alterative to baby wipes

[chankins]

What do people use instead of the bog standard baby wipes ? I have been over-dependent on these for years, but now I am finally using cloth nappies on 3rd child, have started composting and growing own veg, really feel I should find something better than the tons of wipes we go through every week ! Obviously I know a wet dish cloth is the same thing when at home, but what else is out there ?

I've cut up squares of fleece. You can take them out and about in a tupperware box with water or cammomile tea and a drop of tea tree oil. They seem to go soft on one side and a bit rough and bobbly on the other when they've been washed as well so you get a scrubbing side!

ok, sorry to sound so dumb but what kind of fleece and where did you buy it from ?

I bought some from WAHMall, with terry on one side and soft fleece on the other, and camomile tea as Pink says is lovely.

I use flannels when out too, both for nappy changing (purple ones!) and for hands / face (cheap white Ikea ones).

With the cloth nappies, I just wrap a purple one around the nappy in the changing bag so it's all together; I haven't been many places, apart from picnics, in two years which don't have somewhere with running water. Or I use Earthlets out and about spray on a paper liner.

With the face cloths I just use a clean one, wet it and pop it in a polly bag before going out.

I make my own reusable wipes which
I bung into wash with the nappies, I have various experiments with terry, bamboo, cotton flannel and fleece combinations at the mo! You could just chop up some cheapy face flannels, or you can buy them from ebay etc!
Bit of a hijack (sorry!), ds2 has just started weaning and I know that some people make their own solution for reuseable wipes, does anyone have any tips for a potion for removing the aftermath of the meal?! dp is reaching for the disposible baby wipes when my back is turned while out shopping!!

Um... don't know what kind of fleece. My mum had it in her garage - she is the source of all things knitted and stiched chez pink! I've seen the same kind of stuff on rolls in John Lewis and I guess any fabric shop would do it.

Ok thanks everyone - so you reckon normal face flannels do the trick, then I will buy some tomorrow and give it a go.

I've just bought some cheapy ones from Asda for 45p each

For wiping baby's bottom I use old polyester fleece nappy liners cut in half, and an old fleece blanket cut into squares. (When fleece liners have worn thin and no longer keep the poo off the nappies, you can use them as wipes). The nappy liner material I bought from a local fabric shop. It is very cheap, about £4 a metre and I wash the liners and wipes with the nappies. These wipes are nice and soft as well as being ridiculously cheap! I just wet them with water - a bowlful on the nappy changing table at home, and a plastic bottle when out - and then dry her bottom with a dry one.

For wiping 3 year old's face I use cheap cotton flannels which I wash in the regular clothes wash.

Sadly though, I still use conventional wipes for wiping my 3 yo's bottom after she has done a poo! I somehow can't organise myself to keep a pile of polyester wipes in the bathroom. One day I will get organised! But I still use less than one packet of wipes a month, and save loads of money.
HTH

I chopped up an old fleece jacket into rectangles which do as liners or wipes and dip them in my magic bahookie mix which is strong camomile tea(as others have suggested too) with just a few drops of olive oil, and 7 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil in what used to be a shampoo bottle.

I have also kept the disposable wipes I used to use, as they wash up pretty well. I just stick them in a mesh bag and wash them with the nappies. They disintegrate eventually but depending on the brand they can go a fair few rounds of wash and wipe.

Message withdrawn

I use a chisel.

Okay, I don't really.

But only cos I don't have one

i use square cotton wool pads and water. Ok, not as ecologial as reusable cloth wipes but also have big pile of old face coths for general clean-ups. Have some wet-wipes for emergency clean-ups/nappy changes when out and about but tbh they've usually dried-up by time I've used a couple. We use cloth nappies.

btw i find wet wipes useless for cleaning baby's bum - they just slide about..yuk!

I used washable wipes from, green baby but I CAN NOT believe I spent this much on them, I have loads!! Was still earning at the time coupled with pfb syndrome! They are just small squares of flanelette cotton, and if I was to do it again, I would make my own by cutting up a sheet or pyjamas or something. Agree with Franny re camomile tea.

cut up fleece, cheap washers, cut up old flannelette sheets and overlocked/sewed the edges - zigzag etc.

Another thing I have used are the really tough durable jays wipes. (chux wipes here in AUs - called Robust)

I do a number of things:

Warm water and wipe - usually in winter.

chamomile tea mix

or

2 tablespoons baby wash ( whatever you use)
1tbsp olive oil
2 cups boiling water
mix up in a container, fill with wipes - ready to go - when it is at a warm temp. After three dds - now have enough wipes to have a set in the wash and a set in the container.

I just throw them into the nappy bucket and wash with the nappies.

redclover that solution - the one with olive oil etc is brilliant - use it with my 5yo who has sn and is still toilet training. Cleans her poos right up.

we just use flannels and water.

Try EFB wipes www.ethicalbabe.com/shopp130393657

I actually wash "normal" baby wipes along with the nappies, then reuse them. Up til recently when my baby got too heavy and my back too knackered I would just carry him to the sink and wash there - he loved that.

cotton wool and water. DS1 still isn't toilet trained (3) and still find cotton wool fine on his posterior.