Cloth Diapers Still Smell Like Bleach. Ammonia is hard to cover up even if you use fabric softeners with all kinds of scents. To further breakdown the bleach you need to use a detergent.
Concentrated urine can develop an unpleasant ammonia-like odor. I put real in quotes because all the cloth diaper sites out there OF COURSE like to insist that cloth diapers will only smell if you use the wrong detergent or have super hard or soft water or something but I wont lie to you like that. The fabric can remain high pH.
Just like when a cat litter box that hasnt been cleaned for days smacks you in the face with that smell bleach is the answer.
To do a bleach soak place your diapers in cold. This sanitizes them and further breaks down the ammonia 2. But I have never used bleach on the diapers. Please note that bleaching may void the warranty of your cloth diapers.
