family cloth questions

[katiedidbug]

Hey mamas, I just started using family cloth this week and I have a few questions for those of you who use it.
1. How often do you wash?
2. What is your wash routine? Is it like diapers?
3. When people ask and then look at me like I'm crazy, what should I tell them in regards to benefits of family cloth?
TIA!

[kettunainen]

:

[Leta]

1. 2 to 3 times per week.
2. I just throw the bag in with diapers or towels.
3. Honestly, and we have had many guests since we switched, no one has ever asked. I guess they just assume it's for the baby since we CD.

[Leta]

3. Continued... but we always have a roll of TP out, too.

[SoftLetters]

we toss ours in our diaper pail since we CD. we wash diapers/wipes every other day. our general rule is that our guest bathroom is stocked with traditional toilet paper and our family bathroom is cloth, people can choose which they are comfortable with.


jenny.

[katiedidbug]

I heard somewhere that you shouldn't mix CDs with family cloth when you wash. From what you guys have said, it sounds the easiest, though. So, I'm assuming it's okay to mix the two?

[SoftLetters]

i don't see what it could possibly hurt to wash them all together.


jenny.

[KariM]

Originally Posted by katiedidbug

1. How often do you wash?
2. What is your wash routine? Is it like diapers?
3. When people ask and then look at me like I'm crazy, what should I tell them in regards to benefits of family cloth?
TIA!

1. Whenever our little pail gets full - usually about every two days. I deliberately picked a small container so I *would* have to wash frequently.

2. I wash them in hot with about 1/2 the amount of laundry soap (don't like residue in them) and dry them on high heat in our dryer.

3. I don't really discuss it with others. When my Dad asked my son about them - he spouted off all the benefits, though.

[hibana]

I use family cloth for pee. It goes in with the diapers every 2-3 days, then outdoors on racks in the sun.

[Khourtniey]

I wash every day or every other day..
I throw my cloth into my diaper pail (which is right beside the toilet) and I wash with my diapers.
I would mention cost, environmental, and chemical reasons.
I also have a roll of TP on the hook by the toilet.

[oneKnight]

I only use them for pee, that might alter your washing techniques.

1: I wash 1-2x week, with whatever.
2: I have a small box for clean and a box for dirty on the back of the toilet. Whenever I run low on clean I remind DH to do laundry. (or if am already washing towels anyway I dump them in)
3: No one has asked.We keep regular paper tp out for #2 anyway.

[ledzepplon]

Okay, this is probably TMI, but how come somany people only use cloth for pee? I guess ease of cleaning is the obvious answer, but to me, the big appeal of cloth would be for #2.

Do you need a special routine for #2? And why can't you wash them with CDs?

[pinksprklybarefoot]

Originally Posted by ledzepplon

Okay, this is probably TMI, but how come so many people only use cloth for pee?

I was wondering this, too. But honestly, for some reason the thought of touching my own poop grosses me out WAY more than my baby's poop does. But he is ebf right now. Maybe I'll change my mind after he starts solids.

[pinksprklybarefoot]

Bump!

Come on people! I really want to know.

Y 'all have me almost converted. I'm going to have to hide this one from DF, though. He will think I fell off the crunchy deep end.

[ParisApril]

I use cloth for both #1 and #2 however I wipe once with tp and then cloth for #2. My a$$ has never been so clean! I wash mine 3x a week with diapers or towels (not teatowels or dishcloths though). Hang to dry or the dryer(since I broke my ankle I have a hard time hanging anything out). I also have never had anyone ask. I think they just assume it's for the kids. I would just tell anyone that did I am saving some trees and getting so much cleaner at the same time. I also use mamma cloth. Which I wash with my cloth tp.

[<~*MamaRose*~>]

I have a little pail next to the toilet with water in it that they soak in before washing. I wash them every few days and generally with my towels.
I use cloth for both and LOVE IT! I think I might start using a little squirt bottle with water for cleaning off (like you do after having a baby) and using the cloth to dry but i'm not sure yet LOL!

Oh and I'm having a hard time selling the whole cloth thing to my teen though so he's still using TP full-time!

[birddog]

I use cloth for pee only. I keep a mesh bag attached to the TP roll (which has TP still on it for #2). In the mesh bag things get aired out pretty well and frankly, there's not much pee on the cloth anyway. I have 8" square cloth wipes which are actually too big. I suspect the size would be just right for #2. When I'm feeling like it I use an old peri-bottle for rinsing before wiping.

Anyway, I throw them in the laundry with pretty much anything (except kitchen towels) every day.

As for benefits, for me it's mostly environmental (although it is more comfy than 100% recycled TP). The extra wash is minimal, so the cost of washing them is negligable since I don't use hot water (there's no #2 action going on here - otherwise I would feel compelled to boil them in hot water in the washing machine).

I like the fact that I'm saving money on TP as well since the majority of wiping is for pee anyway. And I'm not contributing to using paper products, even if they are recycled - there's a lot of energy and water consumed in producing TP from both virgin trees and recycled content. Plus, there's no additional TP solids going through the waste water treatment plant. (Our wastewater gets turned into compost, but still.)

-Crunchy Chicken

[koofie]

I did family cloth for awhile before I married DH (moving in with him messed up my routine and I haven't gotten back into it). I loved family cloth for #2! I had bought some foaming family cloth stuff (love it, but it isn't made anymore). I bought lots when I found out it was was no longer made. When I run out I will use my foaming bottles to use with my own formula. I just put some foam on the cloth and wipe. I feel so much cleaner than TP! Hmmmm... maybe I'll start again if I can convince DH to let me put some stuff in the bathroom. He hates clutter, so a stack of wipes on the back of the toilet will probably drive him nuts.

1. Washed with CDs, so every 2-3 days
2. Just like diapers - on sanitary, with a pre-wash if there is lots of messes. I sun out stains and re-wash
3. I mention environmental concerns, but end up saying it is just so much nicer than any TP

[~Shanna~]

Originally Posted by katiedidbug

Hey mamas, I just started using family cloth this week and I have a few questions for those of you who use it.
1. How often do you wash?
2. What is your wash routine? Is it like diapers?
3. When people ask and then look at me like I'm crazy, what should I tell them in regards to benefits of family cloth?
TIA!

1. I have so many cut-up t-shirts as cloth that I only wash every couple of weeks or so. I only use for pee though - Not sure if I'll evolve to using for BM.
2. I wash on hot with Charlies soap and a vinegar rinse. I always dry in the dryer - can't imagine hanging all those little squares!
3. I'm pretty careful about who I out myself to. I usually start by making a dismissive comment about how we use cloth wipes for the babe, why not for me too? It gets them to think about it more rationally, and then you can start in with how its good on the environment, pocketbook and UT.

[MamaKalena]

Very interesting thread. I've often thought about switching, but never asked the serious questions about how to do it -- so thanks for starting this discussion. After reading this, I think I'll give it a go! Now we have a good use for all those cloth wipes we no longer use since DS has started to potty train!