Best wipes warmer for cloth wipes

[jenrett]

This might be a silly question, but I got a Munchkin brand wipes warmer to use with cloth wipes, but it doesn't appear that it will hold much water without leaking....there's a little blue "window" on the front that slides up and down/on and off.

how "wet" should the cloth wipes be? soaking, so that you have to squeeze off excess water before use? or is it possible to keep them just the "right" wetness in the warmer?

i'm afraid that if the wipes need to stay soaking wet that this warmer will leak....is there perhaps a better warmer?

[Ifluffedthree]

if it were me, I would probably return it, use that money to invest in more wipes.
we simply wet the cloth prior to use with the sink or with a peri-bottle. to me a warmer would be combersome and I would worry about molding in my wipes.

[Beauchamp]

We have one that is Prince Lionheart, I believe. It's the one that comes with the "warmies" wipes (4 of them) The wipes are pretty much junky, but the warmer is great! It saves me time standing at the sink to wait for the water to warm up, plus I make my own solution (olive oil or jojoba, plus a few drops of TTO/lavender oil blend) which makes my wipes smell like a little baby spa.

I like my wipes to be pretty wet. I usually always squeeze out excess water before using a wipe. They stay nice and warm. I don't use the disposable pad that comes with the warmer (to keep the wipes moist, you keep this pad wet) because I put enough water in to begin with, and I think that's more for sposie wipes anyway.

I've never had a problem with moldy wipes. For us it works very well, and makes diaper changes more comfortable. I roll up my wipes rather than fold, and the warmer holds a lot. It also makes dipe changes easier for my husband, who like things to be really easy, when it comes to dipes.

oh, p.s. mine has never leaked.

This is the one I have. Love it!

[St. Margaret]

I think Lionheart got good reviews on Amazon for cloth wipes, not sure though.

I didn't use a warmer for DD, but there were times when I felt like I should have-- she would complain and shiver (when she was older). We don't get warm water out of the tap until a good minute into it, and even our mixed regularly room-temp diaper wipe spray was too cold sometimes. I'm thinking about getting one this time... I will if I can get it set somewhere safe... I also worry about it browning/molding but it might be nice to try one out.

[paintedfire]

My little one is due in January and we live in Brooklyn so this thread has been very helpful to me.

I thought at first that wipe warmers were just another ridiculous product being foisted on consumer's but a friend of mine set me straight. She uses disposable wipes (I think she has the Munchkin on the OP was talking about) and I plan on using cloth wipes so I was unsure about wether or not I could find something that would work.

Thanks, mamas!

[jenrett]

Thanks for the suggestions! Our tap water also takes forEVER to heat up, otherwise I would probably just do that. I decided to give the Munchkin a try, but if it doesn't workout, I will try the Lionheart. I got the Munchkin for $5 on CL anyway, so I figured it was worth a shot....

I really like the idea of rolling the wipes, especially because I have a couple of different kinds of wipes, so I could pick which one to use. How many wipes would you say the Lionheart holds? I know it would depend on the wipe, but the Munchkin seems kind of small....

One question about using a wipe solution rather than just water....do you not have to do a wipe with plain water at the end? I'm still new to this, sorry What's the purpose of the wipe solution?

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by jenrett

Thanks for the suggestions! Our tap water also takes forEVER to heat up, otherwise I would probably just do that. I decided to give the Munchkin a try, but if it doesn't workout, I will try the Lionheart. I got the Munchkin for $5 on CL anyway, so I figured it was worth a shot....

I really like the idea of rolling the wipes, especially because I have a couple of different kinds of wipes, so I could pick which one to use. How many wipes would you say the Lionheart holds? I know it would depend on the wipe, but the Munchkin seems kind of small....

One question about using a wipe solution rather than just water....do you not have to do a wipe with plain water at the end? I'm still new to this, sorry What's the purpose of the wipe solution?

I swore I wouldn't get one, either. My mom told me I *needed* one, so of course, I said no way. Then DD started howling when I used cold wipes with room temp water. So I got one, and totally love it. No leaks, no mold. I do have mine on a small folded towel, but only because it's on my dresser, which is new and still nice, just in case of leaks.

As far as how many wipes the Lionheart holds--well, it depends on the wipes. I have some Cotton Babies flannel wipes that are thin and roll really small, whereas my Thirsties Fab Wipes are thicker, and also my Kissaluvs terry knit wipes are thick. The Babykicks wipes are thinner (and oval, with huge tags that stick out, so I don't love those.) But I'd say, of all of those types, I can cram a good amount in there. At least enough for several days of diaper changes (at this stage, newborns would have more dipes, therefore more wipes.) I'm traveling now and don't have my warmer, so I can't count exactly.

