How to Care for Reusable Cloth Wipes

Reusable cloth wipes can also save your family money.

Reusable cloth wipes are an eco-friendly and chemical-free alternative to single-use disposable baby wipes. Using reusable cloth wipes saves the environment from thousands of wipes going to landfills. If parents do not want to expose their children's skin to chemicals, they can use cloth wipes because the wipes are free from chemicals. Resuable cloth wipes need to be cared for in a clean and efficient manner.

Instructions

1. Determine how you will store the cloth wipes before using them. You can store them dry or wet. Many choose to store the wipes dry because it is easier. However, you will need to keep a spray bottle next to the changing table to wet the cloth before use. If you want to store the wipes wet, you should pre-wet them no more than 2 days before using them.

2. Create a storage space for the wipes. You can store dry cloth wipes in the regular disposable wipes box and stack them to be pulled out like disposable wipes. Or, you can stack them in a box or shelf. Wet wipes are most easily stored in a disposable wipes box.

3. Use a cloth-friendly wetting solution. Water is the best solution for the environment. However, you can also use chemically friendly baby soap or baby oil, such as Burt's Bees, or essential oils such as lavender or olive oil. Just add a few drops of one of these solutions to multiple cups of water.

4. Choose between storing the dirty cloths in a dry or wet hamper. For dry storage, wrap the cloth as much as you can and place it in a designated hamper for dirty cloth wipes. You can mask odor coming from the hamper by sprinkling baking soda in the hamper every so often. For wet storage, place the dirty cloth wipes in a bucket of water and baking soda. Set the bucket in a safe and secluded area so the smell will not disturb you. The baking soda will help prevent stains from setting in and help mask the odor.

5. Wash the cloths with specially designated baby detergent. Do not use regular laundry detergent because it will wear out the cloth material. Use half the recommended detergent amount to prevent detergent buildup. Wash the cloths twice: once in the cold/cold setting and then in the hot/cold cycle. Rinse the cloths in cold water. If the cloths smell after washing and rinsing them, you should wash and rinse them again.

6. Dry the diapers for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours in the dryer. The heat will help sanitize the cloths. The cloths can also be line-dried.

References

• Diaper Jungle: How to Wash Cloth Diapers
• The Eco-Friendly Family: Cloth Wipes!