For many parents starting on their cloth nappy journey, an easy way to start is to switch to reusable wet wipes. Reusable wipes are easy, affordable and better for the planet.
Three reasons to switch:
- Better for your baby’s bum – Disposable wet wipes contain plastic and can also contain harmful chemicals.
- Better for our sewers and beaches – The Marine Conservation Society’s 2017 Annual Beach Clean Report found that there was a startling 94% rise in wet wipes found on UK beaches.
- Better for your pocket – cloth wet wipes are a more economical alternative.
Why not make your own reusable wet wipes with our easy guide and see if you can make the switch.
What you will need to get started:
- Fabric – you can consider re-using baby blankets or flannels, otherwise suitable fabric is easy to buy online or from a local haberdashery.
- A sewing machine or needle and thread – We would recommend a sewing machine to make sure the stitching around the edges of the wipes are secure and avoid fraying, giving your wipes a longer life.
- A reusable container – to store the clean wipes.
- Natural wet wipe ‘solution’ – simply mix distilled water and essential oils such as lavender or tea tree.
- Wet bag – to carry used wipes when out and about.
Materials you can use:
- Organic cotton/Cotton – Most commonly used material and easily accessible.
- Bamboo – Great for absorbency and super soft on your babies skin. It will stay soft after many washes.
- Microfibre – Cheapest material to buy, it’s soft and is fast drying. This material contains plastic, so always wash sustainably to avoid micro-plastic pollution.
- Other organic materials are also available.
Let’s get started…
- Cut the fabric in small squares – the recommended size is between 6 to 8 inches height & width.
- For single-layer wet wipes, zig-zag stitch around the edges of the pieces of fabric to avoid fraying. For double-layer wet wipes (which are extra absorbent) put two pieces of fabric on top of one another and zig-zag stitch around the edges to sew the pieces together.
- Wet the wipes with the natural wet wipe ‘solution’ but do not soak them.
- Store the wet wipes in the reusable container.
- Take a wipe out of the box when you need to use it and once used place it in a wet bag along with used reusable nappies.
- Wash the used wipes; add them to your reusable nappy load. Always use natural laundry detergents and line dry where possible.
Top-tip for removing stains – Leave wipes in direct sunlight to lift stains.