Wallypop: WPLiving: How to Use Cloth Wipes

How to Use Cloth Wipes (Family Wipes, Toilet Wipes)

OK, this is not nearly as gross as you might be imagining. Give it a try, you'll see what I mean!

But, really, you might be wondering, how do I use these?

Using cloth wipes for urine-only visits to the bathroom is so simple it's hardly worth mentioning. Go, wipe, and then toss the wipe into whatever container you prefer.

Using cloth wipes for other toilet visits is not any more difficult, but there is a certain ick factor involved. Consider how much waste you're willing to leave on your children's diapers or wipes when you toss them in the pail. Use the same standards for yourself. Shake, scrape, swish, or squirt off anything you don't want in your laundry, and then toss the wipe into the pail or container. (Personally speaking, we just wipe and toss in the pail.)

Storing Clean Wipes

Some families keep their wipes in a cupboard in the bathroom. Most families keep them either stacked neatly on the toilet tank, or store them in some sort of container on the toilet tank. Our family has a pretty wire basket that sits on the toilet tank, and I just toss the clean wipes in that basket when they come out of the laundry.

Storing Used Wipes

If you have children in diapers, it's easiest to just toss used wipes into the diaper pail with the diapers. If you don't have little ones in diapers any more, you can use whatever container you prefer. Some families find it easiest to put a small wet bag in their bathroom - either just laying on the floor near the toilet, or hanging from a nearby doorknob, cabinet knob, or hook. One friend actually hangs her bag from the toilet paper holder. My family keeps a small version of a diaper pail in the bathroom just for wipes. It's a 2-gallon stainless steel garbage bag with a step-pedal to open the lid. Wally loves depositing his wipes in there after we're done cleaning him up!

Wallypop customer Mary F. prefers to keep her wipes stacked in a basket next to the toilet, and her used wipes go in the wet bag hanging from the toilet paper holder.

Washing Wipes

If you have kids in diapers, wash with the diapers.

If you don't have kids in diapers, I recommend washing wipes separately from the rest of your laundry. Wash in hot, dry in the dryer. You may add whatever laundry additives you desire - chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach, tea tree oil, lavender oil, stain remover, whatever.