non proper agitation and detergent build up.
In this case, my stripping would purely be with hot water, no additives. I just want to make sure before I complete the “strip”
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Yes, I believe hot water washers with no detergent would be the best action here. Then dropping the softenr and also getting that agitation up to par.
Brandalyn says
We went from extremely hard water and using lines 1 for prewash and 3 for main wash (Tide F&G) and a full cap of calgon. We just recently got a full home water softener and are experiencing ammonia and stink but I’m completely lost on what to do and also how much detergent is appropriate now. Please help, because my son’s red bottom and cries make me want to just switch back to disposables. ?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
You wouldn’t use the calgon any longer. And you would likely use much less detergent. I can’t really make recommendations as the amount is also based on load size. And something else to try is using the larger detergent amount in the prewash and then just a tiny bit in the main wash.
Grace says
When your doing the hot rinses would you put a softener in if you have hard water ?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
80% of the US has some level of hard water. That does not mean 80% needs to add a water softener to get clean laundry. If you need it for your clothing to get clean, I would say go ahead and add it. But if you are only using it on your diapers, I suspect something else might be the cause of your issues. I would focus instead on increasing agitation and making sure you aren’t under of overloading the machine.
Jenna says
Am I able to put all in two cloth diapers in while stripping? I just wanted to strip so that the fleece line gets washed too. Or will this ruin the outer shell?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
You can do everything. Stripping on occasion is fine. It’s when you do it on a regular basis that wear will start to show.
Nicole says
I found this extremely helpful; thank you for posting! I used Grovia to strip some clean hemp inserts, bamboo inserts, flannel liners, and cotton prefolds that were stored away for a couple of years, but didn’t smell 100% clean to me. (Bleach was even added to the wash before storing.) Grovia took care of the problem and everything smells clean now.
Jhia Chun says
Can I use Calgon instead of RLR and Mighty Bubbles to strip? And is it the same step as using RLR if I use Calgon instead for detergent build up?
Betty Boop says
Nay, kind soul. Ye must use more than that. Perhaps a dose of Calgon plus washing soda and borax will do the trick. Best of luck to ye!
Deepa says
Hi! Our night diapers stink like crazy! The ammonia smell is driving me nuts.
I already have some Grovia Bubbles. Do I wash with GMB 2 to 3 times after a routine wash?
My routine wash lasts 1.5 hours (prewash followed by main wash followed by 1 rinse)
After the GMB treatment, need I bleach the diapers too to kill off bacteria? Thanks!
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Yes, you follow the directions in this post or on the package (they are the same). It is done on clean diapers. There is no need to bleach after the treatments. Mainly though you need to figure out what was causing the stink in the first place or the issue will just return. Have you checked out the washing tab here on the site yet? Thanks!
Sarah says
I have pre loved fluff that I will be using. They have no stink but still want to deep clean before use, is this the method you recommend for that also?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I would think maybe disinfecting and then just a good wash would do the trick!
Amy says
I only have 22 pocket diapers and I because I use about 6 diapers a day I wash when I have about 6 diapers left to get the most in there which tends to be about every 3 days….my diapers are leaking some (more than just because it’s a full diaper though) and my daughter keeps getting weird rashes in her diaper area (like little red bumps all over after she pees….if she just does #2 there’s no red bumps and if I catch the pee diaper fast there no red bumps but I can’t always catch her right after she pees and those are the times the little red bumps appear. I think my problem is that my load isn’t big enough (I have a front loader) I’m washing between 12 and 16 diapers at a time along with 2 inserts per diaper plus my dirty diaper bag I keep them all in and (because my bag was a cheapy it leaks from the bottom corners) the towel I add to the bottom of the bag. My washer with all this is not even 1/2 full but close….my question is can I just add a few towels to make my load bigger or what do you suggest I add to my main wash to make my load bigger? (Here’s my wash routine in case anything needs improved here…. quick wash (cold water, heavy soiled, high speed) with tide free and gentle to line 1, about 32 minutes long… then my main wash is heavy duty (hot water, heavy soiled, high speed) with tide free and gentle to line 4 and vinegar in my softener spot, about 1 hour and 30 minutes…then I dry my inserts, bag, and towel in the dryer on low for 1 hour and hang dry the diapers in my bedroom in front of a fan because we have alot of birds and they like to go #2 on everything lol) also do you think just a few hot washes might strip my diapers or do you think I need to do a full on strip with bleach soak after? I did a full on strip with bleach soak a few months back when I was washing every other day and thought waiting longer would help but I still don’t think I’m putting enough in there, but I also don’t know what else to add…please help
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I would personally try using hot water in the prewash as well. And reduce the amount of detergent in the main wash. That’s too much for a small load. Maybe try line 2 or 3. You could also try adding other towels to the load but it should be smaller stuff as to still allow proper agitation and movement of the diapers.
Alma says
This was extremely help full and is saved top my favorites