I’ve been using cloth diapers since shortly after Farmboy was born, but hadn’t given much thought to cloth wipes until several months later. It finally came down to dollars and sense; it didn’t make much sense to keep throwing my dollars in the trash. Plus, I was tired of keeping a large trash can of smelly wipes in my son’s room.
Whenever I try out a new product, I try to read the reviews on Amazon first. There was one cloth wipe that really stood out, both for its great reviews and because it’s made out of hemp and organic cotton. Hemp is more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton. It is also a lot more eco-friendly to grow because it puts nitrogen back into the soil and uses fewer pesticides than cotton.
Did you know that commercially grown cotton is responsible for 50% of the world’s pesticide use?
The cloth wipes that I chose were the BabyKicks Washies/Wipes. They come 10 to a pack and are available on Amazon. One side of the wipe has a felt texture while the other side is more smooth and coarse.
I found that 20 wipes gives me a good supply for 2-3 days between washings. I wash them with my cloth diapers and hang them on the clothes line to dry. They work great for cleaning up a poopy bottom.
What used to take me 4-5 disposable wipes, I can now usually clean up with one cloth wipe. You will need something to get the bottom wet such as a spray bottle of water or a rinse-less baby wash.
I started out with the Mustela No-rinse Cleansing Fluid, but am now using Diaper Lotion Potion.
I spray the bottom a couple of times, wipe everything with the coarse side of the wipe, then wipe again with the felt side. I use a second wipe if I can’t get it all with the first, but that is rare. Once I am done, I place the dirty wipes in the diaper and put them all in the water-proof laundry bag.
Since using the cloth wipes, I have noticed a significant decrease in the number of diaper rashes on my kids. A lot of commercial wipes that I used were causing rashes and chemical burns on their sensitive bottoms.
The solutions I’ve been using are all-natural, and they haven’t had any reactions to them. I also like the fresh scent of both the Mustela and the Kissaluvs cleansers.
These wipes are also very versatile. When I describe them to people, the first reaction I always get is that they sound like a wash cloth. In fact, they are sold as both a wash cloth and as a baby wipe, but they are not limited to only those two functions.
According to the people at BabyKicks, the wipes can be used for any type of small clean-up and have even been used by some adults to clean eye glasses. I commonly use them at bath-time. Keep some by the changing table, in the car, and in the diaper bag so they’re always available.
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