Cloth Nappy Discussion - smelly MCN’s

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smelly MCN’s

Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Product Reviews
Forum Name: Cloth Nappy Discussion
Forum Description: Are you new to cloth nappies? Looking for washing tips? Want to rave about a great new nappy you've tried? By popular request a board especially for all our cloth Mums!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13666
Printed Date: 24 August 2025 at 3:00pm
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Topic: smelly MCN’s

Posted By: AnnC
Subject: smelly MCN’s
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 11:23am

yup I know its been asked before but I can't find where.. so...

I use MCn 99% time and I am finding they are beginning to smell quite yuck (wee/anonia smells)

I washing with very little powder and sometimes use dettol laundry rinse. i have also used tea tree in the rinse cycle. Still smells.

I use various inserts from hemp to micro. I use pocket nappies...

Anyone tried something and it works? Am I right in thinking something like baking soda and vinigar??? (don;t laugh if thats totally wrong for some reason those 2 things popped into my head LOL

)

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Replies:

Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 12:00pm

Sorry cant help. We have never had a problem with smells,...Im starting to wonder if I just have no sense of smell, cos I have never stripped the nappys or anything, but we have no stains or smells, and Isla is in them full time

Posted By: kiwivic
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 12:26pm

I'd recommend stripping your nappies. I've done mine recently and they smell fantastic - as good as new!

1. Hot wash, water only
2. Cold wash, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup white vinegar
3. Cold rinse, 1 cap detol in fabric softener compartment
4. Cold rinse, water only

I've also started washing my nappies on a normal cycle, rather than delicate, and doing an extra cold rinse at the end. I haven't had any problems since.

Vic xx

Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 2:11pm

I just did that more or less today. Did a wash with no powder, then a wash with baking soda and vinegar and then a rinse. didnt think to put the dettol in. Hope it works as I did ALL Toms nappies today and have been surviving on old prefolds etc.....not as nice as pockets.

Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 3:30pm

nzpiper - be careful using vinegar all the time, it eats away at the laminate after a while

Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 4:11pm

no worries. I am far too lazy to do it all the time. This is the first time in Toms whole life

that I have done this. And I followed your website's instructions thank you!

Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 4:20pm

Aww yay! That's cool then, I know some people who put it in every wash and now have leaky nappies.. don't want that happening to others

Posted By: Mama2two
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 4:29pm

I have had great sucess with the Dettol Hygenic rinse. It gives a nice fresh smell to the nappies and we have had absolutley no problems with leaking etc.

I would suggest doing a strip and going from there. Also just out of interest do you line dry or dryer?
I find that they can come in a bit stinky from being on the line for some reason.

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http://lilypie.com">

http://lilypie.com">

Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 7:13pm

We had the same problem. The best thing we have found is, do a 'strip' when you notice the smell build-up. We wash in ecostore washing liquid (only for nappies though), on a hot wash, and occasionally use a bit of that Dettol stuff too. Line drying here cause they stink in the dryer until they are dry and our laundry doesn't close

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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 7:15pm

I find they stink more when I dry them in the dryer.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!

Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 8:26pm

I line dry most of the time - have dryer dried but very rarely.. I might try stripping all of them

question is do I 'strip' just the inserts or the pocket nappies as well?

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Posted By: kiwivic
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 9:15pm

I stripped everything - pockets, inserts & fleece liners. I'm sure it'll make the world of difference

Vic xx

Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 9:41pm

boys and their smelly wee I tell ya

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http://lilypie.com">

Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs

Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 16 January 2008 at 10:21pm

Yep, strip the whole lot.

I found that if I hot washed every now and again (maybe once every week or two) then the smell wouldn't build up.

I think honestly that a hot wash just cleans better. I know eco warriors will kill me for that... but I'm still learning to compromise between being eco-friendly and not stinky!

Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 17 January 2008 at 10:48am

Nikki, I think you are right. I hot wash most of the time for Tom's nappies (nothing else gets that luxury as I am scared I will shrink things). Lately I felt bad about using hot water and started doing cold washes for wet naps and hot for the pooey ones. Thats when things started smelling. But it could be that it was just time.

The only scary thing about stripping all his nappies in one go is you realise just how many he has!

Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 17 January 2008 at 10:56am

haha I know he has wayyy tooo many for one kid![:)
I warm wash his nappies all the time (trying to be semi eco and semi cleaning)

Got to go and get some white vinigar and then i shall do them... Rhyley has the luctury (??) of disposables today.

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 17 January 2008 at 6:46pm

ok nappies all stripped and I am pretty sure smelling like new again - yay - so thank you ladies for your great advise

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Posted By: kiwivic
Date Posted: 17 January 2008 at 7:49pm

Yay, so happy for you!! Nothing like clean smelling cloth nappies

Vic xx

Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 17 January 2008 at 8:45pm

Ha did all of mine today. The line was full. But it is so nice to have nice smelling nappies again.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!

Posted By: Tricia
Date Posted: 18 January 2008 at 9:56am

MIL got me q bucket and some Napisan yesterday as he was a bit smell! Is it OK to soak them?

Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 18 January 2008 at 10:44am

no you don't use Nappie san - thats part of my problem my baby sitter nappy san soaks the nappy (She is a wonderful babysitter and washes my cloth nappies for me) so it locks in the smell.

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 18 January 2008 at 10:48am

mind I do think you can soak them in water - and i think you can put something like tea tree oil or something in the water? (but don't quote me)

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Ann

Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)

Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 18 January 2008 at 11:09am

You shouldn't soak your pockets as it can "hurt" the PUL. But as for your inserts I think it is ok to soak them in nappisan

You could always just add a scoop to your wash and do a double rince.

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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!

Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 26 January 2009 at 9:27pm

Help! I'm at my wit's end with our smelly BG.

They smell like rotting carpet I swear

I dry pail and they are never left for longer than 36 hours (approx) before they get washed.

Last time I tried stripping with the dishwashing liquid and scrubbing brush, then dettol in the wash, and lots and lots of sun (hung them out for two days in a row). Nothing I'm doing seems to shift it for more than a few wash cycles and then the smell returns. I've been washing them on warm or hot washes too.

I can't do the vinegar and baking soda stripping as apparently it voids the warranty (although this wasn't the rule when I bought them so I'm not sure if it applies to me)

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Posted By: kiwivic
Date Posted: 26 January 2009 at 10:21pm

Bobbie wrote:

Help! I'm at my wit's end with our smelly BG.

They smell like rotting carpet I swear

Do you do a cold rinse cycle before your warm/hot wash? I've read that if you're doing a warm/hot wash cycle you should do a cold rinse to get rid of wee etc first otherwise the warmer temperatures can set the smells in?

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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 26 January 2009 at 10:52pm

ooh interesting. I used to but I don't usually any more.
Thanks Vic! That's awesome - I'll strip em again and then give that a try

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Posted By: VannesaD
Date Posted: 27 January 2009 at 11:50am

I always cold rinse my pockets first then put through a normal warm cycle with an extra rinse - haven't had a problem yet. It uses a bit more water but if it keeps the smells at bay I'm going to continue doing it - they say if it aint broke don't fix it.

Hope you get the smell sorted soon Bobbie.

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http://lilypie.com">

Posted By: hooper
Date Posted: 27 January 2009 at 2:40pm

ive just stripped mine, i did cold wash first no washing powder let them dry, then scubbed some dish wash on them rinced them then washed like normal they are as good as new now.

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Desiree