Cloth Diapers and Disposable Wipes Just Don't Mix!

Yesterday, around 4:30pm I started my usual mad dash to clean up the living room before Cory got home from work. I try to make it look like we haven't completely wrecked the house, only partially, though I'm not sure my 10-minute tidy masks the fact that we've dumped toys, crayons, and whatever else all over the floor. Among all the toys and dishes I cleaned up were several disposable wipes, which completely gross me out. I don't know what they were previously used for, nor do I want to, but I came to one important conclusion from this unwelcomed experience: Cloth diapers and disposable wipes don't mix!
At first we only used cloth diapers part-time for several reasons including the fact that our stash wasn't quite big enough. Luckily, Liam is now fitting into small & medium cloth diapers and, thanks to my previous stash with Josiah and the donation of several CDs from a lady on freecycle, I'm able to cloth diaper full-time! Yay! More than ever, it has become apparent that disposable wipes are just a mess when using cloth diapers.
Reasons to use cloth wipes:
1. Cloth wipes are much easier when using cloth diapers! Without the disposable diaper, you have nothing in which to wrap the wipes. This means you have to put them on the floor, then carry them across the house to a trash can, then santize the area on the floor, and then wash your hands! Ugh! What a process! So, just use cloth wipes and throw the diaper and wipes in your wet back until it's time to wash everything!
2. They are super soft.  Disposable wipes can be rough on sensitive skin and don't forget all of those nasty ingredients, even in the sensitive wipes. Some wipes may now be made partially of cotton, but cloth wipes are often made of 100% cotton or similar natural materials.
3. Cloth wipes are economical! How much do you spend on wipes each month? It adds up very quickly, especially if you have a newborn or more than one in diapers like me. You can buy a pack (of 12) of flannel cloth wipes for about $12 or even cheaper on ebay. Buy about 2-3 packs and you are set since they are reusable! You could also make your own wipes from old clothes or blankets you have around the house.
4. Cloth wipes have multiple uses. They are so soft that they can be used to wipe heinies, wipe faces, sticky fingers and hands, clean up messes, etc. The possibilities are endless!
5. They are all natural! Disposable wipes are made with all sorts of ingredients and presevatives that can break your baby's heiny out. Cloth wipes are super soft, many are organic, made of cotton, and great for babies who break out and get rashy easily. You can also make your own natural solution for your wipes, buy a solution (I like BumGenius and used it with Josiah) or you can even use plain water! This is especially useful with preemies and newborns. Liam even broke out with sensitive wipes in the beginning so we used cloth wipes and water, which is also what the nurses used in the hospital! (By the way, if you are having a baby in the near future, ask the nurses for some extra wipes and they will send you home with a great stash.)

So, are you ready to try cloth wipes yet? Today is our first day trying cloth wipes with Liam and so far they've been great. We probably still use disposable wipes when away from home and possibly for smelly poos, but not sure just yet. I'm trying out different wipe solutions to see which one works well and doesn't break out Liam's sensitive booty. There are some great websites with solution recipes. Zany Zebra also has some great recipes among other useful info. I'll write an article on recipes next!