My AIOs smell like a wet dog

[Ladylove]

I wash with earth choice liquid detergent with a couple of spoons of bicarb and always dry them in the sun for at least half a day but lately they have this wet smell...I've tried a cold water strip wash with earth choice dish liquid - I can't do hot or warm water with my machine. Any suggestions? Do I need to strip with a nastier dish detergent? I have had to finish drying them in the drier a few times lately as they have still been damp when I take them off the line at the end of the day.

[LimeSlice]

I would say they aren't totally dry when they are being put away, so keep finishing them in the dryer.
If you can't get hot water to your machine, I would soak them in 'just boiled' hot water, eucalyptus and lavender oil. Then give them a rinse in your machine.

[Ladylove]

Oh thanks Limeslice. So I'd soak a bunch of clean nappies?

[LimeSlice]

Yep. Chuck them all in the laundry trough and fill it with boiling water and the oil, give it a stir and let it soak for a few hours.

[Ladylove]

Yay thank you!

[blessedatlast]

Yes that's what I do as I can't do hot water washes either.. My nappies have never had any smell..

[Ladylove]

Soaking now

[Eenee]

If that fails try a canesten rinse as that helps with the smell I found.

[Ladylove]

I was using Canesten once a week. Anyway I'll let you know how I go

[Gigi]

with strip washes, you use the MILDEST dishwashing liquid you can find. Using a nastier one with chemicals, will not help.

Strip washes are usually for wee smells, that type of thing.

Do you have a dog? who likes to play in the basket of nappies just brought in, off the line, (wink).
or maybe "smelling like a wet dog" is how you describe, nappies not being really dry.
it's hard to get stuff dry in winter!

esp natural fibres (cotton, bamboo, hemp). they take the longest to dry. synthetics dry super fast.

[Ladylove]

The wet dog smell is not a *bad* smell but it's not fresh. Certainly not how clean laundry should smell. So after soaking in very hot water overnight, with some teatree and eucalyptus oil then rinsing in the machine, line drying in the sun and finishing with a quick tumble dry, they smell much better. It must have been the hot water as I usually soak my nappies with the oil overnight before washing anyway, only in cold water. Also the not quite drying for sure. Thanks team BB!