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Is it gross to repurpose old hemp/cotton diaper flats into kitchen use Unpaper towels?

  • Yes, that's totally gross

    Votes: 6 5.9%
  • No, I'd do it or I've already done something similar

    Votes: 72 70.6%
  • Kinda, I would reuse them in some other manner (i.e. not for wiping off the kitchen counter)

    Votes: 24 23.5%
  • Other, please post...

    Votes: 0 0.0%

Is this gross?

2K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  Mercury_Girl 
#1 ·
To repurpose my daughter's soon-to-be-old diaper flats into unpaper towels for the kitchen?

I had made her hemp/organic cotton terry flats 15x15. I made them 2 ply and sewed them together. I could either open them up and have double the amount 1 ply or leave them as is. I don't think any of them have stains on them. If they did, I won't use them in the kitchen.

My husbands thinks this idea is gross. I asked him why, and he said 'because they were diapers, duh!' My response, "well, they are clean". I said that if I didn't think they were clean I wouldn't put them on my child, duh! If they are clean enough to be reused on her body, how come they are not 'clean' enough to be reused in the kitchen (or wherever else I might need them, dusting, etc.).

So is this gross or not? Whose side are you on?
 
#2 ·
I'd use them for cleaning rags or something...but no, not for kitchen counters. Ihave to side with your hubby on that one. (sorry!)
If you plan to have other kids then I'd just save them. I know people who use their prefolds to make into training pants--you might be able to do soething like that. Another option is to give/sell them of course (shameless plug for holiday helpers!! see sig link!)
 
#3 ·
It personally doesn't bother me. I'm sure you know how to clean and disinfect things! In my home my cleaning rags are used every where without discretion. I doubt I'd use my family cloth as cleaning rags, simply because I would want to make sure I had enough at all times, but these are no longer in rotation for that use period so it's not the same.

If you aren't planning on having another child again or for a long while they might well be worth this use. If you have enough rags however, giving them away or selling them is also a great idea.
 
#5 ·
I don't think it's gross when washed appropriately. If he's really that concerned about it, would boiling them make any difference? I think he's just letting his imagination work a little too hard on that one.
 
#8 ·
My pile of kitchen washcloths are old bathroom washcloths that got too ratty- I mean, I use them to scrub the stovetop and they get stained and filthy, so the nice, new ones are in the bathroom where they're used for things like face washing or wiping down non-greasy counters! Some of the washcloths currently in the kitchen have been used to clean up poop accidents on small children.

My late FIL saved all the cloth diapers (flats) that he'd used DH and SILs- and still used them for assorted cleaning jobs 30ish years later when he gave them to me to use for DD1. He obviously saw nothing wrong with that!

All that said (I do agree with you here)- I'm not sure this is something I'd make too much of a fuss about if my DH was opposed to the idea. Even if his discomfort is based on something irrational, he has a right to be comfortable in his own home. It might be worth it to give in on this one- use the diapers for another purpose and use something else for the kitchen, if you can't convince him it's OK.
 
#9 ·
I use the same wipes that I've collected for the past 9 years on my 2 DD's bottoms and on my own nose (I don't use tissues) ... and on their faces ... and on their feet ... and the girls play with them in the bathtub and with their dolls ... I guess some might think that's gross. I will admit, though, that I'm planning to switch to family cloth (me, mainly), and I've been trying to imagine a system where I'll have some wipes for bottoms and other wipes for faces ... I think I'll dye the ones for bottoms purple or something. I think there's a limit to how much cross-contamination-face-bottom-wiping I can handle, even though I ***know*** they are clean.

--janis
 
#10 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruthla View Post
My late FIL saved all the cloth diapers (flats) that he'd used DH and SILs- and still used them for assorted cleaning jobs 30ish years later when he gave them to me to use for DD1. He obviously saw nothing wrong with that!
I think that's fab! Be wonderful to see how long you could make an in-service cloth live
 
#11 ·
my mom also saved all our old flat diapers and still uses some for dusting around the house. The rest she separated into boxes for us to have with our own babies.

Anyway, I probably wouln't be grossed out to use them in the kitchen
I mean, how many times have they been washed, yk? But if it bothers your DH, then use something else.
 
#13 ·
i would use them, but i dont think i would let anyone else......and i dont think DH would use them for a napkin, but for cleaning, or use on the counters, yeah i would.
 
#14 ·
Rationaly I agree with you, if they are clean enough to put on baby they are clean enough for pretty much anything else.

That said I probably wouldn't use them in the kitchen, I don't think I would feel quite right. Also I pr.efer smaller cloths in the kitchen so I can use them just once without building up a huge pile of laundry.

Here we use them for floor cloths.
 
#15 ·
This is exactly what we did.

Used (but thoroughly washed) prefolds are so awesome for cleanups...especially the million and one spills that come with children.

We went paper towel-free years ago and have never missed them. Most of the prefolds are in tatters now, so they get pulled out only for spills and such...we have a pretty large supply of dishtowels that look much better for standard cleanup.

Since youngest baby decided she was done with diapers at 17 months (she's just now 2) I've been retasking dipes left and right.
 
#16 ·
I've done it with my flats, pre-folds and the microfiber towels I used as inserts. No one thinks twice either! If they need a towel, they get one. They are so mixed in with the regular kitchen towels that it would be a pain to sort them out. I do use the microfiber ones for more heavy-duty cleaning though, like ceiling fans and walls.
 
#20 ·
In theory I would agree with your DH, but in practice I use what is handy, no matter what it used to be. If it's handy & free, then I'd use it. I guess when it come to housework I'm too lazy & cheap to be picky. To appease him I'd offer to boil/bleach/take to the laundromat with the extra hot wash option/whatever so that he feels they are clean.
 
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