Making the Switch to Cloth Wipes; It's Easier than You Think

When I was starting our cloth diaper journey before my daughter was born, I hadn’t really thought about using cloth wipes. I saw them on Kelly’s Closet’s website and found plenty of ladies raving about them. I decided early on that I wanted to use cloth wipes and ordered 18 Thirsties fab wipes from KC. I also picked up a few dozen cheap baby washcloths to see how they would work, too.

Luckily, I didn’t receive very many disposable baby wipes at my baby shower. I decided to use the ones that I received and that further made my mind up to use cloth wipes. First, I couldn’t believe how fast the disposable wipes went! A huge pack didn’t even last a week. Secondly, it was an inconvenience to have a small trash can simply for wipes near the changing table, and it was even worse when I was out of the house. More often than not, I changed my daughter in the car and was then left trying to figure out what to do with the dirty wipe. I would usually stick it in my wet bag, and of course, forget to take it out before laundry time.

I also blame the only minor diaper rash my daughter has had in her year of life on the wipes. Even though we used the “sensitive” wipes, she still had a red bum while using them. I always had to use numerous wipes to clean poopy diapers, and I hated that they left her wet after wiping.

Those simply are my reasons for not liking disposable wipes. Some may still prefer them, but once explain how cloth wipes make cloth diapering so much easier, I think it’s hard not to make the switch. Using cloth wipes doesn’t have to be difficult. I would suggest having at least two dozen wipes if you will be washing every other day; three dozen would be ideal. They are rather inexpensive and you can even make your own out of old receiving blankets and t-shirts.

A big question a lot of cloth diaper users have is how to store your wipes. I have read about moms worrying about mold and smell and how many to put into a wipes warmer. My motto with cloth diapers is the simpler you keep it, the fewer problems you will have. The same is true for cloth wipes. I feel I have a simple, foolproof system for wipes. I store my wipes dry, and keep my solution in the bottle I received at the hospital for postpartum care.

I make my solution about every five days, and it takes maybe three minutes to make. There are three ingredients in my solution: distilled water, coconut oil and castile soap. I put about a teaspoon of coconut oil in my bottle, fill it almost to the top with water, and then put a squirt of the castile soap in. Then I shake it up. The coconut oil is solid sometimes, but our house stays rather warm so usually the oil will liquefy in the solution.

When it comes time to do a diaper change, I take a dry wipe, shake my solution bottle and squirt it onto the wipe. Then I throw it in the wet bag. If it’s a poopy diaper, I simply rinse it off with the diaper. It’s not anymore work since I already have to rinse the diaper. The other reason I love using dry wipes is after I wipe my baby off, I take a clean, dry wipe and dab her a little to make sure she is dry.

I bought a bottle of BumGenius bottom cleaner to keep in my diaper bag and always carry a few wipes in my bag. I can then throw everything into the wet bag and not have to worry about sorting through it later.
There are several different brands of premade solutions as well, but this system has worked wonderfully for the last 12 months for my family. Cloth wipes simply make using cloth diapers easier, and I promise it isn’t hard!

Bio: Jamie is a SAHM to her year old daughter (and another one on the way!), a Marine wife, and a knitter/crocheter in her free time.


Would you like to be a contributor on The Cloth Diaper Whisperer? We're always looking for creative writers who would like to share their cloth diapering tips. To find out more Contact Us