Wipes, Wipes, Wipes....

They are soft, they are fluffy, they come in all prints and sizes.  Some people love 'em; some people would rather use disposable store bought ones.   I am talking about wipes...  

 First of all, wipes have many uses beyond diaper changing.  You can use them for feeding clean up, burp cloths, wiping up spills in the kitchen, dish cloths, personal wipes, wash cloths and every time you use a washable fabric wipe in any of those circumstances you are saving yourself some money, preventing exposure to chemicals found in commercial paper products and helping the environment. Sounds great right?  So sign me up you say to try using cloth wipes.  Where do I start shopping, how do I know which wipe is right for me?  

Well there are many options out there.  Naturally we think you should start shopping on Etsy where you can purchase beautiful wipes made with love by crafts people who take pride in making a quality product, but I digress... You can start by thinking about absorbency.  For a lighter wipe flannel is great.  Flannel wipes, single or double layer, are prefect for using with diaper changes, and as cute little face cleaners.  They are not super absorbent, but they get the job done.  Next you have flannel wipes backed with some sort of organic and more absorbent fabric such as hemp cotton fleece, or bamboo velour.  These wipes are lush, soft and squishy; they are more absorbent than flannel alone and they also are usually an organic fabric option on the fleecy side.  These wipes work great for diaper changing as well and also are great wash cloths for baby or any family member.  They make great dish cloths and general mess cleaner uppers!  Another option along these lines are the terry cloth wipes with a fabric backing. These are probably the thickest option, highly absorbent, and very versatile as well.  Terry cloth options out there may or may not be made from an organic fabric.  

Now lets talk dollars and sense.... the average baby might go through approximately 4,000 wipes in a year.... that is a lot of wiping!  Your average pack of wipes costs about 2.00 for 72 (these are all rough approximations, your prices may vary) that is a total of $111.11 dollars for wipes in a year.  If you bought 2 dozen washable re usable cloth wipes you would spend anywhere from $18.00 to $40.00 that is a savings of at least $60.00 in the first year, and the savings goes up from there, as cloth wipes are very durable and last for years.  So using cloth wipes has not only the benefit of being soft and nice on your baby's skin, they are also soft on your wallet!  Please comment below and let us know your favorite wipes.  Click here to find Etsy Cloth Diaper team members who sell wipes, any of them would be happy to answer your questions!