Diaper Laundry Difficulties

I try to stuff my pockets after Miss A goes to bed, but last night I was just too tired.  This is what happens when I try to do my diapers during the day!  Do you have problems like this?  :)

Miss Daisy Dog had to get in on the action too! LOL  Have a great day everyone!!!

DesignerLiners Review and Giveaway

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Most of you know that I am BIG into trying to make my home greener and more eco-friendly.  One thing that is next to impossible to avoid, are garbage bags.  You can use reusable, but in the end, you have to send it out to the curb.  And no matter how green your household becomes, there is always some sort of “trash” to dispose of.  This is where designerliners comes in handy!  When I saw this product, I just had to give them a try!

DesignerLiners tag line is “dress the mess” which is appropriate given their adorable and chic prints.  You can find a print to match your style and personality for every room of your house!

So how is this garbage bag eco-friendly?  Plastic is bad for the environment, right?  Well, designerliners are made of a fully biodegradable plastic-LIKE material.  To the touch, you would never guess that these liners are not made of plastic.  However, this material is biodegradable in 9 months to 5 years whereas a plastic bag can take up to 500 years!!!  These liners are also recyclable.  Either way that you chose to dispose of these liners, it is healthier for the environment!

Just like any other liner, you can use these over and over again until there is a hole, something sticky, or other reason why it is time to dispose of the liner.  These can even be wiped clean if there is something on them and reused.

The designerliners come in a wide assortment of colors and prints suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, offices, kid’s rooms, at work, and any other place that you have a waste can.  DesignerLiners will also work with you to customize your own liners if you have a logo or graphic that you would like on your liners!  These would be great as advertising tools!!

I personally loved these.  They are durable, reusable, adorable, and green!  My only complaint is the packaging.  The liners are all folded together in such a way that you have to take the entire thing apart to get one liner out.  These would be great in a roll so you can just tear one off and keep on going.  But for shipping purposes, I completely understand why they folded them that way.  They are in the package inside out, so it is a cinch to put in in your garbage can and fold it over, showing the lovely print off!

If you are looking for yet another way to go green in your home, you can’t go wrong with these!

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

You may purchase designerliners direct from their site here or from Amazon.  Giveaway below!

Please follow designerliners on Facebook and thank them for the giveaway!!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Got stink? Tips, Tricks, and the last resort.

It is inevitable…stink.  Cloth diapers are wonderful, but in time, many parents have the stink issue.  Worse yet, depending on your type of stink issue, it can hard your baby’s skin.  No one likes to see a bright red and/or blistered bum, so it is important to diagnose your stink correctly.

So how do I diagnose my stink problem?  There are a few reasons why your diaper may stink; ammonia build-up, detergent residue, yeast, or they just aren’t clean.

First of all, are they clean?  If your diapers just simply aren’t getting clean, try using a different detergent (make sure it is a cloth diaper friendly detergent) and use lots of water.  Remember, when changing diaper detergents, you may need to strip your diapers.  And make sure that you are using the detergent according to the manufacturer recommendations, especially if you have an HE washer.  I have found that Tiny Bubbles by GroVia works best for us.  I have used many other detergents, but this one works best for our water, our diapers, our HE washer, etc.  Detergent choice will make or break your cloth diapering experience.

Secondly.  Are you washing diapers every 2-3 days?  Make sure that you are not letting that ammonia fester in your pail for more than 2-3 days.  Leaving your diapers sit for too long can cause serious ammonia issues for your cloth diapers and can be a bear to get rid of!

Make certain that you are only using cloth diaper safe ointments on your baby’s tush.  Non Cloth Diaper safe ointments can ruin your diapers and/or cause them to repel.  You can use liners in your cloth diapers if you MUST use an ointment that is not CD safe.

Next attempt.  Maybe you are experiencing detergent build up.  It is quite common for parents not to rinse their diapers enough and the detergent is building up residue in your diapers.  This is even more common for HE washers since they use less water.  Try running your diapers through the wash a couple of times with no detergent to get any excess detergent out.  Peek in from time to time and see if there are bubbles.  When the diapers no longer produce bubbles or you have run them through the wash 3-4 times with no detergent, your stink will be gone if detergent build up was the problem.  If this cures your problem, you may need to add an extra rinse to your wash routine, add extra water to your machine, or throw a soaking wet towel in to add water.  Also, as I said above, make sure that you follow the manufacturer recommendations for amount of detergent to use.  Too much or too little detergent can cause diaper problems.

Another reason for detergent build-up to consider; what do you wash your clothing in?  If you are using regular non cloth diaper safe detergent on your regular laundry, that detergent can build up in your washer and get on your diapers.  This can cause detergent build up, repelling, or ruin your diapers.  Just food for thought!

