Even after we switched to cloth diapers, we continued to use commercial disposable wipes because we thought people who used cloth wipes were crazy.
Then Olivia got The Rash That Refused To Go Away. We talked with a friend and she suggested that perhaps Olivia had become allergic to commercial wipes. We, having never heard of that, shrugged it off.
Then we went to the doctor and showed her the rash. The doctor suggested that perhaps Olivia had become allergic to commercial wipes. We, having heard that before, paid attention. We went back to our original friend and got her recipe for cloth wipes and we have been using it ever since.
You can use this recipe with baby washcloths from the dollar store, with cut up paper towels, or you could buy cloth wipes made from bamboo, and, according to this site,
“Bamboo fibers have natural antibacterial elements that naturally fight bacteria growth in your baby wipes.”
We like the sound of that. We bought them on sale, however, because full price can be a bit high.
And here’s the recipe :
Ingredients:
2 cups HOT tap water
2 Tbs baby wash
2 Tbs baby oil
Mix well and pour half over wipes. Wait ten minutes, turn the stack of wipes over, and pour remaining solution over wipes.
This is the basic recipe, that, believe it or not, I actually later found in an Amish home remedy book! You can add to it to make it more personal. We add 3 drops lavender oil for a good scent, and 6 drops tea tree oil for its antiseptic and antifungal properties.
When our second was born before our first was out of diapers, we began doubling the recipe and keeping it in a quart-sized plastic water bottle. Now I only have to make it a once or twice a week rather than every other day.
Do make sure that you use up the wipes in less than a week or they may start to smell a bit funky.
Not only is this cheaper than commercial baby wipes, but it is also better for my baby’s bottom, and the environment, too!
For more frugal tips, click here.
I didn’t realize the homemade wipes were that easy! I might have to try that… might.
btw, how late do you stay up to make sure you’re #1 on crystals blog?! 🙂
Hi there 🙂 We do cloth wipes, but I just wet cheap-o washcloths under the faucet. If it’s messy I add a drop of baby soap (we use Bert’s Bees) and then use another with just water to clean it off. I really don’t like the way sposie wipes feel on my hands, they just feel weird to me! 😛
Cara
Way to go! So glad to hear of another mama switching to cloth wipes. My dd is 2 now and we’ve used them all along, I’ve even switched to using them myself instead of tp! Yeah, most of my friends think I’m crazy but you can’t beat the cleanness and freshness you feel. Great recipe too! We cut up her old receiving blankets for extra wipes and we just use plain water on ours. Anyway, just wanted to give you a H5!
Blessings!
This is a great way to keep excess chemicals out of your house and cut down on waste, too.
We keep the wipe solution in a spray bottle, and then I just spray it directly on a dry cloth wipe before using it. I just worried that keeping wipes wet would be messy or moldy, and it works well to just get them wet as needed.
Jes – I didn’t stay up too late, I finished typing it around 10pm, then checked her blog and found she had posted already! I’m not that pathetic…
Cara – I agree with how disposable wipes feel – only I didn’t notice it until I had cloth wipes to compare it with! The ‘sposie wipes are all grainy and the lint falls off and gets everywhere!
Tori – Thanks for the high five (that is what H5 stands for, right? I’m so out of it…)! Always good to hear I’m not the only freak out there going against the ‘disposable’ grain of society!
Daisy – I agree totally about the waste comment! (And chemicals). The fact that you can’t flush ‘sposie wipes, that they have to go into a landfill where they will take centuries to decompose? Just another reason to go cloth!
Catherine – We used to use a squirt bottle and do the same thing! But when baby #2 hit us, we found it easier to have them already soaking in an airtight container. We have no problem what-so-ever going through them all before they have a chance to get moldy!
Ok, really late to the party here but do you know if fleece would work as a fabric?
Oops nevermind. Found the answer.