Cloth Wipes VS. Disposables What do you use?
As many of you know I am a cloth diapering mama. We love cloth and have two kids in cloth full time. Up until now we have had a huge stash of disposable wipes so that is what we’ve been using. Our stash is finally running low and now that leaves me to ask the question, cloth wipes or disposable?
I’d love to hear what you use, benefits of each, opinions! Share! My husband worries that with the cloth wipes and a poopy diaper that it will be a mess. He doesn’t want to have to spray off his wipes. Since one of our kids is 2 years old she has messy poops and I think they’d need to be sprayed off. Is that the case?
If you do use cloth wipes what are the best brand? Do you make your own? What solution do you use? How do you store them?
If you are a cloth diapering mama that used disposable wipes then why do you use them instead of cloth?
Tell me all about it, I want to hear it all 🙂
We make our own. You can find the recipe here….http://www.mommyheadquarters.com/2010/01/homeade-baby-wipes-recipe.html
just make sure you use Bounty paper towels. You can also substitute baby oil for olive oil or any other oil that you prefer. I just don't recommend any nut based oils due to allergies
We use cloth diapers and disposable diapers. But we use cloth wipes all the time.
I don't bother using a special recipe for a spray or a container filled with a solution. When I'm ready to change a diaper, I just grab a dry cloth wipe, get it wet under running water in the sink, and change the diaper. Nothing is more pure than water and it gets their bums good and clean (yep, works just fine on big-kid-poop).
I have lots of different kinds of wipes – some I bought from WAHM who make them, some I bought at the Dollar Store, and some I made myself. I have found that flannel ones seem to be the nicest. I've taken old flannel pajama pants, cut them up and turned them into wipes just by sewing the edges. If you make your own, then you can make them bigger so hubby's bigger hands can be better "protected" from poo.
My husband prefers the cloth wipes because he thinks they clean better and he doesn't have to fumble around with "those silly containers" that the disposables come in.
You could also make your own disposable wipes, like the poster above mentioned. Maybe you could do something like that as you ease into trying cloth wipes? Good luck finding what works for you!
I use disposable right now. I was using cloth wipes (Old Burp Clothes) and butt spray with my oldest until the new baby was born. The clothes we use weren't picking up the baby breastfed poop, just spreading it around. So I had to go to disposable. But once he finally starts eating solids we'll go back to the cloth.
you know what sarah? i am wondering the same thing about big-kid poop. i mean, our dd is just starting solids and we normally use cloth wipes when we are home (flannel with a mixture in a spray bottle made with lavender oil, tea tree oil, a drop of organic body wash and water – mostly water!), but i am wondering what is gonna happen when the poop gets more solid. looking forward to hearing from more readers about that!
We cloth diaper full time and use cloth wipes. What's the point of using disposable wipes and have two seperate containers in the nursery rather than using all the same. You're washing the cloth diapers anyway, why not wash the wipes, too?
That's just my personal opinion on it. However, with that said, we use disposable wipes (homemade) when going out and about. Because I don't want to have to carry around even more bulkage in the diaper bag with cloth wipes, too, PLUS I have yet to find a container that I can use to keep the wipes in that isn't too large but is big enough to hold cloth wipes.
We make our own solution using natural soap, natural lotion and natural oils. Our general ratio is:
1 tbsp natural oil
1 tbsp natural soap
1 tbsp natural lotion
in about 4 cups of hot water. Then we store our wipes in a wipe warmer. You can also add a 2 drops of tea tree oil or any other essential oil to help with healing, bacteria and smell.
As first time parents, it was hard enough to talk hubby in to cloth diapers. He loves them now, but is very resistant to cloth wipes, and I am not ready for them yet. Since I value his support and willingness to change diapers, its disposable wipes for now.
I cloth diaper full time and used to use disposable wipes, probably for the same reason that you do/did. But it got to a point where it was just silly. So I use baby washcloths, I found a package of three for $1 at Rite Aid and bought a bunch (I also picked some up at Goodwill). I don't use any solution, just toss them into a wipes container right out of the washer. There's really no point in drying them since they're just going to get wet anyway and I find that they have the perfect amount of wetness coming out of the washer. I keep a spray bottle of plain water by the changing table for back up, too.