Natural Technology:  Sunning.  The sun is natural bleaching at its finest.  No matter what your problem; stains, smells, ammonia, funk, yeast, etc the sun can naturally bleach it out!  Plus, you can save a ton of energy by drying your diapers naturally!  Bonus!

Still have stink?  If you are having yeast problems, you can boil your microfiber inserts and/or use bleach.  Make sure to boil ONLY microfiber, prefolds, or flats.  Boiling will ruin PUL.  As for using bleach, check your labels first.  Using bleach may void the warranty on your diapers.  If you chose to use bleach, a little bit of bleach goes a long way and then rinse, rinse, rinse!  If you do not get the bleach out of your diapers, it can burn baby’s bum!  So make sure you rinse the heck out of them!

Lastly, The dreaded ammonia.  If this is your problem…please follow all of the steps above.  Wash every 2-3 days religiously.  Get a good detergent and follow the recommended amount for your washer.  To kill ammonia, follow one of the treatments below.

To kick ammonia, you can always try to soak your diapers.  Soaking can get the detergent in there to cleanse and kill ammonia and bacteria.  Rockin Green is well known for “rockin a soak” and their “funk rock.”  Both are designed to help with ammonia issues.  I have tried “rockin a soak” but I found that this was just a bandaid treatment.  My ammonia issues seemed to be gone, only to return a week or two later.  I have not tried the Funk Rock.  Many other brands such as Miss Lily’s, Ruby Moon, and others can be used to soak diapers (I have not tried them as well).  Many parents swear by this option.  Since using detergent does not void your diaper warranty and the last resort below might, you may want to try this first.  It doesn’t hurt to try.  And if it works…YAY!

Last resort, use bleach to get ammonia on the run.  When I had ammonia issues, I ran a load of just microfiber inserts so that I could use a little more bleach and then ran MULTIPLE rinses.  Since most of my stash is made of pocket diapers, I wanted to bleach the microfleece and microfiber too.  I ran the pockets in a load of their own and used less bleach and then rinsed repeatedly.  This completely cured my ammonia.  Just be careful to rinse rinse rinse that bleach out of your diapers!  If your diapers are clean, just use the bleach and no detergent.  If your diapers are dirty, you can use detergent and bleach.

When using bleach, when you feel that you have rinsed enough times…rinse a couple more!  Rinse Rinse Rinse!!!

And, Please Please Please read your diaper labels before performing any de-stink treatments.  Many diaper warranties will be voided if you use bleach.  I used bleach and voided many warranties, but when you are ammonia ridden, you have little choice but to bite the bullet, void the warranty, and fix your diapers.  They are useless if you cannot use them.

If you do not want to void your warranty and none of the other steps worked, contact the specific diaper company for the diaper you are having trouble with.  Most diaper companies can direct you on what will work best for their specific diaper and its materials. 

To see my first post on the EEK stink issues, you can see my post from a few months back here.

The Peaceful Housewife Natural Household Cleaners E-Book Review and Giveaway

Lately, more and more, I have been getting into an “everything natural” way of thinking.  I buy more organic foods, I recycle more, I use reusable items where ever possible, and natural household cleaning products are a must!  I love the idea of natural, and for the most part, it is simple ingredients as opposed to the complex chemical properties of most household cleaners.

When I saw this review opportunity for a natural cleaners book, I had to apply!  When I was approved, and checked out the book, I was thrilled!  This e-book is full of recipes for laundry care, kitchen cleaners, floor cleaners, wipes solutions, and many other household cleaners!  It is amazing how simple ingredients that you most likely have in your cupboards at home, can come together and make wonderful cleaners that most likely will work better than those store bought ones.

Many of the ingredients for these recipes.

The book is easy to read, easy to follow, and gives detailed information on how to prepare your cleaners.  I love the recipes!  They are easy to make, have simple ingredients, and work very well!!!  My favorites are the multipurpose cleaner and the mop refills!!!  You won’t regret checking this book out if you want to get rid of harsh chemicals in your house and use natural cleaning products!

Pair the Multipurpose Cleaner with reusable spray bottle and an unpaper towel or the wipes solution with cloth wipes and you have a reusable and environmentally friendly method for every day chores!

Recipes Included are:  (some include multiple recipes)

Powdered Laundry Detergent

Fabric Softener

Gel Stain Treatment

Spray Stain Treatment

Foaming Dish or Hand Soap

Dishwasher Detergent

Wet Mop Refills

Carpet Cleaner

Glass Cleaner

Multipurpose Spray

Disinfecting Wipe Solution

Scouring Powder

Diaper Pail Freshener

Furniture Polish

Pest Sprays

Make-up Brush Cleaner

Granite Cleaner

Oven Cleaner

Brass Cleaner

Liquid Scrubbing Cleaner

Overall, I love this e-book!  Easy to read, easy to follow and make recipes, and best of all...they are all natural and work perfectly!

