Family Cloth...what nobody ever told you - Page 20

[Toolip]

yay! I just came across a new, free sheet, so I'm going to make some more wipes, even though I don't really need them. But I'm addicted

[Arianwen1174]

I'm making more soon too. I have some flannel from a nightgown and pillow case I'm not using. I can get by with what I have but some of mine are light colored and are looking dingy, plus it would be nice to *know* I have enough in case laundry doesn't get done when I want it to.

(We need a family cloth smilie here!)

[minnowmomma]

Does anyone use precut quilt squares for family cloth? I am trying to make it easy on myself to make the switch and since you can get them in fun patterns i thought it might encourage my dd to use them as well(although once i stop buying tp she won't really have a choice).Right now she grossed out by the idea but unless you are a baby i don't foresee much mess associated with it and it would definately encourage hand washing.

[Arianwen1174]

I can't afford it but what a great, fun idea!

[Toolip]

I suppose quilt squares would work. It is a good idea! I don't think I would, personally. I have found that I like a bigger size than a quilt square would offer and I like a rectangular shape, that I can fold in half.

Are you planning on hemming the edges? I don't like it when my wipes fray, so I hem all of mine. With all the washing, a pinked edge can fray quickly. Are you thinking about double sided? If you aren't sewing, I would use two wipes together, but that may just be my personal preference.

[Arianwen1174]

Interesting what each of our preferences are. My first batch of wipes were made by the woman who made my mama cloth--3x4" double layer flannel (mostly white) serged around the edges. That was when I was only wiping pee so they work fine for that. A year or so ago I made a batch on my own--a cute print on one side, an eggplant colored solid for the other so I can also use them for poo. Initially I ran them all through the sewing machine and pinked the edges but changed my mind on that after the first washing because there was so much purple fluff in the laundry. What was a pretty good size for me became smaller than I like when I cut the frayed edges off and did a blanket stitch around the edges of them all. About an hour ago I cut up a used flannel pillowcase and nightgown to make about 4 dozen more. I cut them about 4x5" and will sew 3 edges, turn them right side out and finish the last edge. I'll do it by hand because I find sewing such small things on the machine a pain in the rear, even though I like the speed of it. I'll just sew a couple at a time when I'm watching TV or whatever. It'll be nice to add to my stash!

[WildDoula]

We're joining! I am drying my freshly cut flannel wipes as we speak!  I will need the hem the edges though, after having them go through the washer just once and seeing how much they frayed even with pinked edges. But for now they'll be alright. DH is on board to try them, so we'll see!

Right now I have a wipe warmer to hold wet wipes, a basket for dry wipes, and a small trash can lined with a pillowcase for used wipes. I am hoping to make the switch to an all paper free house very soon. I am planning on crafting up some napkins and dish towels as soon as I know the FC is working for us. 

[Arianwen1174]

Originally Posted by WildDoula 

We're joining! I am drying my freshly cut flannel wipes as we speak!  I will need the hem the edges though, after having them go through the washer just once and seeing how much they frayed even with pinked edges. But for now they'll be alright. DH is on board to try them, so we'll see!

Right now I have a wipe warmer to hold wet wipes, a basket for dry wipes, and a small trash can lined with a pillowcase for used wipes. I am hoping to make the switch to an all paper free house very soon. I am planning on crafting up some napkins and dish towels as soon as I know the FC is working for us. 

Welcome to the family cloth family!

[rducky]

Hi everyone!

I started using FC a few weeks ago.  What a difference!  I feel so much more comfortable.  I'm 9 months pregnant and going to pee constantly.  So, I've definitely cut down on a lot of TP use!

DH is not on board, but he hardly uses TP anyways.  He asked why I put a bunch of wipes on the back of the toilet, when I told him, he replied "I'm just gonna pretend I didn't ask..."  Oh well...

I'm using hanging wetbags in each bathroom for the dirties and I love them.  No smell and they go straight in the wash with the wipes.  Now I just need this baby to arrive so that I can just throw the wipes in with the cloth diapers.

[mamayogibear]

I'm using hanging wetbags in each bathroom for the dirties and I love them.  No smell and they go straight in the wash with the wipes.  Now I just need this baby to arrive so that I can just throw the wipes in with the cloth diapers.

This made me smile, I'll cross my fingers for you mama!
 

[rducky]

Originally Posted by mamayogibear 

This made me smile, I'll cross my fingers for you mama!
 

Thank you! I'm hoping that it will be any day now.

[Brendalee]

I can't *WAIT* until I get my own place & can start using family cloth again!  :)

When it was just me & my (ex-)husband, I used fc on the sly. *LOL*  Not that he would have minded, I'm sure ("just another weird hippie habit from Brendalee!") but it never really came up in conversation. I only used them for pee, so I didn't need to get hubby on board or anything.

Now I have lots of roommates & they are all young (early 20s, and I'm in my early 30s), so they still have some of that 'not quite open-mindedness' that 20-somethings can sometimes have. Tho, my female roommate is down with the idea of menstrual cups; she's just afraid of misplacing a $40 item & getting mad at herself.  ;)  Ooh, maybe I should get one for her as a belated bday gift...

Anyway, it's often irritated me that there's no real alternative for toilet paper. You can (& should) use sponges or (handmade, even!) dishcloths instead of paper towels, cloth pads instead of disposable, menstrual cups instead of tampons, but there's no readily available alternative to toilet paper. *growl*  Even if I don't always use a renewable alternative, I like having the option of one.

