how do you do cloth wipes?

[mamatoady]

I tried to do cloth wipes with my son and quickly gave up. The lady at our cloth diaper store said to get a water bottle (not the squirt kind, lol) and put a couple drops of lavender and/or tea tree oil in with water and just slosh some on my wipes. Well, I gave up because every single time I tried to wash his butt he screamed like I was hurting him--I'm wondering if it burned somehow. As soon as I used a regular baby wipe, he was fine with changes.

At least when we are home, I would really like to use cloth wipes, so what do you all do and for your washing solutions, please give exact amounts as possible. Has anyone used Dr. Bronner's and would you use it straight or mix it with water?

Thanks!
Sarah

[catters]

Ahhh, I LOVE using cloth wipes. I have about 20 wipes and I fold them in half and put them in the wipe warmer. Also, I mix my own concoction up and just pour it on the wipes and the warmer keeps them warm and moist. You can tell my son LOVES it. Heh heh. The "recipe" I use is from this website:

http://www.naturalbabyworld.com/home...aby-wipes.html

They have a ton of different kinds. I personally use the Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap (1 Tablespoon) with 1.5 cups distilled water and two drops of tea tree and three drops of lavender. The warmer sort of diffuses the scent all throughout his room too, which is nice. I am a big fan of the warm wipes. I just throw the wipes in with diapers when I wash them and they come out fine.

[beebalmmama]

I used a tupperware type container to put water and a bit of Dr Bronners lavender soap. I would just swish a wipe in it and wring it out. I probably replaced the water every other day. I would be wary of using Dr Bronners peppermint or tea trea soap if your babe seems sensitive. The peppermint soap even makes my skin tingly in those sensitive places.

[texaspeach]

I wouldn't want tea tree or peppermint on my private parts (with out warning anyway ) I used some tea tree body wash and it burned like hell when I accidentally got it on my vulva region.

[jldumm]

i just use water

[MamaRue]

we used a big pump thermos filled with hot water with a little natural mild baby soap (bronners would probably be fine too!) and a few drops of lavender. we would refill the thermos every few days but it would stay nice and warm for a while. for the first day you just let the wipe cool for few seconds before wiping baby's bottom so it isn't too hot.

i found the only way to store the wipes wet was to use tea tree oil (which prevented mildew) but it made my son's bottom a bit rashy so we didn't continue doing that. i also don't care for wipe warmers...even the fancy ones scorched my nice organic wipes if i wasn't always on guard, not to mention the constant energy use.

having a pile of dry wipes next to the pump thermos was super handy.

good luck!

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I just use water.

[kerikadi]

We use only cloth wipes
We soak our wipes in water with a little lavender and tea tree oil and then place them in a wipes warmer.

[scrapadoozer]

I kept the wipes dry and did squirt them with a squirt bottle full of baby wipe wash. It worked great for us. I am planning on doing the same thing this time. I need to find the recipe I used. I wish I could still remember the exact amounts of everything.

[Talula Fairie]

Plain water is best for a baby with sensitive skin. I used to get a few wipes wet and stick them in a container or a warmer.

[nerin]

Originally Posted by MamaRue

i also don't care for wipe warmers...even the fancy ones scorched my nice organic wipes if i wasn't always on guard, not to mention the constant energy use.

having a pile of dry wipes next to the pump thermos was super handy.

good luck!

That is a GREAT idea! Thanks!

[donutmolly]

I use cloth wipes and either wet them in the sink before changing -- or use a little sprayer (from the travel section of and drug store) that I keep filled with water, a squirt of baby wash, and bit of olive oil (seems to help get poop off). I'd use the sprayer all the time but it frequently disappears!! I either spray the baby's bottom directly, or spray the wipe (especially for younger/more sensitive babies). This also works well in my diaper bag for when we go out. Oh, and my favorite wipes are squares of cheap fleece (just cut, not hemmed), seem to be easiest on the bum!

[Dmitrizmom]

I stuck with plain water on washcloths. :

[PNWmama]

Plain water here too. I just run them under warm water and wipe away!

[abigail_b]

I love cloth wipes. I do use the wipe warmer (the prince lionheart one). I have never had an issue with scalding or mildew. I have used various concoctions- my favorite was just pure olive oil soap (it was a foaming liquid kind) but I can't get it any more. So I have just started with Dr Bronners. I am using unscented. The Tea Tree Oil, Lavender and Peppermint EOs can definitely sting a sensitive bottom. California baby makes a "diaper area spray" that I used on my son once when he was a baby and he screamed like crazy! However I did find I could add a tiny bit to the wipes solution just for the scent and it wouldn't bother him.
Good luck. I don't currently CD, but I really do love cloth wipes!!

[MamaMonica]

Moved to Diapering.

[Ifluffedthree]

water or natural soap and water.
Love wipes, we have used them for diapering all the children and in the bathroom too.

[Chryseis]

I use flannel wipes that I made myself (just two pieces of flannel serged). I keep two spray bottles (I think I ordered them from GMD), one filled with distilled water, the other with Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion (I used the concentrate, I don't make mine as strong as recommended). I usually use the water, but I love having the Kissaluvs solution around because it really helps w/big poops, especially on my toddler. I also love the lavender/TTO scent it has.

[marrymeflyfree]

I keep em wet in a tupperware container with a little Dr Bronners lavender and a wee squirt of baby oil with vit e and aloe. The baby oil makes cleaning sticky poop bits soooo easy - it just slides right off! I love the pump thermos idea though! I think I may have to steal that one!

My daughter often had a red bum when I was using disposable wipes (always using the so-called 'sensitives') - but she's had a picture-perfect baby butt since switching to cloth!

[EmmaJane]

We did exactly what MamaRue did -- a big pump thermos next to the changing table. Keeps the water warm for a couple of days -- and the wipes get to stay dry until you use them. It works really, really well.

We just used plain water. DH is asthmatic and really sensitive to any fragrance -- and he really did change most of the diapers during the first year...

The last time I tried to figure out whether I was saving money or not by cloth diapering, wipes really came out way way way ahead... about a dollar each, and then they got reused something like 120 times a year each for 3 years... our first set have morphed into kitchen rags now, and we'll get new ones for expected DD2.