We started using cloth diapers when our son was 10 days old, but we continued using disposable wipes even though we had a few cloth wipes on hand. I wasn't sure how to get started with them or what to do for the solution. When we finally made the switch to cloth wipes a few weeks later it was for a variety of reasons:1) I found myself standing there after changing a poopy diaper, holding poop covered disposable wipes in my hand, and feeling totally clueless what to do with it. What do you do with a disposable wipe after a diaper change?!! We didn't have a garbage can in the our baby's room. After changing a pee diaper I would just leave the wipe in the cloth diaper, and drop it in the trash before putting his diaper in the pail. After a poop, things are bit more difficult. I didn't want to drop a poop covered wipe in the open bathroom trash. I found myself rinsing the disposable wipes before throwing them away. I realized quickly that I just needed to get the cloth wipes out.
2) It is like a mini bath every time we change his diaper. I LOVE knowing that my son is clean, especially after he's been in a diaper for a long time at night. Such a refreshing way to start the day! My husband loves the cloth wipes because he feels they clean the skin better and easier than disposables.
3) We're saving even more money that we expected to with cloth diapers. I had no clue how many disposable wipes we would go through, and was surprised at how often we had to buy a new mega-huge box. Since we switched to using cloth most of the time (we still have disposables around) I haven't bought a new box of wipes. We're still using the last box of wipes I purchased during those first few weeks.
4) We can control what goes on the wipe. Even though we were buying "natural" wipes, I still wasn't sure what he was being cleaned with. Now I control it and can have fun making various solutions to try. Right now we're using a squirt of California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo & Body Wash along with a few drops of "Almond Glow" that includes sweet almond oil, peanut oil, olive oil, lanolin oil, Vitamin E, and lavender.
5) Once again, we producing less waste! I can't imagine how much trash we would be throwing out each week if we used disposable diapers and wipes. Right now we're only using flannel wipes, some I bought and some I made with scraps of flannel. They're super soft and 100% reusable!
My husband and I are both glad we transitioned to using the cloth wipes along with the diapers. It has been just one more thing we feel we are doing that is the best thing for our son's skin, our budget, and the environment. Amazing that a little scrap of cloth can make you feel so proud!
By Natalie G.
29 comments:
We usually use cloth wipes too, but you can wash disposable ones! When we use one, we just leave it in the diaper like a cloth one and pull it out either after the wash. The sensitive ones come out in a chunk of fuzz, but not a huge pain! Better than tossing each one when poopy. :)
I love love LOVE cloth wipes SO much better than disposable! I used disposable diapers and wipes with my first 2 kids. I've been using cloth diapers for my 6 month old baby for about a month now. I just started using cloth wipes for the last week or so. I just bought a yard of fleece (in a cute print to match his room! he he) and I bought a soap/lotion pump bottle, filled it with water-down lavender/camomile baby soap and squirt a bit on a wipe when I need one. Like you said, it's like a sponge bath at each diaper change! I feel like they are WAY easier to use and do a MUCH better job!!! Hurray for cloth wipes! : )
I applaud your change to cloth wipes! Just so everyone knows, though, most disposable wipes are made with cloth and can be dropped in your diaper pail and washed with the rest of your diapers if you ever are just not in a convenient place to throw away used wipes, like when changing diapers in public places.
I love cloth wipes. They work SO much better and are much easier on my little man's sensitive skin too. I even use my cloth wipes on my nephew (I babysit him and his parents use disposables) because he cries when I wipe him with the disposables they have in the diaper bag but not with my nice soft flannel wipes! I like to make them for baby gifts too, especially if I know the mom is open to cloth diapers. Way to go using all cloth!
In the early weeks, we used cotton wool and water, which was quite a hassle. Then we fell in love using cloth wipes -- they clean messy poo much more effective than thin disposable wipes.
I was showing my husband our changing station setup, and he asked what the giant pile of cloth wipes was. I told him and he said "I don't think I'll be using those." I scratched my head, wondering what he plans to do with disposable wipes. Like you said, there won't be a trashcan for them. He'll have to figure out how to put them down, where to throw them away, etc. rather than just use a cloth wipe and throw it in the diaper pail! I know I'll be using the cloth wipes, and I'm curious to see what he ends up choosing to do after all.
I haven't made the switch to cloth wipes yet, but I also haven't bought any wipes since we made the switch. I don't use them during every diaper change, so one package goes a long way. I also do diaper changes mostly in the bathroom, so I can a trash can on the counter for dirty wipes (and the very rare disposable). But, I might make the switch if/when we get to our last package of disposables.
I just recently started using cloth wipes too, and in fact posted about the very same thing on my blog last night!
http://mommysfirsts.blogspot.com/2010/08/no-sew-diy-project-1-cloth-wipes.html
I love our cloth wipes. We use them with Bum Drops and they work quite well. I definitely recommend cloth wipes. It makes cloth diapering that much easier.
Thanks for the this post I have been meaning to switch to cloth but thought you had to have an actual wipes solution, baby soap, that's so easy I feel so silly!!!! We'll be switching this week!
A really easy way to get the hubs to use cloth wipes is to only supply cloth wipes!
We have a leftover stash of disposable wipes from our travels this summer. But I keep them stashed away and only grab a few when our travel case gets empty.My hubs found them the other day and used them to change a poopy dipe. I was shocked to see just how many he had to use to get the job done. He use TEN wipes!! TEN!! When he uses cloth, he might use 2 at the most. I can usually always get the job done with a single cloth wiper.
