Repelling fleece in FBs?! Help!

[nitaghei]

DS woke up this morning in a pool! :( At 5.30 am. And the JB Hemparoo was barely damp; the MOE insert was totally dry. Let me tell you, stripping crib bedding, in the presence of a DH merely looks long suffering while very carefully refraining from making a single comment about CDs is NOT a good way to start the work week.

So, it is build-up? I don't think it's the fit - the Petite Toddler FB fits DS really well, and there was no fleece sticking out anywhere. I've been using these FBs for about 10 weeks, without doing any stripping. Is it time? What do I use? I couldn't find Calgon at my lame local Target and DH said he couldn't find Sportwash at Walmart.

My regular wash is cold soak with detergent and then prewash; long hot wash, extra rinse, with little to no detergent and some tea tree oil. The pocket dipes are line dried; the inserts I put in the dryer. I use Cheer Free. The dipes smell fine, including the hemp inserts. NO stinky hemp here. BTW, I have used the BBs with Lizajane inserts at night and had no leaks, but have had a few leaks with the FBs recently (in the last 2 weeks) - but nothing as bad as this morning.

TIA

Nita

mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[Momof3Labs]

Did you try looking for Calgon at Wal-Mart? I find it in the laundry aisle. No other advice - I haven't had this problem yet!

[daisymommy]

Oh Bummmer! I'm so sorry to hear about your morning :(

1. I haev heard from numerous people NOT to use any kind of "Free" detergent other than Tide, because it can cause build up and repelling fleece.

2. Target doesn't sell Calgon--only Walmart. Did DH look in the laundry isle of Walmart for the Calgon, and the hunting/camping section next to the bug sprays/repellents for the Sportwash?

3. You can put your pocket dipes in a sink full of warm water, add a small squirt of Dawn dish detergent, and scub the fleece against itself really well, working up a lather. Now rinse. I personally would throw all the wet diapers in the washing machine and do several rinse cycles until all the soap is gone (rather than trying to rinse them all by hand).

Good Luck! I would (and can still) send you some Calgon or Sportwash since I'm here in Virgina, but it most cost alot to ship--not sure.

[chlobo]

Would sportwash work as well as the dawn scrub? I have both Dawn & Sportwash but would rather not scrub (I'm having the same repelling issue). Also, someone recommended Bac Out. Has anyone tried that?

[cvharris]

Hmmm, maybe it's the tea tree oil. I have heard that the essential oils can cause problems. You might need to do more than two rinses at the end...could be detergent buildup, too.

It definitely sounds like repelling fleece, and I haven't had this problem. I would go to fuzzibunz.com and fill out the customer service form and they will help you. They are pretty good about getting back to you quickly.

I've used both Calgon and Sportswash and really don't like either. Ben reacts badly to both of them. My wash routine is the following: cold soak with Bacout and then prewash; long hot wash with 1/4-1/2 the amount of Tide and 1/4 cup baking soda, two extra cold rinses.

Carolee and Ben (6/14/03)

[Momof3Labs]

I don't know, but I found Sportwash to be pretty useless on dipes. Like everything, your mileage may vary!!

[houseof3boys]

My grocery store, Kroger, sells Calgon. I couldn't believe that Target didn't sell it either! They sell everything else under the sun but why not Calgon?

[daisymommy]

I think that scrubbing with Dawn works better (from what I have been told)--but I've never had the repelling fleece issue myself so I really can't comment on personal experience. You could always try using the Sportwash, then pour water over the fleece in one and see how quickly (or slowly) the water wicks through it into the soaker/stuffer. It should be immediate. If not then I'd pick up some Dawn.

[nitaghei]

Amy,

Thanks! I'll try the Dawn - since I already have that. DH looked for Sportwash in the camping section but didn't find any. I didn't ask him to look for Calgon at Walmart. I wonder if REI would carry Sportwash? There's a store near my home. If not, I'll send DH to another Walmart! :)

I really can't use regular Tide or Cheer - the fragrance is a migraine trigger for me. So I have to stick with the Cheer Free, and just deal with the build-up. It wasn't an issue when we were CD'g weekends, but probably is now.

Hopefully the Dawn + lots of rinses will do the trick. The dipes with the suedecloth seem to be fine, but I'll probably just strip everything to be sure.

No problems this morning, at least! :) Love the BBs with the Lizajane Baby insert.

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[nitaghei]

Carolee,

Thanks! I've always had some reservations about the TTO - it's oil, right? But the anti-fungal properties of TTO always won out. DS's skin is really sensitive, so I can't use any essential oil in his wipes solution (just plain water), and I worry about yeast.

I'll try doing a couple of extra rinses the next few times.

BTW - does Bacout have any fragrance? If not, I'll try that, too! Looks like my diaper laundry routine needs some tweaking. :)

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

[cvharris]

Nita,

Bac Out contains lime extract, and has a strong lime smell. However, I don't notice the smell at all after the dipes are done washing...I only soak them in some bac out to start the washing process.

I am really thinking it might be the TTO...I used that once and I though my fleece felt slippery, like the oil had coated it.

Good luck!

Carolee and Ben (6/14/03)

[daisymommy]

Nita, I'm sorry, I meant Tide "Free" not with a scent. For some reason their barnd is made differently than other Free types, and it doesn't leave a build up. I have used it for a year now without any problems.
I also want to give you a boost of confidence that you could stop using the TTO. Many babies are allergic to it, so their moms don't use it in the wash or wipes. When you do a hot wash it kills the bacteria. Putting stuff in the dryer kills anything that might be left over. I know every baby is different, and I know that what works for me may not work for everyone else. But I wanted you to know that we don't use TTO with our wipes or laundry (I can't stand the smell), and Josh as NEVER had a rash or any other skin problems.

Edited to add:
I just remembered seeing this on one of my favorite CD info sites. It's called "My repelling fleece saga". It may have more info that might be helpful.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kfegelman/fleece.html

Good luck, and I hope it gets better for you!