Thursday, April 25, 2013

Thrifty Thursdays: Make your own Cloth Baby Wipes


I posted this on a different blog, and thought this fits right in with my Thrift Thursdays!
Not only are cloth wipes handy if you cloth diaper, but even if you disposable diaper. Commercial wipes leave your babies skin wet because of the alcohol. This can lead to yeast infections, and irate the skin. My doctor suggested I use cloth wipes years before I even considered cloth diapering. It is easier than you think!

First, decide on what type of wipe you plan to use. The simplest is baby wash cloths, most of us moms have a bunch and never use them all. You can also buy flannel at any fabric store, cut into squares and sew the edges down.

If you want something a little nicer, or different material, there are always people on Diaper Swappers and Etsy that sell pre-made cloth wipes. That's where I got mine. I use a wipe made from flannel and sherpa.

If you want your wipe to "pop up" like a disposable wipe, you need an old wipes container. Lay 2 wipes down on a flat surface, overlapping as below.


Next fold one side over.


Repeat the prosses until you have a stack of wipes to fill your wipes container. 


Now just feed the top wipe through the opening and you are done!

Then you have 2 options, wet or dry storage. Both have pros to them. If you are unsure how quick you will go through a batch, and have concerns with the wipes sitting wet, you can store them dry. When it is time to change your baby, just wet the wipe with tap water, or spray the wipe with a pre-made solution, and you are good to go!

For wet storage, you can use a home made wipes solution, or buy a pre-made one. I make my own, after all, we are trying to save money, right?

All you need are a few ingredients:
  • Water
  • Baby Wash
  • Tea Tree Oil
  • Lavender Oil (Optional)
  • Olive Oil or Coconut Oil (Optional) 

I am currently out of Lavender Oil, so I am making it with out.

It is good to note, the combination of Lavender and Tea Tree Oil combats yeast infections.




I keep an old Baby Wash bottle to mix in. Add water, 2 squirts of baby wash, 7-10 drops of each oil, and 1/2 tsp of olive oil. Mix well and pour over your folded wipes. When I use Coconut oil, I use hot water, and mix the Coconut oil before adding. The oil melts easily, so it mixes in with solution. Coconut oil has more anti-fungal properties, so it is a great choice!




The solution will keep well over a week. The Tea Tree Oil keeps it fresh, and prevents bacteria growth. If you have extra troubles with yeast, be sure to add the Lavender Oil to the solution.


I have been using this solution for 5 years and have never had a problem with repelling on my diapers. The oils are so diluted, and applied onto the wipes, they don't transfer to the diapers them selves in the wash. 



2 comments:

  1. What a great idea.

    Stopping by from the Revolt Bloggers FB page.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to make baby wipes, however I didn't use the combo you just mentioned. I had no idea that mixing Lavender and Tea Tree oils help keep away yeast. Great tip, thanks for sharing! :)

    ReplyDelete