Photo by Tidings Photography
Shaunna & I both use cloth diapers on our little ones and have used them for our older girls. It can be a crazy sub-culture, with coveted diaper prints and exclusive diapers sought after by some, but bottom line (haha get it, bottom…hee hee) cloth is great for the environment and your wallet. Now, what about those wipes?
Before Lady V was born a good friend started using plain old face cloths for her children. She was sensitive to the chemicals in wipes and found they also gave her son rashes. She purchased baby face cloths, wet them with water, and after they were used tossed them in a large ziploc bag which she emptied into her washer. I thought this was bizarre. I did not have children and was a bit yucked out by this the first few times, I admit it. Fast forward 5 years and 2 children later and it is all I use.
Even if you do not cloth diaper your children, they are amazing.
*One face cloth can do the job of 5 wipes
* No nasty chemicals for sensitive little bottoms that may cause a diaper rash,
* You never run out of them
* They are super cost effective.
But, you ask, what on earth do I do with them once they are “used”. If you use cloth diapers, just toss them in with your diapers to wash. If you do not use cloth diapers, just use a large ziploc or container to store them and then wash them with a regular load of towels. I keep a folded stack in my washroom so I can wet one or two before heading to do a diaper change on Mr. Man. If I am using disposable diapers, I keep used face cloths in a small wet bag (waterproof bag for storing a few used cloth diapers or wipes) and toss them in with my regular laundry. If I am out I just wet a dry facecloth using the water from my water bottle.
There are lots of things you can do, but I keep it simple. Plain water and a face cloth. Do you use cloth wipes for your little ones adorable tush? Any tips and tricks or secret wipes recipes you could share? We would love to hear from you!
Baby wipe recipe we use with cut up receiving blankets and I keep them in a wipe warmer:)
1tbs baby shampoo
4 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil
3 cups boiled, cooled h2o
LOVE this idea! I’m purging my receiving blankets RIGHT NOW! Will SO do this b/c they’re much softer than the facecloths I use currently – thanks for sharing Jen!!
i have the stack of wipes as well as a rubbermaid container with water, (sometimes i add lavender oil) beside our change table. i have a dish bin that perfectly slides under the change table for the used ones, and i wash them all , by themselves, no rinsing required, in a mini load with borax and baby laundry detergent. i’ve used it for years, and i’d never go back to using disposables…they are USELESS!! every time i have found myself using disposables either at a friend’s house, or at my moms, i question how anyone would use them on a regular basis?!
So true Cherie! Those disposable ones really just don’t cut it once you have used the cloth ones. Dish bin sounds like a perfect fit. I haven’t tried borax. How much do you use at a time? I am guessing just a tablespoon or so?
Yup, we use cloth wipes around here – either baby facecloths or receiving blankets cut into squares with serged edges. We use a spray bottle with water, tea tree oil and a bit of baby shampoo. I just toss the wipe into the diaper pail!!