I’m sure there are some of you wondering what I use to wet down my homemade cloth wipes. Well, folks my truly flibbertigibbet personality hasn’t allowed me to land on one wipes solution I use consistently, but there are three that have been my favorites over the years that I’ll share here, along with tons of links to others!
Amy’s Wipes Solution #1
{Yummy Solution}
You’ll need a container of some sorts like an old disposable wipes box. (I do know some people who use spray bottles to wet down wipes individually with their favorite solution, but I am not coordinated enough to accurately aim a spray bottle at a square piece of cloth…go figure) I fill the container with wipes and then pour over this solution:
Mix together:
2 c. warm water
1/4 c. aloe vera gel
2 tsp baby shampoo
1 tsp vinegar
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops tea tree oil
Amy’s Wipes Solution #2
(Diaper Rash Solution)
Once again, you’ll need a container. Fill with wipes and pour this solution over it:
Mix together:
2 c. water
1 tsp vinegar
Gently and liberally wipe diaper area. Let air dry.
Amy’s Wipes Solution #3
(Simple Solution)
Warm tap water on dry wipe as needed
(Can you guess which one I use when I’m pregnant or overwhelmed or both?)
Heart2Heart says
In this day in age where things are filled with so many un natural products, these offer us a great alternative that is safe to use.
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
Anonymous says
I fill a pump bottle with my solution, and squirt it directly on my baby’s bottom when needed, and wipe with wet (water) cloth wipe.
In steps as I fill the bottle:
About half full witch hazel
Not quite to the top hot water
Some small chunks of olive oil soap bar
A few drops of tea tree oil
I’m impressed that you measure! 🙂
~Melissa
SunflowerMom says
I love love love cloth wipes (almost as much as the diapers.) Unfortunately, my 5 yr old loves loves loves to climb up on the changing table and play in the wipe solution. Ugh! I keep mine simple, a squirt of baby wash (I like California Baby) in warm water. I Dip each wipe in the water as needed so they don’t sit in water and get stinky. I also change the water every morning so the first diaper change is warm and soapy to get off the over night pee smell. 🙂
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
I don’t really measure…I eyeball it. Those measurements are my guesstimations! 😉
I am blessed! says
Ha ha- I’m all over that third one! I was so prepared with my first baby. Now, I look around and if I don’t see any handy, I grab a washcloth and wet it with warm water. You know what? It works. The things we spend money on sometimes!
Anna says
Thank you! I *was* wondering, actually!
Faith Imagined says
That first solution sounds like something I would like to bathe in!
amanda says
i’ve been getting way lazy and using disposable wipes lately. but your recipes made me “think” about getting lessy lazy. 🙂
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
Amy,
Hopefully, at some point I can get a post up on all the links and tricks I used when I first started making diapers. It is VERY rewarding to make your own!
Blessings,
Amy
Amy Matthews says
As a mother of four under five and hoping for more we are digging to find ways to cut the budget and we have now come to diapers. We are thinking of switching to cloth but it hadn’t even occured to me to make my own. I want to know everything that you know about it. I also never occured to me to make cloth wipes. I am no sewing expert but am willing to give it a shot.
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
My absolute favorite site for making your own diapers is this one:
http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html
As for fabrics, I started w/ flannel. It’s good, it’s cheap, and it works. My favorite to use now is cotton sherpa, but it is hard to come by and not what I would call cheap, unless you go through coops…and even then, not necessarily “cheap”. (check out yahoogroups for groups that go in together to get discounted prices on diapering fabrics) If you are really wanting to go cheap, then do flannel or a combo of flannel and t-shirts (as shown on the linked site).
For covers, I recommend PUL (also can be bought through coops or directly from Fabrite or other diapering sites). Buy yourself a little girl’s dress & bloomer pattern or baby layette pattern and use the bloomer pattern for your cover pattern as a pull-on cover. (my favorite is McCall’s 4280 purchased at WalMart for about $3) the most important thing to note here is that you MUST use polyester thread.
I’m hoping to do a post sometime in the next few months on making your own diapers and covers, but just haven’t found the time to hit the sewing room!
Feel free to email me at amy @ raisingarrows dot net if you want to chat more about this near-and-dear topic!
Blessings,
Amy
thesleepyknitter says
Love your site! I followed your link on an earlier post to The Diaper Jungle, and looked up every single link they listed on sewing your own diapers. It seems really overwhelming. We’re adopting an international baby and are looking for ways to cut expenses. If you could recommend just one site, just one diaper style, just one set of fabrics — what would you recommend for a (economically challenged!) person getting started?
Lisa says
my midwife told us to just use water with a touch of … olive oil 🙂 not much, just a touch in a squirt bottle and i shake it well before wetting the wipe.. (or rather I DID do it back when I was using my cloth wipes… I really need to dig them out and get them ready for Peanut huh…)
Cheryl says
I love #3 🙂 I made my own wipes solution, we loved it!
Sheila says
I have gotten lazy lately, but always made my own wipes with the first three. But I make disposable wipes, with quality paper towels. I can make twice as many wipes for less than half the price of regular wipes. I use choose your size paper towels. I usually do a solution of water with a some baby shampoo and a bit of baby oil. I like the idea of the aloe vera!