Wipes for cloth diapers?

[AndyJoy]

For those of you who use cloth diapers, what do you use for wipes? Can I make my own cheaply, like with flannel? What size? How do you use dry wipes? Do you use a spray bottle with water or some mixture? Please educate me!

[melissel]

I had a big stack of single layer flannel wipes that I bought from an eBay seller. I was happy with them and never tried fancier wipes. If I needed to wipe a wet bottom, I just used a dry wipe. If I needed to clean a bigger mess, I used wet wipes. I never premade any kind of spray or liquid because I worried about stuff growing in it. When it was time for a diaper change, I just took an extra minute to fill a plastic bowl I kept by the changing table with warm water. It just seemed kinder than a cold, wet wipe on a nice, warm heiny :lol:

[Mrs Mungo]

I bought flannel squares that had been serged on the edges from another mom, they were really inexpensive. I put them in an old wipe container and used a recipe that had water, a bit of soap, tea tree oil and calendula oil, soaked them in it and then drained them. It worked great. I only made up enough for a couple of days at a time.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I just used baby washcloths. They were a good size, plus the terry loops were very small so they were softer than big people wash cloths. I had received an overabundance of them as baby gifts and this was a good use for them. I kept a stack of them in a basket in the bathroom. On my way to change the baby, I would stop in the bathroom and get it wet - trying to use warm water. I would often grab a 2nd one to pat dry my baby's bottom. I tossed them in the pail and washed them with the rest of the diapers.

[Moni]

Baby washclothes.

 

:seeya:

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

I use cotton baby wash cloths commonly found at WalMart and some flannel and terry ones I made up myself.

 

I have a spray bottle for wetting them and usually just use water but add a 3rd part vinegar if there is any hint of a rash as it clears up yeast pretty quick (not for use on broken skin though obviously!).

[wulfbourne]

I just used baby washcloths. They were a good size, plus the terry loops were very small so they were softer than big people wash cloths. I had received an overabundance of them as baby gifts and this was a good use for them. I kept a stack of them in a basket in the bathroom. On my way to change the baby, I would stop in the bathroom and get it wet - trying to use warm water. I would often grab a 2nd one to pat dry my baby's bottom. I tossed them in the pail and washed them with the rest of the diapers.

:iagree:

 

eta: I have a spray called 'diaper lotion potion' to spray on their bottoms too. It smells great and helps prevent diaper rash. You could probably make it yourself, the ingredients are 'Witch hazel, jojoba oil infused with chamomile, lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil'.

[Cera]

I used flannel squares also.

[Shelly in the Country]

I use the cheapie washcloths sold in bundles from Target. I wet them with plain, warm water from the sink. I put them in the pail with the diapers.

[Radish4ever]

if you check out Hyenacart.com or diaperswappers.com and type in "wipes", you'll see tons of methods! LOL!

You can cut up old Tshirts and use them as wipes or just use washcloths....

I use a peri-bottle (yes, the one used after the birth... lol) of water to wet the wipe. Some people put several in a wipes warmer and cover with water with lavendar or tea tree oil or something, but it can get mildewy really quickly and I'm not into the hassle!

[Meeshi]

I always just used cloth wipes and water. I prefer wipes that have flannel on one side and velour or sherpa on the other side. Any sort of "wipe solution" I tried would leave a residue and create a rash. Water suited our needs just fine. :)

[Caitilin]

if you check out Hyenacart.com or diaperswappers.com and type in "wipes", you'll see tons of methods! LOL!

You can cut up old Tshirts and use them as wipes or just use washcloths....

I use a peri-bottle (yes, the one used after the birth... lol) of water to wet the wipe. Some people put several in a wipes warmer and cover with water with lavendar or tea tree oil or something, but it can get mildewy really quickly and I'm not into the hassle!

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

You definitely should check out diaperswappers.com; it's the same board format as here, and you could spend the rest of your life checking out all the stuff that's there.:tongue_smilie: However, you can see if anyone has any wipes on the FSOT boards which would be cheaper than making your own, and/or do a search for "wipes solution" to see the different ones that people like. I keep mine in a spray bottle, and squirt the wipes individually, but many do something like what Mrs. Mungo describes in her post. And, since I am lazy, I have tended more and more to just get a couple wet with warm water from the sink before beginning. :) I am so proud of you for CDing with your new baby!

All the best to you!

[Veritaserum]

I bought a big pack of terrycloth washcloths and use them with straight water.

[Jeanne in MN]

Surprised no one has mentioned making them out of paper towel. Maybe not green enough?

 

Use a sturdy paper towel like Bounty or Viva. Cut a roll of paper towel in half so you have two small rolls similar to a roll of toilet paper. Place in an empty baby wipe container or Sterilite container. You'd have to do a search, but I think the recipe was two cups warm water and then you can add a couple tablespoons worth of baby soap and/or baby lotion. Mix the ingredients together and pour over paper towel in container. After the paper towel has soaked through, pull out the soggy, cardboard middle. It is from the center you will pull your sheets out as you need them.

[Mrs Mungo]

Surprised no one has mentioned making them out of paper towel. Maybe not green enough?

 

Use a sturdy paper towel like Bounty or Viva. Cut a roll of paper towel in half so you have two small rolls similar to a roll of toilet paper. Place in an empty baby wipe container or Sterilite container. You'd have to do a search, but I think the recipe was two cups warm water and then you can add a couple tablespoons worth of baby soap and/or baby lotion. Mix the ingredients together and pour over paper towel in container. After the paper towel has soaked through, pull out the soggy, cardboard middle. It is from the center you will pull your sheets out as you need them.

 

I saw recipes like this but I never did because I was afraid it wouldn't be sterile enough. Commercial wipes use preservatives to keep them sanitary. I, personally, was afraid to make a big batch like this because of germs. Using the flannel cloths was easy and I only did enough for a couple of days so I wasn't worried about them getting germy. I'm just saying, I didn't choose the cloth wipes thing just because it was more green. :D

[Radish4ever]

I made papertowel wipes once and they got moldy after one day! yuck ;)

[LaxMom]

I never tried the paper towel ones; if I wanted to use disposable wipes, I would have just purchased the unscented ones (which we did on occasion, like when we were camping).

 

We had flannel, flannel/terry, and wash cloths. The flannel/terry ones were the same others, folded in half. In the winter, I kept them in a wipes warmer, wet with just water and tea tree oil. (old, drafty house) The rest of the time, I would just wet them with water as needed or put them in a plastic container with water & TTO if we were out.

[SonshineLearner]

Use the distilled water if making a solution. There are all kinds of recipes.... I usually used either wash cloths (white...) some had flannel on one side... And then I used disposable wipes, too:-) Unscented of course:-)

Carrie

[AndyJoy]

Thanks ladies! Lots to mull over.

[Chris in VA]

I used a combination of things, but just wanted to tell you that the daycare I worked in many moons ago used a spray bottle with just plain water in it and paper towels. I liked the spray bottle idea b/c it was so convenient, and plain water didn't leave any residue or get moldy/germy.

I'd use baby washcloths for the wipe.

[catherine smith]

I made some 2 ply flannel ones...really easy and cheap. I got the material from Goodwill stores that were selling baby recieving blankets cheaply, also cute patterns. I made them the same size as regular wipes and kept them in an old wipe container. Used a sray bottle with witch hazel and h20 if needed them moist.

[Carrie12345]

Surprised no one has mentioned making them out of paper towel. Maybe not green enough?

 

 

For me, disposable wipes and cloth diapers did not go well together. A wipe would always find its way into the laundry, and I'd be stuck re-washing a whole load of diapers or picking lint forever!

 

That may be because I used disposable diapers with my first 3 babies and just can't break the "stuff the wipe in the used diaper" habit.

[Lovedtodeath]

 

I made papertowel wipes once and they got moldy after one day! yuck ;)

I made mine with olive oil soap and tea tree oil. They lasted just fine.

[Melissa in Australia]

I always just wet another nappie ( diaper) with warm water , and used that. I then chucked the used nappies into the nappie bucket to soak for 24 hours, and washed in the machine, then line dried.

[SonshineLearner]

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11475778&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|48022|56098&N=4040783&Mo=16&pos=1&No=7&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=56098&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC5397-Cat48022&topnav=

 

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?ec=BC-EC30983-ProdID11475778&pos=0&whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11475784&lang=en-US

 

Wow, these look nice. Costco! Who would have thought. I'd buy these before making them. I have some I bought from The Natural Baby Store...from 11 years ago. (not these, but ones made by someone else:-)

 

Carrie:-)

[Miss Peregrine]

I use a peri-bottle (yes, the one used after the birth... lol) of water to wet the wipe.

 

Yep. Just serged flannel squares and water from my peri-bottle.:001_smile:

[hornblower]

At home I changed babies on the bathroom counter & I just used warm water from the tap. Actually, a lot of the time I just popped the baby bum right in the sink for a little sitz bath. Small facecloths for wiping and drying.

 

Out & about, I had a little ziploc baggie with a couple damp cloths - plain water, prepared for each outing, & small stash of dry ones. When going out I tended to use diaper creme (like zincofax) liberally all over the bottom. I found it helped messes slide right off :D & made clean up easier.

 

I bought small facecloths in a big bulk pack. Beware of the really cheap ones; I had a batch that fell apart fast - the serged edge ripped.

[Miss Peregrine]

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11475778&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|48022|56098&N=4040783&Mo=16&pos=1&No=7&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=56098&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC5397-Cat48022&topnav=

 

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?ec=BC-EC30983-ProdID11475778&pos=0&whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11475784&lang=en-US

 

 

Wow! I didn't even see these when I found the diapers.

[Jeanne in MN]

Oh wow! We never had a problem with them molding. Maybe the climate difference between Texas and Minnesota makes a difference?

 

BTW, saw the tv show Dirtiest Jobs the other night and they were at a diaper laundering service. They have machines that can wash 600 pounds of dirty diapers at a time. They wore rubber gloves and had to toss all the dirty diapers in by hand. :ack2: LOL!

 

 

I made papertowel wipes once and they got moldy after one day! yuck ;)