Good luck to you!
my baby is still nursing, so I'm not dealing with solids yet, but from what i understand you don't have to get everything *clean* before you toss everything into the wash… you just want to get the majority of it into the toilet.
An alternative to spraying is the diaper duck:
http://nickisdiapers.com/catalog.php?category=577
Or if it's not too much of an ick factor, you could rinse in the sink… as long as most of the waste goes into the toilet, i don't think that'd be a problem.
as far as wipes… i love the wipes i got from Fuzzbunz:
http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=6264
Another one i want to try is the bamboo velour from here:
http://www.bellabottoms.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=92
both those are the luxury kind. if you're going cheap, just buy some flannel from walmart or joanns, and cut and edge (turn under and hem, serge, or serge-like stitch). or use the tiny baby washcloths.
as far as solutions…. you can just use a tad of baby soap in water (and add stuff like tea tree oil, lavender oil, and/or aloe)… I'm trying out solutions and i really liked these:
http://www.earthangelsdiaperco.com/diapering_208/Sammys-Wipe-Solution-Beans.htm
(out of stock, unfortunately).
I'm about to try the Chubby Cheeks that I got from my Franklin Goose order:
http://www.chubbycherubsclothdiapernaturals.com/NH-Green-Tea-amp-Honey-Bun-Drops_p_377.html
it's really personal preference. i like using a solution as opposed to just soap & water… nicer on baby's bum.
the best way i've found to store is wetting them slightly and putting them in a warmer. spraying just didn't work well.
For 15 months, we've been using disposable wipes with our cloth diapers. But now, I'm feeling like I should go cloth wipes too. I just started yesterday, using some baby wash cloths from the dollar store. I'm not sure I like them at all. They're too small for me. Next was a set of baby wash cloths from Meijer. Better, but still not great. Next (haven't gotten to them yet) will be the fancy/$$ ones from Fuzzybuns. I think I may like those better. I really like the idea of trying flannel.
My solution is 1 cup water and 2 drops tea tree oil. That stuff is strong! I don't mind the solution I don't think, though I may go get something like lavender or almond oil for a nicer smell. I keep them in a pop-up wipes container. I found online how to fold the cloths so they pop up like the disposable wipes. Works pretty good.
I'm not sold on cloth yet. I loved my disposables, and I may end up going back. But I will give it a few weeks before I make my final decision. Good luck to you!
I use a combination of both. Until baby starts solids I use cloth wipes exclusively, since they can be thrown in the washer with the dipes. After solids are introduced, I use sposie wipes for poopy messes and cloth wipes for wet diapers or small messes. I make my own wipes from 2 layers of flannel, you can find them here:
http://hyenacart.com/onestore.php?vid=2697&category=28
I've only ever used disposable wipes – haven't thought much about it.
But it was good to read others' ideas. I like the suggestion of cutting flannel squares and the tip about not putting them in the dryer. Thanks!
We use cut up old t-shirts. Have acquired many in odd sizes from multiple 5k fun runs we have done in the past 😉 (They make great prefolds too!)
For poopy messes we use one disposable dry wipe (like a little paper towel)to get the bulk of the mess off and homemade wipe solution in a pump bottle on the sink. This wipe and the poopy rice paper get flushed and then we clean him up real good with cloth wipes/solution and on the last one I use only oil and water for some extra moisture(oil in another pump bottle). I usually fill the sink and then throw the wipes in. I find that I use less water that way. Then I take them out one by one and pump on some solution or oil and throw them in the diaper bin once they have been used.
As for storage, we just keep them in a basket next to the diaps. (Our changing table has shelves under it) We are "lucky" enough that our bathroom is tiny and the sink, toilet, and changing table are all within arms reach. Makes changing easy (but everything else a hassle!)
I keep the solution simple: throw about 1 part liquid baby soap, 1 part oil (baby, olive etc.) and 5 parts water into an old hand soap pump bottle. I have been adding some tea tree and lavender oil drops too for fun. Shake it up before use.
We just use baby wash cloths and they work just fine for us. Not to mention the ones we have are only $.99 for 4. We mostly use cloth wipes, but still have a few disposable in the diaper bag. (Although I also use cloth in the diaper bag.)
This is what I use for my wipes solution. I put it in a big spray bottle and spray a wipe before I change a dipe!
http://www.naturalbums.com/bumshop-pages/diaperwipesolution.html
For in the diaper bag, I just have a travel size spray bottle with some solution in it.
Yes, poo gets on the cloth wipes and they do need to be rinsed. No biggie tho! 🙂
we use cloth wipes and I like them a lot! It just made more sense to me to throw the wipe right in with the diapers. I got a few from softbums and my friend made me some. i was making a solution for them with oil and baby wash, but now I'm just wetting them under the sink instead of going through the trouble of making a solution because plain water works great! As far as poop goes, i treat the wipes like the diapers-whatever is left on after it's been shaken over the toilet, just stays there and goes into the bag like that and it's come out in the wash just fine!
Great reading what others are doing 🙂
I started using cloth wipes about three months ago. My son has *ridiculously* sensitive skin, so much so that I alternate cloth diapers one day and disposables the next because they give him rashes in different places :/
Anyway, I made a bunch of wipes because it was cheaper. I just took two layers of flannel, zigzag stitched them and cut them to about 8"x4".
My wipe solution is 2.5 cups water, 1 tsp olive oil, and 1 tsp baby wash (I use Melaleuca). I shake that all up in a old disposable wipes container, then add the cloth wipes. I wring them out until they're just damp, adding more wipes as needed. The idea is to just have enough wipes to last about three days.
I just throw them in the diaper pail with the cloth diapers, seems to be working just fine so far.
These wipes are also great for wiping down his face after meals and just about anything else a damp cloth is good for.
Good luck! You'll have to do a post on what you decide to try 🙂
I use cloth diapers and cloth wipes. I buy mine on Etsy, there's a ton of mamas making them – they're inexpensive and it saves you the time from having to do it yourself! 🙂
My solution:
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Baby Wash
2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
I spray the wipe with the solution and get it pretty wet on both sides so it's just as damp as a disposable. As far as spraying it off – sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. You're spraying your diaper off anyway right – you might as well spray off the wipe too.
Hope this helps!
I'm with Tanya. I just use plain water on a cut-apart t-shirt. Our doc said it was just as good as anything else, as long as the kids were getting bathed every few days – and it's cheaper than anything else!
I have won or gotten samples of several cube solutions, etc. Right now I have some booty luster and it smells good enough that my baby tries to drink it, and it wets the bottom well enough.
We like using plain water, though. Kissas terry wipes are really good for poos and I recently got some etsy wipes and love having the cute patterns, the flannel/flannel are really good for pees, but not for poos.
Previously we never had an issue with staining. You can wipe with your diaper if you have a sprayer and then do final clean up with the wipe itself. I don't have a sprayer. We changed detergents, wash routines, water (moved) and machine at the same time and I've experienced some staining, but let's face it, it's a poo rag, it might get stained eventually. Shrug. If you want more info please email me. I didn't have internet for 2 weeks so I'm catching up (I had 777 messages in my google reader).. thanks!
jill dot shoemaker at gmail dot com
My husband, who was initially not in favor of cloth diapers, is a pro now. Well, almost. We're still both learning as we go.
At this point it time, we use California Baby's spray and then cloth wipes.
I think it's easier with the cloth wipes because when you use disposable, you have to dig them out of the poop and throw them away. The cloth wipes I just fold inside the non-poopy part of the diaper and shake into the toilet. Sometimes I use the (cloth) wipes to brush poop that sticks onto the diaper.
Sometimes, if the poop is mushy enough and won't come off easily, I just throw them into the wash as-is.
I have noticed that I like different types of fabric for different jobs. I frequently start off with a terrycloth wipe and then finish up with a flannel wipe.
Anyway, that's what we do.