There’s More Than One Kind of Wipe?!

Cloth diapering by itself can be intimidating enough without mentioning wipes. There are a lot of different options for wipes and those options all cost a little different.

It’s your own personal choice on what you use for wipes. I promise the cloth diaper police won’t come and get you if you use Huggies wipes. You can use cloth at home and disposable on the go, cloth all the time, disposable all the time, whatever works for you.

Disposable Wipes
 
There’s no arguing that disposable wipes are convenient. Just wipe and throw away and you’re done. No prep required. Other than driving to the store or going online to buy them. There are a lot of options for disposable wipes beyond buying big cloth diaper company wipes.

• Big company disposable diaper brands - They’re everywhere and you can just pick them up when you’re grocery shopping, no problem. They might seem like they don’t cost that much, but over time the costs add up. When I was using them, I went through about 1.5 packs a week. I used a store brand that cost about two dollars a pack. So saying that there’s four weeks in a month, in one month, I spent twelve dollars on wipes that just went in the trash. If you use name brand wipes, your costs are higher.
• Biodegradable - These cost about the same as regular disposable wipes. I’ve never personally used these. Again, even if these are more environmentally friendly, you’re still shelling out cash to buy them every week or so.
• Homemade - Now, I’m not really sure how eco-friendly homemade wipes are rated, I suppose it would depend on what you use to make them. You could probably find some organic and eco minded products to use to make them. There are a lot of tutorials online about making them out of a roll of paper towels. Most that I have seen just call for cutting a roll of paper towels in half, and making a solution with water, a little baby oil, and some baby wash. But, just like the other two kinds of disposable wipes, you have to keep buying them. They might be more inexpensive, but you’re still spending money.

Reusable Wipes
 
This option is my personal favorite. Cloth wipes! They’re soft, clean poop better than disposies, and they can just be tossed in the wash with your cloth diapers. They’re reusable! There are several options for cloth wipes and how much they cost can vary from free to expensive.

• Free wipes - Requires some sewing skill, just cut up some old flannel receiving blankets, sheets, or shirts. You can even use some old t-shirts. I like my wipes about 7x7 inches square. After you cut them, you can either serge them or you can use the zig zag stitch on your sewing maching to keep them from unraveling. Or you can turn the edges under and finish them that way.
• Inexpensive wipes - Just go and buy baby washcloths. That’s what I did. You can get a 12 pack for about seven dollars. Make sure that they’re mostly cotton. I got some polyester ones and they were terrible as wipes. Baby washcloths are a good size too. They have a loopy, textured side and a smooth side. The loopy side is great for grabbing poop.
• Baby wipes wipes - You can buy wipes online that are actually meant to be used for wipes. They come in more than just cotton too. You can find bamboo and hemp ones, though they tend to run for a whole lot more than cotton.

In the End…
 
It really is up to you what you use to clean your baby’s behind. There is no rule set in stone that you have to use cloth wipes or disposables. There are a lot of options for a wide range of budgets. Find what works for you.

My name is Melissa Mendez. I write the blog Cloth Diapering Again. I am the mother of two with number arriving in July and the wife of an amazing man. I quilt, write, and try to find ways to save my family money and make my marriage to my husband stronger.