As for solution, no, I don't wipe with water after. The olive/jojoba oils are natural, and there is not that much in the solution compared to how much water I use. Just a dollop of oil for about two cups of water maybe. It's just like moisturizer, only natural. The tea tree oil smells nice, is antiseptic, I believe, and the lavender smells yummy. (that spa scent) The solution helps gets her skin cleaner than just plain water, in my opinion, although I have used just plain water on occasion, and there is nothing wrong with it at all. It's definitely better than ANY sposie wipe!

It's easy and really good for the baby's bum. Our ped suggested cloth wipes with water to us in case of any diaper rash (which we've never had), and then we told her we always use cloth wipes! I love 'em, and would be upset if someone told me I had to give up my cloth.

[jenrett]

Thanks Beauchamp!

[greenbeanmama]

What about a thermos or insulated drink holder that is usually used for coffee or hot water for tea? That way, there shouldn't be a mold issue, and you can wet just the number of wipes you need. Fill it up first thing in the morning, and you should be good to go all day (some last up to sixteen hours, so one water change a day...) You can easily pick up a used one cheap (garage sale/thrift store), and it can be used for its original purpose when your little one is out of diapers. Just a thought!

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by jenrett

Thanks Beauchamp!

Anytime.

[karen1968]

We have a Prince Lionheart warmer that we've been using with cloth wipes for over three years. I don't use the disposable "pad" in the bottom, but have used a really wet washcloth. The washcloth and the wipes get soaked in the sink with a mix of warm water, TTO, and California Baby bath soap/gel. I do a small squeeze of the CA Baby and about 6 drops of TTO per sinkful of water. Dunk the washcloth in and place it, fairly wet, in the bottom of the warmer. Then squeeze out the wipes until they are not quite dripping (a tad wetter than I'd wet a washcloth to wipe off the kitchen counter) and place those on top of the washcloth. The wet cloth in the bottom helps keep them from drying out over time (esp. now that DS is older and goes through wipes very slowly).

Lately, I've been keeping them wetter, and I just switched to a large plain kitchen sponge instead of a wash cloth. We fold the cloths, and I think because we don't go through them quickly and they sit in the warmer for a while, they've started getting holes. It never occured to me to roll them instead of folding but I think I'll try that now and see if it helps with the hole/wear issue.

One thing I really like about the Lionheart is that the cord detaches from the back, making it really easy to carry the warmer into the bathroom to fill, thus avoiding drips on the floor from carrying the wet wipes from bathroom to changing table. Oh how I wish I'd realized that when we first got it instead of over two years in!

[jagarris]

Originally Posted by karen1968

We have a Prince Lionheart warmer that we've been using with cloth wipes for over three years. I don't use the disposable "pad" in the bottom, but have used a really wet washcloth. The washcloth and the wipes get soaked in the sink with a mix of warm water, TTO, and California Baby bath soap/gel. I do a small squeeze of the CA Baby and about 6 drops of TTO per sinkful of water. Dunk the washcloth in and place it, fairly wet, in the bottom of the warmer. Then squeeze out the wipes until they are not quite dripping (a tad wetter than I'd wet a washcloth to wipe off the kitchen counter) and place those on top of the washcloth. The wet cloth in the bottom helps keep them from drying out over time (esp. now that DS is older and goes through wipes very slowly).

Lately, I've been keeping them wetter, and I just switched to a large plain kitchen sponge instead of a wash cloth. We fold the cloths, and I think because we don't go through them quickly and they sit in the warmer for a while, they've started getting holes. It never occured to me to roll them instead of folding but I think I'll try that now and see if it helps with the hole/wear issue.

One thing I really like about the Lionheart is that the cord detaches from the back, making it really easy to carry the warmer into the bathroom to fill, thus avoiding drips on the floor from carrying the wet wipes from bathroom to changing table. Oh how I wish I'd realized that when we first got it instead of over two years in!

Is this the same Prince Lionheart warmer that is used for sposie wipes or do they make one specifically for cloth wipes?

[ada]

Originally Posted by jagarris

Is this the same Prince Lionheart warmer that is used for sposie wipes or do they make one specifically for cloth wipes?

They make one for cloth wipes - their own wipes, as a matter of fact (you don't have to use only their kind, though). Use the warmed, but beware the Prince Lionheart cloth "warmies" wipes. They suck.

[karen1968]

Hmm, I didn't know they made one specifically for cloth. Pretty sure the one we have is made for disposable wipes (since I got it at Babys-R-Us).