It’s crazy out there, am I right?
While we’re all sat at home most of the time (I hope) social distancing and trying to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus, there seems to have been a run on certain products where people have stockpiled ahead of lockdown. We all know about the toilet rolls but I have heard so many people say how difficult it is to get disposable nappy’s and wipes during this time too. I am sure it is because of this that my Instagram inbox has been inundated with questions about how people can quickly switch to trying cloth to help ease their worries.
Most of the questions I have received have been about cloth wipes so I am going to start there but I will also cover cloth nappies in some detail a bit later, just so you have all the options.
How easy is it to switch to cloth wipes?
Super easy.
But alas, it’s not that easy, right? There is something that at first makes us feel as if its not nice to have dirty wipes sitting around whereas usually you’re used to bagging everything up and throwing it away. I know it feels different because I felt it myself and I found that I dragged my heels and didn’t quite know where to start when it came to giving them a shot.
Let me start by saying this, if you can stomach changing your Childs nappy then cloth wipes won’t freak you out. Nature must have programmed us this way because I know for sure I would gag if I had to change a nappy that wasn’t my own child but there must be something nature builds into us to make us not fret when it is our own children. Doing cloth wipes (and nappies) is exactly the same, nothing gross about it and you just get on and do what you have to do.
I don’t have any wise tips when it comes to cloth wipes but I do say just grab some and jump straight in because that is exactly how I did it. I tried to find cloth wipes that were affordable, had great reviews and wouldn’t be a huge waste of my money if I decided after trying it that it wasn’t for me.
Now I want to go back to a point I mentioned above and that is about not having to continue if you decide it isn’t for you. I know it feels like there is a lot of investment involved in changing to cloth wipes and nappies, and yes there is, of course, an upfront cost but over the course of your baby’s time in nappies and using wipes you will definitely pay out less than you would if you use disposables. One thing that is important to know is that there is a great resale value in cloth nappies and wipes. So even though you’re already quids in any way there is also the chance that at the end of your journey with cloth you will even be able to recoup some of that money back. Whether the end of your journey is next week, next month or next year. Don’t feel like once you start that you have to continue if you really feel like this isn’t for you – there is nothing wrong with trying something and it not being the best fit for you and/or your family.
Now is a great time to try cloth wipes but working them out can be a myriad, so let’s start with some simple tips to get you started.
Choose the wipes that you want
I didn’t go for a popular brand when it came to picking mine, I picked a Terry & Bamboo mix by a brand called MuslinZ which I picked up on Amazon and they are amazing and affordable too. Not sure what more expensive brands give you but this is everything we needed and more.
Wash them on 60 degrees
This is the same for both cloth wipes and nappies. Many will recommend washing between 40-60 degrees but I always opt for the high temperature to kill any bugs that will be lurking. I wash them in with my cloth nappies and just use washing powder (fabric conditioner will clog cloth nappies and reduce their absorbency)
You don’t need to dry them before use
This is because you’ll be wetting them to use them on your little one so you can use them wet straight after washing if you like. Also, if you do want to dry them and you have a tumble dryer I really recommend giving them a spin from time to time because it really fluffs them up.
Store them in a Tupperware that you already own
Don’t be drawn into fancy storage solutions for your clean wipes unless you really want them of course. I rummaged around my cupboard, found an old Tupperware container that would fit a few wipes in perfectly and I store that either on the side at home or in my nappy bag.
What about nappies?
There are so many ins and outs when it comes to cloth nappies, that there is no way I can break down quickly as I have already kept you for so long so I’d love for you to check out my blog post on why I started using cloth nappies and what I have learnt so far.
I plan on doing a more in depth blog post on cloth nappies really soon, so leave me your comments and questions and I will be sure to answer them.