TEN!! ::headdesk::
I LOVE cloth wipes as much as I love cloth diapering!! I just use warm water & johnsons baby wash as our solution and I love it!!!
We used the gazillion baby washcloths we got at the shower as wipes and just got them wet at the sink. When the washcloths got too rough and I felt we needed a bit more than water I got some Thirsties wipes and some Baby Bum Drops. It's so much easier than trying to find a place for a dirty disposable wipe.
OK this might sound like a stupid (and TMI)question, but what do you do with all the poo? My daughter is 18m and her poops are quite ... pasty ... so I have to wipe it off her bum. Then I have a poo covered wipe. I use liners so I just throw the liner and the wipe in the toilet. If I use a cloth wipe, do I then have to rinse it off before I wash it? This is NOT newborn poop!
i love my cloth wipes as much as my diapers! and now i am making them and they are so cute!
I tried cloth wipes but just couldn't get the hang of it. Well, I lied. I got the hang of it, but have yet to find a cloth wipes soft enough for my son. I've used both water in a spray bottle and BG Bottom Spray but I feel like the wipe is like sandpaper and they just never worked well.
I've tried bamboo fleece, both sides, and a bamboo velour/fleece combo, along with some terry, flannel, bamboo terry and cotton velour ones I made. So far Bamboo Terry is the only kind remotely soft enough to use.
What wipes are you using? I just don't know what to do so I just use sposie wipes. We have a trash can and the diaper pail in DS's room anyways so it's not a big deal in that sense, but I would love to be able to use cloth wipes and have it work!
Both my husband and I LOVE cloth wipes and he isn't even in love with cloth diapers. They're soooo much thicker than the disposable wipes and you just stick them in the diaper when you're done. And I've found the flannel work best for young babies and wet diapers but you can't beat a good terry cloth wipe for icky sticky messes.
I love my cloth wipes. At first, I was using disposables, but it's easier to just toss them in with the diapers, and baby seems to like them more. I just used some cotton flannel fabric I had, cut into big pieces, and I saved the peri-bottle from the hospital for my wipes solution (filtered water, a squirt of california baby wash, and a little almond/rose oil).
Great comments. I like my cloth wipe but am still trying to get a good routine. I have to say they are much better than disposable. It is great that they go in the bin with the diaper.
I LOVE my cloth wipes! They work so much better than disposable ones and I only usually need one per diaper. With disposables if it was a poopy diaper I would use at least 2! It makes me feel so good that I am not contributing as many disposable wipes to the landfills! I still use them when out and about for dirty hands and faces, but that is is. I use cloth for every diaper change.
Ok, I'm taking the plunge!! I thought cloth wipes were crazy, but that was when I was getting used to cloth diapers. Now I'm ready for the challenge...not to mention I always like to experiment with recipes...so wipe solution, HERE I COME!!
I've actually had some trouble with cloth wipes. I really really want it to work! Maybe it's the flannel that doesn't seem that soft. Maybe it's the Baby Bitz that I can never seem to figure out the right proportion for us. Maybe it's the difficulty of washing them separately (I've wondered if the oils in the Baby Bitz were causing repelling when washed with my diapers, so I began washing them with baby clothes but it just seems a little weird). Maybe I can try some new solutions, but I'm hesitant to buy a new solution and not like it. Baby Bitz came with great reviews...
I am using disposable wipes right now and i am so tired of making the separate trip to the trash to throw them away. about ready to purchase cloth wipes just waiting until i use up my stash of disposable ones.
One reason I would add to the list of why cloth wipes are wonderful is that they do a much better job of cleaning than disposable wipes! I can almost always get away with using only one wipe per change even with the messiest of poos whereas I usually have to use multiple sposie wipes.
This is one subject I have not approached researching yet...thanks for all the great info!
Funny! I didn't get the whole cloth wipe thing at first until we really started go get into cloth diapering and ran into the same thing. I still use both CD & disposables as well as cloth wipes & disposables depending. But do like the cloth wipes & LOVE making my lavender baby wipe solution!
I'm OBSESSED with my new cloth wipes. I couldn't get them ordered quickly enough after I got my diaper stash. I like to change my diapers wherever in the house, and my diaper pail is easily accessible, so I'm always hunting for the nearest trash can. May sound lazy, but it's just saving steps with 2 babies under 5 months and a 16-month old! (I'm a nanny, and I bring my 4-mo-old to work with me!) Anyway, I'm using Thirsties wipes (about $10/6)... SO worth it. I'm buying more! I use it along with their Booty Luster... LUXURIOUS! I thought it would be rough on her skin, but it's so soft (SO much softer and absorbent than I thought they could ever be!), I've seriously thought about using them on myself! Thinking about switching? Just go for it. Most of the wipes can be repurposed for something else in your house, and then you'll know! However, I doubt you'll be disappointed!
haha here's a comment for you:
When my husband was changing my daughter, he asked for a wipe so I tossed the disposables package to him. His reply? "No, a real wipe. The cloth ones."
The cloth ones really do clean up better.
I'm pregnant and plan to CD, but was hesitant about cloth wipes because I couldn't picture myself carrying a bowl of warm water over to the changing table every time... This article & the comments totally eased my concerns since some people spray and others use their wipe warmers. I'm totally going to buy some terry and fleece and make my own now. Thanks so much!!!
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