Best baby wipe material?

[cocoanib]

I've seen flannel, cotton, bamboo, hemp and terry cloth.
For some reason flannel doesn't seem like it would do to great to me, but it's pretty popular.

Which do you like best?
Are they absorbant enough?
Do they wash well?

[fawnanddoe]

I don't really like flannel either.

I really like terry, I have been using a lot of baby wash cloths and a spray bottle.

[fawnanddoe]

oh and they work great for me. I almost find them easier than disposable wipes, but I do have those too (ones that I make myself with viva paper towels and dr. bronner's). Just throw them in the diaper bag, they wash well and do the job they are supposed to! I find myself using more disposable wipes to clean up a mess than I do cloth wipes.

[cocoanib]

Originally Posted by fawnanddoe

I don't really like flannel either.

I really like terry, I have been using a lot of baby wash cloths and a spray bottle.

Originally Posted by fawnanddoe

oh and they work great for me. I almost find them easier than disposable wipes, but I do have those too (ones that I make myself with viva paper towels and dr. bronner's). Just throw them in the diaper bag, they wash well and do the job they are supposed to! I find myself using more disposable wipes to clean up a mess than I do cloth wipes.

Thank you so much! I'm leaning toward terry too. Easy for me to get ahold of and seems like it would make a great wipe wet or dry.

[mambera]

I bought flannel and bamboo BumGenius wipes, in addition to a bunch of baby washcloths we were given.

The bamboo wipes are almost exactly the same texture as the washcloths - one grabby side and one smooth side. I prefer those to the flannel for grabbing lots of poo. The flannel are softer and I prefer those for blotting/patting dry.

Honestly the differences are miniscule though, they all work pretty well. If I were to do it over I'd probably buy all flannel bc they are cheaper.

[Katie T]

I made mine out of flannel from the bargin bin @ Joanns. They wrok great IMO and wash great to. We just wet then in the sink before a change. I did the spray bottle but didnt like how long it took to get the wipe wet.

[ShwarmaQueen]

If you're cheap (like me) you can pick up an 18pk of white cotton wash cloths from Walmart (or other big store) for just a few bucks. I found them in the dish towel section...but there's really no difference. I haven't used them yet for baby, but I don't forsee having any problems with them.

[Jojo F.]

IMO fleece doesn't get the job done & bamboo is not *really* enviromentally friendly.

I like flannel and cotton terry. Hemp would be nice but, it's out of my price range. Flannel is nice and soft and the terry grabs all the poo on the bum Mine have one side flannelette and one side cotton terry. An old recieving blanket and an old towel will give you at least 5 wipes Recycling old clothes and towels is so easy!

ShwarmaQueen- most of our family cloth are old washcloths. They work great

[organicmom3]

Originally Posted by fawnanddoe

(ones that I make myself with viva paper towels and dr. bronner's). .

I would love to know how much dr. bronner's/water you use....I would like to use something of this nature myself for when we are out and about with diaper bag......

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

I have a huge selection of wipes. I do find that "nubbly" fabrics (terry, sherpa, etc) work best for big messes (poop, and also crumby fingers, dried on food). The flannel ones are really nice and soft for touch-ups - so they're all useful.

I find that the flannel wipes are also very useful if you're taking cloth wipes out of the house, because they pack smaller. I have an old Pampers "travel pack" wipes carrier that I can put in 5 or so flannel wipes folded up and pre-soaked with wipes solution - they just go in the wet bag.

The WAHM who makes the flannel wipes (and mama pads) I use also will make half-size wipes that fit really nicely in those travel packs - very useful!

[Ifluffedthree]

I LOVE flannel.

I use hemp, bamboo, velour, flannel in all my wipes -- family cloth 24/7 too. Flannel by far lasts longer than the bamboo. I love cotton velour though it is probably my favorite.

Flannel washes and cleans up easily.

Warning about terry, while it is grippy and good for big messes, it is horrible for aplix type closures and you will forever dislike it for its sluffing that happens in the wash.

Flannel is cheap, practical, soft, wears well and is a strong fiber -- and you don't feel bad when you need to throw them out and get new ones cause they are not an arm and leg to set up with.

20 years of using wipes and I still vote for them.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by Ifluffedthree

Warning about terry, while it is grippy and good for big messes, it is horrible for aplix type closures and you will forever dislike it for its sluffing that happens in the wash.

Flannel is cheap, practical, soft, wears well and is a strong fiber -- and you don't feel bad when you need to throw them out and get new ones cause they are not an arm and leg to set up with.

20 years of using wipes and I still vote for them.

Great info, thanks!

[fawnanddoe]

Originally Posted by organicmom3

I would love to know how much dr. bronner's/water you use....I would like to use something of this nature myself for when we are out and about with diaper bag......

I fill up my measuring cup with 1.5 cups of water, 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, and 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronners. It's been working well for us so far!

[JudiAU]

I use the absolute cheapest, thinest, least impressive washclothes that Babies R Us carries and water. Nothing fancy. They aren't even 100% cotton. They've gone from washclothes to napkins for toddler back to washclothes and are still working fine.

You don't need to overthink it unless your babe is very sensitive.

[cocoanib]

Thank for all the info Mama's!

Originally Posted by mambera

I bought flannel and bamboo BumGenius wipes, in addition to a bunch of baby washcloths we were given.

The bamboo wipes are almost exactly the same texture as the washcloths - one grabby side and one smooth side. I prefer those to the flannel for grabbing lots of poo. The flannel are softer and I prefer those for blotting/patting dry.

Honestly the differences are miniscule though, they all work pretty well. If I were to do it over I'd probably buy all flannel bc they are cheaper.

Just by looks, I was thinking that terry or bamboo would be better for poop clean up than flannel.

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

If you're cheap (like me) you can pick up an 18pk of white cotton wash cloths from Walmart (or other big store) for just a few bucks. I found them in the dish towel section...but there's really no difference. I haven't used them yet for baby, but I don't forsee having any problems with them.

I was totally thinking of doing this, but thought maybe there were something to the "made for baby" cloth wipes that I didn't know about.

Originally Posted by Jojo F.

IMO fleece doesn't get the job done & bamboo is not *really* enviromentally friendly.

I like flannel and cotton terry. Hemp would be nice but, it's out of my price range. Flannel is nice and soft and the terry grabs all the poo on the bum Mine have one side flannelette and one side cotton terry. An old recieving blanket and an old towel will give you at least 5 wipes Recycling old clothes and towels is so easy!

ShwarmaQueen- most of our family cloth are old washcloths. They work great

I don't sew very well, but maybe I can do some double sided ones like your explaining.
Where did you get yours from?

Originally Posted by Ifluffedthree

I LOVE flannel.
Flannel washes and cleans up easily.

Warning about terry, while it is grippy and good for big messes, it is horrible for aplix type closures and you will forever dislike it for its sluffing that happens in the wash.

Thanx for the tips!

Originally Posted by fawnanddoe

I fill up my measuring cup with 1.5 cups of water, 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, and 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronners. It's been working well for us so far!

We use Bronner's so I was thinking I would put a splash in some water for a wipe solution.
Glad to hear your having success with it!

I think I've decide to go with some terry and some flannel.
I'll skip the bamboo and hemp.
Thanx everyone