Washable wipes
This was my second venture into re-useable territory 6 years ago, and I didn't even realise it.
Washable wipes are probably the easiest switch to integrate into your life. They have multiple uses and can easily be thrown in with other laundry.
They do a better job
I’ve always used some form of material wipe or flannel to clean up a baby after meals and I did this from a practical perspective. Who really finds it easy using tiny throw away wipes when you have a baby that likes to “feed” themselves and more ends up in the high chair or on the floor? you need about 5 of them each time, even more after a spag bol, and this wasn’t a cost I was willing to put up with.
Make it convenient
The key is having them conveniently to hand. I don’t keep them damp in a wet bag or plastic tub like many people and they work just fine. Keeping them damp is a bizarre idea to me - surely it’s a breeder for stink and mould? For cleaning Mr Monkey’s bum I use the tap in the bathroom and I have a proper old fashioned “Top & Tail” bowl in the nursery (thanks Mr & Mrs Quincey, you have a part in my journey!). Or you can stack them on top of each other and any small bowl or tub of water will do as long as your child can’t knock it over. Then wipes either go in the pooey nappy bin after being rinsed with a pooey nappy, or dirty wetbag if I’m changing a wee only nappy in the nursery.
All you need are dry wipes and a bag
For meals and day messes I have a stack in the kitchen/dining room which I again wet in the kitchen as I go. For out and about I keep them dry in a wetbag which is purely used as a storage pouch and then I wet with a tap when nappy changing and chuck them in my double wetbag with the dirty real nappy. If you need to wet them on the go and are not near a changing room you can use your water bottle (or your kids) and voilà - you never need to pre-wet a wipe. And don’t get me started on the rip-off kits with essential oils - they are a gimmick and not advised to be used near your baby (and I see on lots of groups that cheeky wipes just don’t last).
Multifunctional & last forever
Washable wipes can have a place in any home because they really are multipurpose. And they work out so much cheaper in the long run than expensive kitchen roll, plus bamboo is a natural and sustainable wonder fabric that absorbs 1.76 times it’s weight in liquid and is antimicrobial.
I have a stack in our downstairs toilet for my 6 year old to wipe her face with after meals. I don't know about yours but at 6 my daughter still can't eat even a basic sandwich without smearing it everywhere. I like the black ones for this. For the simple fact that they match our colour scheme without looking too intrusive and with the potential for food stains black will hide everything.
Bit of luxury
Our Muslinz wipes are also the perfect size for your guest toilet drying hands in a covid-19 world. Why not make your smallest room feel a bit like a spa or posh hotel? Black and white also look stylish when stacked up monochrome.
Get the kids involved
They are also handy for my daughter to clean up after herself. Wetting a black wipe to clean chalk from our chalk board so she can start all over again is a favourite task. And it helps them think a little bit about responsibility and tidying up after themselves after all.
Help guides
For more straight forward practical tips on how to switch to reusable nappies, have a read of my further blogs: