Cloth Wipes: Green and Frugal!

Cloth wipes are a must have for any cloth diapering family, but they are a wise choice for all moms.  They are economical, “green” and you have complete control over ingredients. There are so many great reasons to use cloth diapers, and cloth wipes also have numerous benefits.

Pictured in the photo above (left to right) are Ruby Moon Wipes, Planet Wise Wipes, Kissaluvs Wipes, Homemade wipes made from burp cloths, baby washcloths, GroVia wipes and Thirsties wipes.

When I started cloth diapering, I had a few disposable wipes to finish up, but it was a pain!  I was in the habit of balling the wipe up inside the diaper to pitch it, and I now had to remember to pull it out and throw it away.  Not only that, but they were expensive!  I was using the “sensitive” brand of wipes (which weren’t so sensitive after all) and my price to buy was 2.5 cents per wipe.  Sometimes I had to use 4 or 5 wipes at a single diaper change, so I was throwing 25 cents or more in the trash every time I changed a diaper!

I started out cutting up some burp cloths I had (that were too thin for my liking as burp cloths.)  I doubled them over and zigzagged the edges to keep them from fraying.  You can use scraps of all kinds of material to make wipes, making your cost $0, or you can spend several dollars per wipe for cushy wipes in cute fabrics.  Plenty of people have bought packs of baby washcloths for a dollar and change for 6, and used them as wipes!

OK, so what do you moisten them with?  Again, you can get cheap/free and use water, or you can spend more, and buy pre-made solutions.

Lots of work at home moms (and other companies) make wipes solution bits, that you can dissolve in water and use to moisten your wipes.  Most contain a mild soap, sometimes essential oils and things like tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract, which serve as an anti-fungal, and keep your wipes fresh.  These bits are my preference.  They are easy to use and very economical. You can also buy concentrated baby wipe solution, like this Baby Wipe Juice that makes 2 gallons of mix.

You can also make your  own solution.  A quick google search will yield tons of “recipes,” most of which contain some variation of:  soap or baby wash, water, oil and essential oil.  There are recipes that include aloe vera juice, chamomile, honey and other ingredients to serve specific purposes.  Homemade solutions can be used to moisten select-a-size paper towels (cut the roll in half) for a frugal disposable wipe solution as well!

OK, so you have wipes, you have solution, now what?

You can pour your solution into any number of spray bottles, a peri bottle, or for a really spoiled bum, warm the solution and store it in a thermos!  I spray my son’s bottom and then wipe, but you can spray each wipe as well.

An 8 x 8 wipe folded in half also fits perfectly into a disposable wipes case or wipes warmer.  The blue bag pictured is a Planet Wise travel wipes case.  It’s waterproof, with a locking zipper and it’s great for travel!  You can pre-moisten your wipes, or moisten them as you go.

Here is a quick video tutorial showing how to fold wipes so they pop up in your case just like a disposable wipe:

I hope this gave you some insight into the world of cloth wipes!  What other questions do you have?  Do you already use cloth wipes?  What do you use?  How do you store and moisten them?

Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 11, 7 and 4 year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air.  She is a member of the RDA, RDIA, and BCIA and is an advocate for cloth diapering, natural birth and breastfeeding support (for those who choose to do so.)  She seeks to provide support to other mothers, wherever they are in their journey, without judgment.