Cloth Wipes
If you’re cloth diapering, you ought to be using cloth wipes. I’ll admit, I didn’t use them when I first started cloth diapering my son. “Let’s just start with the diapers,” I said, “I don’t want to make it harder,” I thought. But the truth is that using cloth diapers with disposable wipes is nothing but an added hassle: You’ve got to have a separate way to dispose of them. Half the time they end up tangled in the wash. And let’s not forget remembering to buy them. Then, of course, you worry about the chemicals on disposable wipes and the environmental impact. I finally switched and never looked back.
There are many options for cloth wipes. Some people go the DIY route. I tried that, but without a serger I ended up with frayed messes. The majority of my wipes are from (where else?) Sweetbottoms. They are my favorites because they are the perfect size and thickness. Uh, and also they are adorable!
I use the thicker Bamboo Velour and Flannel 2-ply wipes for bigger jobs and the single-ply Flannel wipes for detail work. The plain flannel is really handy for my little girl.
Wipes are also ideal for wash cloths, runny noses, dirty hands, small spill cleanup, and spit-up.
These wipes are super-special to us at Sweetbottoms because they are made by our own Paulette Beckerink! Paulette is our owner Beth’s mom and Grandma to 12 grandchildren. So you could say she knows a thing or two about kids.
Paulette can often be found in the shipping room, packaging goodies for our fabulous customers. But she also puts in the hours sewing for Sweetbottoms.
“I am a seamstress and enjoy sewing– especially for babies,” said Paulette. “I taught myself how to use a serger, then began experimenting with bamboo velour and 100% cotton flannel fabrics. After weeks of perfecting my technique, I began making bamboo-flannel wipes for Sweetbottoms.”
Her other daughter, Ann, has a newborn and a toddler. She uses the wipes and gives her mom feedback on the design. Over the past year, she has tweaked her design and added the single-ply flannel wipes.
Paulette has made more than 10,000 wipes. Just imagine how many disposable wipes she’s helped keep out of landfills!
For storage there are several options. These wipes will fit into a reused disposable wipes box or a wipes warmer. You could also use an open bin or a Planet Wise wipes pouch (those are especially nice for on-the-go). I use a repurposed cosmetic bag for my wipes. I just pull one or two out whenever I need them. Soiled wipes get tossed into the wet bag along with the diaper. No extra hassle.
Some people prefer to keep their wipes pre-moistened like the disposable ones. I store mine dry and use a wipe spray as needed. Of course, I’ve got several different ones and sometimes I just use water. What I use depends on the contents of the diaper and what I have nearest in proximity. The CJ’s is technically a rash spritz, but I’ve found it’s useful in getting off stubborn messes.
