Cloth Baby Wipes Belong with Cloth Diapers

Why does no one seem to talk about these together!? We remember researching lots about cloth diapers as we prepared for the birth of our little guy. But not until 18 months (YES that long!) did it even occur to us that hey we are saving the environment and our wallets from disposable diapers, but what about all these wet wipes we are throwing away!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read about our privacy policy.

Cloth Baby Wipes

So my hubby and I made the decision prior to having our first child that we would try to do cloth diapering. We decided this for many various reasons. Both for environmental reasons and cost savings (see “hubby says” section below for our savings with one child). Over 18 months later, we are still going strong!

Now back to the first statement of this post…Why does no one talk about cloth diapers and cloth wipes together!? We went 18 months using and washing cloth diapers while still using disposable wet wipes to clean that little tushy. That meant, we had a separate little trash can from the diaper pail, and we had to remember to take it out with the trash.

Then one day it hit us…. WHY were we still creating diaper waste with these disposable wet wipes!? It defeated the whole sustainable reasoning behind why we had consciously decided to go with reusable cloth diapers! And it was costing us money to boot!

So being the information-loving, research couple we are, we took to the internet and found lots of options for cloth wipes. We found what worked for us and made the leap to cloth baby wipes.

Cloth Wipe Brands

Just like cloth diapers, there are a variety of cloth wipe options for all budget ranges from super cheap to fancy luxury options. Or you can go an even more sustainable route and upcycle some washclothes or make your own from fabric remnants. Not only are you reusing and reducing waste, DIY options provide even more savings! My hubby and I decided we wanted the convenience of just purchasing some cloth wipes.

Below is a list of some of the brands we looked at:

• OsoCozy Flannel Baby Wipes – These are like a thicker washcloth, which is really nice with poopy bums. They do shrink a bit when you wash them and the edges don’t lie flat.
• GroVia Reusable Cloth Wipes – These are quite thick material more like cloth diaper inserts, but would get the job done. Just might be harder to get in the crevices of tiny bums.
• Gerber Washcloths – We already had these for food messes/bath time. They are a little thinner than the others, so we were worried about getting stuff on our hands. (Totally would use in an emergency if we ran out of the others before doing laundry!)

We bought two packs of the OsoCozy Flannel baby wipes as we liked the slightly thicker washcloth style to protect our hands. Also, you can use these like regular washcloths for messy cleanups/bath time or even as tissues to replace your disposable tissues and reduce your waste footprint!

There are a ton more options out there, but whether you decide to purchase some cloth wipes or make your own, you will need some kind of solution to clean off that tiny tushy!

Cloth Wipe Solutions

So there are three basic parts to cloth wipe solutions: water, oil, and soap.

• Water – This is for helping cleanse and dilute the other ingredients.
• Oil – Helps keep baby skin soft and the cloth glide across the tushy.
• Soap – Obviously this is for cleaning the icky stuff off that tiny tushy. We just use the same baby soap/shampoo that we already buy to wash the little one
  
• Essential Oil (Optional) – I lied there’s a possible four ingredient. Some people like to add an essential oil like lavender oil or tea tree oil. Always test to make sure your child doesn’t have allergies or a bad reaction to added oils.

There are various options of pre-made solutions you can buy to soak the wipes in or sprays you can spritz onto dry cloth wipes when needed.

However, you can stick with some simple homemade DIY solutions like us. If you’re making your own solution, remember to stick to ingredients that are not petroleum-based as petroleum-based elements don’t come out of cloth diapers well! This specifically relates to the oils added to your solution. For example, we stick oils from our kitchen like coconut oil or olive oil. Some people suggest baby oil, but I wouldn’t do that as it typically has mineral oil in it, which is a petroleum based product.

---

No routine changes with cloth wipes

Lastly, the best part of cloth wipes is your routine doesn’t need to change. They can go into the diaper pail with the cloth diapers and get washed together with the diapers. No need for a separate trash can for the disposable wipes anymore or to wash them on their own.

Environmental Fun Fact:
_{Full washer loads = Less water consumption than half loads
Same goes for the dryer on energy consumption
Hanging them to dry is even better}

---

Sadly, we aren’t completely disposable wet wipe free yet. The little man goes to daycare, who will use the cloth diapers (which is GREAT!!), but they still want the disposable wipes. Either way, making the change to cloth wipes is another small step on our adventure to leave a little footprint on this world. 

So this is your wake up call all you other cloth diaper users who haven’t made the switch to cloth wipes too! If we can do it, so can you!

If you’re new to cloth diapering and don’t have anyone in your support network who’s done it before, I highly recommend trying to find an online or local community that can support you on the journey. We had some wonderful friends with children who were using cloth diapers and having their support was extremely helpful.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.