So, I'll join the other "weirdo hippies" in using family cloth!  :)  I wish we had another name for it, since my "family" is just me & my kitty, but whatever. ;)  I have been collecting teeshirts as people give them away & will probably start cutting & stitching them up some time this week in preparation.  I hope to be in my own apartment soon (very soon, please!), and will definitely being using family cloth!!  It's just so much nicer - I miss it quite a bit.

~Brendalee

[eh bien]

We're starting FC today! I haven't had time to read through the thread but what's the best size of cloth? I'm going to cut up old t-shirts. Thanks to everyone for the great storing ideas. I told DP that we're making the switch and he said, "I don't care". OK!

[Arianwen1174]

Originally Posted by Brendalee 

I can't *WAIT* until I get my own place & can start using family cloth again!  :)

When it was just me & my (ex-)husband, I used fc on the sly. *LOL*  Not that he would have minded, I'm sure ("just another weird hippie habit from Brendalee!") but it never really came up in conversation. I only used them for pee, so I didn't need to get hubby on board or anything.

Now I have lots of roommates & they are all young (early 20s, and I'm in my early 30s), so they still have some of that 'not quite open-mindedness' that 20-somethings can sometimes have. Tho, my female roommate is down with the idea of menstrual cups; she's just afraid of misplacing a $40 item & getting mad at herself.    Ooh, maybe I should get one for her as a belated bday gift...

Anyway, it's often irritated me that there's no real alternative for toilet paper. You can (& should) use sponges or (handmade, even!) dishcloths instead of paper towels, cloth pads instead of disposable, menstrual cups instead of tampons, but there's no readily available alternative to toilet paper. *growl*  Even if I don't always use a renewable alternative, I like having the option of one.

So, I'll join the other "weirdo hippies" in using family cloth!  :)  I wish we had another name for it, since my "family" is just me & my kitty, but whatever.   I have been collecting teeshirts as people give them away & will probably start cutting & stitching them up some time this week in preparation.  I hope to be in my own apartment soon (very soon, please!), and will definitely being using family cloth!!  It's just so much nicer - I miss it quite a bit.

~Brendalee

There are less obvious alternatives for family cloth (aka potty wipes, as I call them here in our house)--the wipes many mamas make to sell as baby wipes are the same thing or similar to what many of us use. If you search the diapering board here I'm sure you can find threads that list some favorite work at home mamas who make wipes. Also, try searching for cloth wipes at Etsy.com, there are lots of mamas who make them. So they're out there, just not as readily as many other non-paper alternatives. Hope you can get your own place soon--that would be frustrating to not be able to use cloth.

[Arianwen1174]

Originally Posted by eh bien 

We're starting FC today! I haven't had time to read through the thread but what's the best size of cloth? I'm going to cut up old t-shirts. Thanks to everyone for the great storing ideas. I told DP that we're making the switch and he said, "I don't care". OK!

I've been stitching up some wipes lately that are about 4x5 inches and am finding them pretty perfect for me. They're double sided flannel. If I was doing cut up t-shirts I think I'd personally make them about 8x5 so they could be folded in half, whether for poo or pee. I have a batch of wipes that are about 3x4 and they're great for pee but not quite big enough for my backside. If I had a baby in the house I'd make some even bigger so I could do a good clean with as few wipes as possible.

[rducky]

Mine are 5x7.  I really like this size.  Covers the hand and can be folded in half if needed.

[accountclosed3]

so, practically speaking...

i use old t-shirts as my wipes -- i don't care if they're pretty. lol they are kind of randomly sized -- no clue why. tried to make them about the same, but ended up with some big and some smaller. 

i use dry for urine, and damp (with water) for bowel movements, and then rinse both and put them (rinsed) into the washer. I wash them with everything that i'm washing on a given day, which is washed with warm water (because I can't get the washer to just do cold), with a good (natural) soap and some vinegar and lavender eo. easy done.

rinsing right after is what keeps me sane. i can't just have a smear on there or something. I have to rinse right away.

[seawitch]

We use the face towels they sell in packs of ten for a dollar or whatever. They're thicker than old T-shirts. (Those get re-purposed into quilts and rag rugs anyway, so I'm not wasting T-shirts on FC.) I really like how absorbent the towels are. I even use those as menstrual pads - I cut one in half and basically stick it in my underwear after folding it over a few times. It's a bit bulky, so I wouldn't do it on days when I leave the house, but they're perfectly absorbent and tbh I don't think they're even uncomfortable. (This coming from the lady who would never wear a conventional plastic pad because THOSE are too uncomfortable/sticky/smelly/bulky.) If I had money I would buy fancy schmancy ones from a WAHM or something, but those work wonderfully well and are all but free.

[mamalex23]

wash cloths work pretty well but my favorite kitchen rags are well-worn, soft, scrubby and absorbent beach towels/bath towels that have been cut into paper towel sizes. We don't use paper towels at all except for the grossest bathroom messes for a preliminary wipe down before I use my cloth rags.

If I have some rags (or any laundry) that is too dirty for the washer I do a hand wash/soak outside first.

[neonalee]

So excited to join the FC family!  I splurged and bought myself a set of cute WAHM wipes this past winter, but was in the middle of preparing for a cross country move.  Now that we're moved and (mostly) settled, and yesterday I bought a small step can.  Now I just want to buy a wet bag or 2 that fit the can.  I'll wash with DSs diaper laundry, every other day.  Starting with just pee.  Maybe I'll move to all FC once I'm used to that, and then when DS potty learns that's all he'll ever know!

To add to the DH/DP stories - DP is totally on board with ME doing this, but wants no part of it for himself.  I read him the bit from a PP about would you wipe poo off your arm with dry paper and he pretended not to hear me   He was interested in adding a bidet though...