Total Stars: ★★★★★  

You may purchase your own copy of The Peaceful Housewife Natural Household Cleaners E-Book here, or Giveaway below!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Pile of Diapers

I don't like to post pictures of Miss A's face due to scary internet people and what they may do, but this just had to be posted.  My FIL was here this past weekend and he loves to take pictures, is pretty good at it, and has the right equipment and knowledge to get some nice pics.  He was entering a photo contest entitled "Where's Waldo" and we came up with the bright idea to bury Miss A in a pile of cloth diapers.  He thought that the color and the depth of the diapers would be a nice photo.  I just thought it was CUTE as all heck!  So here is one of the pics taken from the photo shoot.  (PS. it's hard to keep a 2 year old still and buried for the photos! LOL)

Maybe I should have a contest to see how many diapers you can name!  hehe

Momma Pia Bib n Burp Review and Giveaway

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Momma Pia to review their new Bib n Burp.  This seemed like a wonderful product and I was excited to review this item.

Just as the name implies, this is a bib and burp cloth all in one!  It is a bib, so it hooks with Velcro to fit little one’s neck, but there are also elongated sides to the bib which can be used as a burp cloth to wipe up messes, burp baby, etc. 

The front (pretty part) of this Bib n Burp is made of cotton and the entire back is 100% cotton terry cloth.  It comes in many chic and pretty prints. The Bib n Burp washes easily and well, stains come out, there is no wear, and it remains soft for baby.

What I love about this item is that it can be used for any feeding.  Whether you are solely breastfeeding, solely bottle feeding, pumping breast milk, or a combination you will find this Bib and Burp quite handy!  Also, you can use this as a burp cloth for either on the shoulder burping or lap burping!  No longer do you have to juggle the baby, the bib, and the burp cloth!

If you are bottle feeding your baby, you can put this on your baby like a bib.  The bib will catch drips and drools keeping formula or pumped breast milk out of that neck crevice and keep baby’s clothes clean.  When it is burp time, you can simply put the excess burp end of the Bib n Burp on your shoulder, burp baby, and then wipe his/her mouth with the terry.  Everything you need is in one place without having to transfer a burp cloth from baby to shoulder and back!

If you are breastfeeding, you can use this too!  Again, you can put the Bib n Burp on baby as a bib to catch the drips and drools and keep milk out of that neck crevice!  But many babies are messy nursers!  I know that I had to keep a towel or burp cloth under Miss A so that my shirt, bra, couch, etc was not soaked with milk!  With the excess burp end of the Bib n Burp, you can tuck this under the breast while nursing!  This can keep drips and messes to a minimum!  Also, you have to dry your nipples off after nursing so they don't cry out and crack...hey, there is a terry burp cloth right there!  And you have your burp cloth right there when it is burp time!

After a few feedings and the Bib n Burp is dirty (milk, formula, drool, spit up, puke, etc) just toss it in the wash and it is ready to roll again!  It is also very compact which is great for tossing in the diaper bag!  With this, you won't have to pack as much!

Even better, the Bib n Burp grows with your child.  Due to the ingenious design, it works perfectly even for toddlers!  I love using this on my 2 year old because the long burp cloth sides work perfectly to tuck in around my daughter's sides under her arms.  This keeps dropped food from getting on the sides of her shirt!

Overall, I am in LOVE with this product!  It is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” items!  Such a simple and smart design!  I also love that it works perfectly for all feeding types!  No matter your feeding situation, you will LOVE this Bib n Burp!!!

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

I was sent the Momma Pia Bib n Burp in Daisy Chain in Grey free of charge for the sole purpose of this review.  All opinions and comments are my own.  I was not paid, bribed, or coerced into any of the content or text of this review.

You may purchase Momma Pia products here or giveaway below!!!

Please follow Momma Pia on Facebook and thank them for this review and giveaway!

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

CrazyForBargains Sleepwear Review and Giveaway

A while back, I was contacted by CrazyForBargains to review their sleepwear for both myself and Miss A!  I was excited to hear from them and excited to branch out from cloth diapering!  I was also excited because we are a jammie loving family.  Miss A and I just LOVE our pajamas and would love to just stay in them all day long!  So this seemed like a perfect fit for us!

When the pajamas arrived, I was in love!!  I did not choose the pajamas, but the ones that they sent were absolutely perfect!  They sent an absolutely adorable pant/top set for Miss A that is pink, girly with ruffles, and had Disney princesses on it.  Can it get any better for my little Disney Princess?  She absolutely loved them!  I couldn’t get the plastic wrap off fast enough for her to check out her jammies!!!  She loves to point to the princesses and call them by name!  And it was absolutely one of the hardest things I have had to do to get those pajamas away from her.  It’s hard to reason with a two year old that they needed to be washed first and she could not wear them to bed that night.  She kept hugging them and saying “bed time.”  Poor kid!

