Making Cloth Baby Wipes

As we looked into the expense of cloth diapering verses disposables, I dreaded the idea of using cloth wipes. I found that it was only truly worth the expense if we went all the way with cloth and also made the wipes. This dread was as a result of a many failed attempts at making my own disposable wipes out of paper towels and a homemade wipe solution. The solution always seemed to mildew, and I just couldn't bring myself to use it on my kids any longer - no matter how cheap it was. I tried several different ways - with the same failed results.

Well, after making my own wipes out of flannel (which someone gave me) and some cheap 100% cotton t-shirt material, I have changed my mind. Honestly, I would rather use cloth now than disposable wipes! They work better and are more practical with cloth diapers as you just throw them in the same wet bag and do not have to make an extra trip to find the garbage can (and then worry about the smell). We just dump all the cloth items in the washer, including wipes, and we're done!

Here is how I made mine. They are only wipes, so I wasn't too picky with my cutting or sewing, but I wanted them to be a quality job. I cut my material out into 9X 9 inch squares (or rather one long piece of 17 X 9 inches). I actually cut them in a way where one edge folded over so I could save on thread and not have to sew one side on each wipe up (just zigzagged it on the outside). Saved me lots of thread as I made about 90-100 wipes. That thread adds up.

After they were all cut out, I folded them in half, right sides together and sewed them like I would if I were making a pillow. I straight-stitched one half inch from the cut all the way around (except for the folded edge) - leaving a slight opening for me to flip the material so that the right sides would be facing outward. I flipped the material then zigzag stitched all the way around once and also zigzagged it in the middle to prevent the wipe from separating from itself during washing and drying.

They are quite time consuming, but easy to make. With the deal I received on the material and the other given material, I was able to make 100 double layered wipes for about .11 cents each (not including the thread I already had on hand). Not too bad comparrison to $1.25-2.50 per wipe on the cloth diapering sites.

The wipes turn out to be 8x8 in squares in size - perfect to fit into an old wipes box. This is why I decided to make them this size.

When it comes to the solution for the wipes you can decide two ways as to the method you'd like to choose. You can mix a solution together (which I will list below) and dunk and squeeze out your cloth wipes - then place them in a wipes warmer, or you can use the mix solution and place it in a spray bottle (to spray directly on child's bottom) and then keep the wipes dry.

Since we live by the Lakes region, it can be pretty humid here, so I choose to keep my wipes dry and use the spray bottle to spray on their bottoms. This way my wipes don't smell like mildew and I don't waste any of the solution that I mixed, and it's easier to travel as there is no fear of the wipes drying out and not working sufficiently. I'm also a cheapo and refuse to buy a wipes warmer container.

If one decides to buy a wipes warmer, be sure to buy one that has the heating element on the top of the box verses the bottom. It will prevent your wipes from browning and drying out.

Here is the recipe for the solution:

-Take a large bowl and fill it with warm water.

- Mix 3 drops of Lavender Oil (pure) (I recommend the NOW brand)

- Mix 3 drops of Tea Tree Oil

- Either dunk your wipes and squeeze out the water or put the solution into several spray bottles for use around the house and for the diaper bag. The spray bottles come in handy for the kids hands too. We keep one on all levels of our home.

This solution is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal all in one. Pretty neat and natural! The oils can be on the expensive side, but they should last you at least a years time from my estimation. A whole lot better than the chemical wipes you'd use on your baby.