Using Cloth Wipes

When I started using cloth diapers I never thought I'd get to the point where I would be ok with using cloth wipes. As it turns out, it took me almost a year into my cloth diapering journey to start using them but once I gave them a try I kicked myself for not trying them sooner!

What I would clean up with 5 disposable wipes I could usually do with one or occasionally two cloth wipes. They work so much better than I ever thought they would!

I used to try to make up a fancy concoction to soak the wipes in before using them, but I quickly discovered that was too much work which usually ended in me not even bothering to make up a batch of wipes.

I had read a lot of moms just put water on their wipes. After all, we don't wash our butts with soap and fancy things... Just a dry piece of toilet paper! So this became my new routine. Run some warm water at the sink. Get the rags wet, squeeze them out, and throw them in their container.

Now, while I really like the simplicity of just water, we occasionally need something a little more which is when I boil some water on the stove, let it cool a good bit and then put in a spoon of organic coconut oil and let it melt. I've found this to be very helpful when we are dealing with diaper rash. My little one has sensitive skin so when a rash breaks out I make up a batch of thesr CO wipes.

In the beginning I just used an old wipes box container to store the wipes in. Then I got into the eliminating plastics thing and decided to come up with a non-plastic alternative. That's where the mason jar stepped in. Of course the lid on this container is still plastic since I haven't run across a place to buy non-plastic lids that fit mason jars, but over all I'm quite impressed with the alternative I've come up with. Oh, I also had hubby poke some holes in the lid so that there would be air flow and mildew wouldn't happen.

Dry wipes storage is the wipes folded and set in a spare basket on the changing table. I think we have 30-40 wipes but we almost never use all of them since I wash diapers several times a week and then I just reuse the wipes from those loads once they've been cleaned.

I have several different edges on my wipes. My favorite by far are the ones I took to the sewing machine and did a zigzag edge on twice around each wipe. I tried regular straight edge scissors and those wipes made a mess with threads coming off them. I've also tried pinking shears but those also had issues with threads. All my wipes are cut from flannel fabric so they're nice and soft. They're single layer. I think most are 8x8 size and that's really just about perfect too.

I have to say I really do like using cloth wipes and am glad I took the plunge and tried them out. :)