As for my pajamas, again, they nailed that one too!  I wear capris year round at home and guess what…my pajama set was a pair of capris and a matching tank top!  Love my set!  Plus, I am the exact opposite of Miss A…I don’t do girly…so the blue and teal print is perfect for me!

Now, for the real test…how did the pajamas do with washing and wearing?  All I can say, is these pajamas have held up well!!!  Miss A wears her pajamas 1-2 times a week (depending on laundry) and they still look brand new.  I was concerned with the fabric that it would wear and pill, it may someday, but it has not yet!  I was also concerned that the ruffles might not be sewn on well and would come off…nope!  No problems at all!  Same with my pajamas, they are 100% cotton and I was afraid that they would come apart quickly in the wash, but they have not!  Both sets of pajamas are holding up quite nicely and show no signs of wear.

Miss A wears 3t clothes and for the most part they fit her well to a little big.  These pajamas are sized nicely.  For a 3t, it fits, but she also has lots of room to grow.  If you are getting kids sizes, I would say that they are generously sized.  Do not buy a size larger to have room to grow or it will be too big!  Same with adult sizes, they are true to size.  (although I am not disclosing what size my pajamas are!)

Overall, I loved these pajamas.  We had no trouble with pajamas having wear and tear nor did we have size difficulties. 

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

I was sent these items free of charge for the sole purpose of this review.  All opinions and text are my own.  I was not paid or coerced to print any of the above review.

You may purchase from CrazyForBargains here or Giveaway below!

Please follow CrazyForBargains on Facebook and thank them for this review and giveaway!!!

Breastfeeding Event

Do you have breastfeeding tips that you would like to share?  A breastfeeding story that you feel would help other moms?  I am putting together a breastfeeding event and I would love to have as many contributors as possible!

Email me at themommygoods@gmail.com for more details!

Shiny Hineys Nursery Tub Review

You all may remember a few weeks back, one of the amazing sponsors of the TMG Birthday Bash was Shiny Hineys.  Shiny Hineys is run by a WAHM who has a keen eye for cute things that we moms need!  In addition to her nursery tubs, she also sells small wipes cases, diaper envelopes, burp cloths, car seat covers, changing pads, peepee shields, and hooded towels!  And she keeps coming up with great ideas, so keep watching for what she has in store next!  Also, you can purchase the entire line of her products in one print to have a matching set!

The Shiny Hineys nursery tubs are absolutely adorable!!!  And you can get almost any theme/color/print/etc that your heart desires!  If you do not see something that you love, she will work with you to customize for you.  Whether you use cloth or disposable wipes, a tub to put them in is necessary!  The only negative of these tubs (which will be true of ANY embellished tub) is that you cannot use the smaller pop-up lid on the top of the tub.  You simply open and close the tub.  This does not affect the use of the tub and there is no way to cover the tub in fabric and still use the smaller pop-up lid.  So this really isn’t a draw back, just something to know.

Shiny Hineys tubs are quality construction.  After weeks of HEAVY use (meaning every diaper change and my daughter playing with the tub constantly) none of the detail is coming loose or having any wear and tear.  It has held up very well and I do not foresee any problems in the near future.

Most importantly, who can resist the cuteness?  I absolutely LOVE my nursery tub and I plan on buying more!  These would make an excellent Baby Shower gift, Birthday Gift, etc.  You can even make the daddy happy and buy a tub in his favorite sports team!  Or even better, but one cutesy tub for mom and one sports tub for dad!  (my household is reversed, I wanted the Steelers tub and my husband wanted the Zoo Party tub to match our nursery! LOL You see who won…)  

I personally prepare my cloth wipes wet.  This means that I pour my wipes solution over my wipes in the nursery tub so that they are ready for when I need them.  This tub works perfectly and is the perfect reusable accessory for my increasing supply of reusable household items!  Depending on the thickness of the wipe, this tub holds 14-20 wet cloth wipes.  This tub is the exact same size as wipes tubs from name brands like Pampers and Huggies and it works perfectly for cloth wipes!

I highly recommend Shiny Hineys Nursery Tubs!  It really brings the cute factor to an otherwise blah looking wipes container!

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

You can purchase Shiny Hineys products here!  And please follow Shiny Hineys on Facebook for upcoming products and specials!!!  Please also thank her on FB for sponsoring this review and the giveaway during the Birthday Bash!

And of course…Go Steelers!  (I apologize to you Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Eagles fans out there)  This Sunday marks Week 1 of the regular season and the Steelers are meeting the Ravens!  Dust off the jerseys, it’s Football season!

The Entire Line from Shiny Hineys: