Using Cloth Wipes is Easy!

[safarifun]

Hi all,

I ran out of the lovely Huggies wipes you put in those pearly containers the other day and when I sourced around to buy them bulk, I couldn't believe the price!

As I'm just a new Mumma I hadn't really looked into the cost & hadn't bought any myself - we have been given them, including the ones in the little packets which are great for my nappy bag.

So... :ecomcity:

I decided to make my own cloth wipes solution and use those "Big Softies" washers which are small, soft & delicate.

It is fantastic, it smells so nice & bub seems to really like it on her toosh!

Better yet, I had all the necessary ingrediants and it's cheap as chips!

:yelclap:

I use:

750ml pure water (from the water purifier)
50ml baby oil
50ml baby wash
10 squirts of baby lotion

Do you use cloth wipes and make your own solution? If so, what's your special solution... if you don't mind sharing...

[brogeybear]

Hell yes! Baby wipes are soooo full of nasties not to mention the cost! Im a late learner and didnt discover MCN etc. til DS was 18 months DOH
I just use water, no special solution, they are so nice and so much easier than the box of wipes, and no nasties on bubs skin.
Kick myself for not doing it sooner! Will definitely have next bub all in cloth & cloth wipes, the crap they put in disposable stuff I cant believe is allowed near fragile baby skin!
Its something so accepted by society that I didnt even think twice about it and Im a person with sensitive skin who buys only all natural soaps, shampoos, etc...
Glad you are enjoying!

[Seacretsquirrel]

I sometimes use cloth wipes - I tend to use the comercial sensitive J&J wipes when out and about for convenience - I just use plain water (in melb for DD it was warm but here in Darwin for DS it is just tap as it is rather warm anyway. I used cotton wool and water or cetaphyl or sorbolene cream when out often.

[elleandsam]

I use disposable wipes when out and about and cloth wipes at home. I bought my cloth wipes when I bought my nappies and I use cushie tushies wipe wash.

[bubbleandme]

i've used cloth since ollie was born, just cut up flannelette squares, with a spray bottle of water, easy as!

[lilli]

I've been meaning to start using cloth wipes. I currently just use home brand ones because I find them all the same so why pay more? In using MCNs so I may as well do cloth wipes too :)

[babybabycakes]

my recipe is:


3 cups soapnut shampoo -made by cooking soapnuts for 10 mins - liquid is strained and used as shampoo for whole family. organic no chemicals and very mild for sensitive skin

1/8 cup cold pressed olive oil

4 drops tea tree oil

8 drops lavender oil



SHAKE

I use it on muslin squares now (summer) and have flannell squares cut for winter. solution is in a spray bottle. in winter i will make it and use it in smaller batches and add a bit of hot water to make it warm when its put on the flannel :D

[Bexta]

I use the 'Big Softies' washers too. :)

My solution is >

* Boiled water (I use it hot to mix it better, but then let the wipes cool before using them).
* Sorbolene
* 1 squirt of antibacterial handwash (you can buy a gentle one)
* A few drops of either lavander or tea tree oil to smell nice.

I used them for everything... even to wipe the high chair after lunch!

[Tam-I-Am]

I probably wouldn't use the baby oil - only because it's petro-chemical based and nasty on delicate skin. I'd change it for olive oil or something.

Aside from that, yes we use cloth wipes, but we do it even more lazily than you. I have a bunch of dedicated bum wipes, and run 3 - 4 under the tap on my way to the change table for a pooey nappy (one for a wet nappy). Sometimes in winter I'll zap them in the microwave for 10 seconds to take the chill off, if I'm in a really generous mood.

It's only when I'm really organised that I make up wipes solution - and then it's just baby wash and water.

[Ellads]

yip i'm a cloth wipe and water mumma here too.
I put a days worth in an icecream container and add water to dampen, keep this beside the change table. no waste and no chemicals!! yeh!

[Bellini]

I have a plastic bowl filled with plain old tap water, and I dip the cloth wipe into it just prior to use. If he's particularly smelly, I will mix a drop of baby wash in there too.

Why do some people use purfied/boiled water to wipe their babies bums? :laughing: Sorry but it sounds funny. Do you bath them in purified water too?

[Boobycino]

I just have a pump bottle of water (tap water mind you ;) ) next to my change table with a stack of cut up terry towel pieces, and just wet the washer-sized towels and wipe up bub.

I started doing this becaue out of boredom I read the back of the packet of wipes and thought - why on earth am I putting so many chemicals on bubs perfectly beeeeee-hind!

[Bellini]

a stack of cut up terry towel pieces

The cut up terry towels is a good idea :yes:

[chicken and eggs mum]

Cloth wipes here too!!! Just plain tap water....

out and about i take some make up pads (round ones, very nice) and just use water out and about too!!!!

[bAaM]

I want to use cloth wipes but how do you get rid of the poo? If DS has runny poo I use huggies wipes and put them in the bin:o

if its hard i drop the poo in the toilet and use a wipe then bin it. I dont have a lil squit so i just wash runnier poos into the garden with the hose:laughing:

So how do you get the poo off them before you wash them? Or does everyone have a lil squirt?

[brogeybear]

Umm... you just rinse it in the laundry tub, but you dont need to if you dont want, you just do a pre rinse in the machine with your nappies.

[Bexta]

Why do some people use purfied/boiled water to wipe their babies bums? :laughing: Sorry but it sounds funny. Do you bath them in purified water too?I only use it out of the kettle because I make the solution up hot as it mixes better... & also because I only do it every couple of day or 2 & the boiled water doesn't go smelly... stays all fresh :).

I just use tap water for faces & clean-ups when the wipes aren't handy & I only have dry washers.

[Opinionated]

tap water with a little olive oil and a few drops of tea tree. (Tea tree is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. It will kill any nappy rash, no matter what it's cause)

[mum2bubba]

Thanks for this thread. I might try and make my own. I get Huggies ones too and they don't last long with three kids, they're bl00dy expensive too and cheapies just don't cut it. I have been using flannels at home and just a small packet of wipes while out and about and for occasional care (I need to bring a small packet for Nathan to wipe his bum).

[BabelFish]

That's awesome thanks so much for posting this! I use MCNs and always have but I still use disposable wipes and now that we've got two kids I feel like I'm going through millions of them, and yes they cost a fortune.

Not to mention how bloody guilty I feel about using them and preaching to everyone about using cloth nappies.

You've done it - you've made me decide I'm just going to use cloth wipes from now on.

Yay!! :yelclap:

[Lily of the Nile]

I have my change table next to my island bench and sink and just use tap water with the cloth. I use tissues if I need to wipe runny poo, or if it's harder just the nappy. I have some wipes and clothes in my bag for out n about.
Then just soak and wash seperately. Much, much cheaper and less harsh than wipes, they give him rashes :no:

[Lipsmacker01]

Gosh! I feel so guilty that I didnt do all this with my first child. I do with my second now

[Bellini]

Umm... you just rinse it in the laundry tub, but you dont need to if you dont want, you just do a pre rinse in the machine with your nappies.

That's what I do :)

[kuddles]

That's awesome thanks so much for posting this! I use MCNs and always have but I still use disposable wipes and now that we've got two kids I feel like I'm going through millions of them, and yes they cost a fortune.

Not to mention how bloody guilty I feel about using them and preaching to everyone about using cloth nappies.

You've done it - you've made me decide I'm just going to use cloth wipes from now on.

Yay!! :yelclap:

:yes: I feel a little guilty too. I use GAIA bamboo wipes when out and about.
When I am at home I use cloth wipes I bought last nappy hunt.
I use plain water, bum genius spray or some monkey doodles wipe solution.

[Mrs Nietzsche]

I actually don't use wipes at all, I rinse bums under the tap.

Have disposable wipes in the nappy bag but they don't seem to get used

[brogeybear]

Maire - how does that work when they are bigger?

[Mrs Nietzsche]

Brogey - with great fortitude on my part and a strong back. In the laundry sink, rinse off DS and any clingy poo bits around his various folds, try not to think about how disgusting it is. Wash hands.

[tazaria]

I mostly use water with my wipes, but sometimes, if I'm really organised and I'm going out I will put some of my cloth wipes in a glad sandwich bag (that I re-use) and make up about 1/4 cup of chamomile tea (I think the one I have is Chamomile, Honey & Vanilla - smells great!) that I pour into the bag, over the wipes and then I just press it all out so that all the wipes are wet (damp, not saturated, I try not to pour in too much tea) and then seal my bag and off I go!

I read somewhere that chamomile is good for nappy rash, or atleast gentle on their baby bums, but I don't remember where I read that, or if I'm just laboring under a misapprehension.. but anyway, they smell great, and if I'm out I'll use them for bums or hands/face wipes as required.

But mostly I'm lazy and I just use water.

[safarifun]

I use the 'Big Softies' washers too. :)

My solution is >

* Boiled water (I use it hot to mix it better, but then let the wipes cool before using them).
* Sorbolene
* 1 squirt of antibacterial handwash (you can buy a gentle one)
* A few drops of either lavander or tea tree oil to smell nice.

I used them for everything... even to wipe the high chair after lunch!

Big Softies are fantastic aren't they! I love the rough side for bub's bum & the smooth side for her girly parts! Do I have too much time on my hands? :o

Do you find the tea tree oil is too strong though on your bub's toosh?

[QUOTE=Tam-I-Am;4519009]I probably wouldn't use the baby oil - only because it's petro-[/
QUOTE]

I had no idea! Thank you so much for letting me know. I feel terrible now & am so grateful you responded. Thank you, thank you, thank you. :hugs:

[caspar]

We just use tap water. In winter I keep some warm water in a cheap $2 shop thermos. If he gets some skin irritation I use some cooled camomile tea.

Commercial wipes give my bubba a rash. Keep some 'wotnots' composable wipes for out and about as these seem to be ok if only used occasionally.

[Gabi]

I use face washers (in a different colour to the ones we use on our faces lol) too. I use loo paper to do the initial wipe, which can then be flushed and clean the boys up using a wet flannel from the bathroom tap. If the poo is particularly sticky and smelly I use a bit of cetaphil cleanser. I think it does a better job than store bought wipes, and my DS has sensitive skin which goes red if we use anything other than curash wipes (very expensive imo). We use the wipes when out though.

[Bexta]

Do you find the tea tree oil is too strong though on your bub's toosh?I only use about 3 drops in 2 cups of water.


If he gets some skin irritation I use some cooled camomile tea.My MIL swears by camomile tea for everything! Might give it a go for the wipes :).