Washable wipes...how to?

[hopingforanother]

I have a stack of flannels to use as washable wipes.

But how?...Do you keep them wet in a box? Wet them just before use? Put anything other than water on them? I'm thinking about how many disposable wipes I used with DD and honestly, I used a lot for poo clean up.

How big are your wipes? The flannels I have are fairly generous - I wonder if I should chop them in half.

Please tell me your tried and tested methods/routine! Thanks!

I just wet before use at home and for going out I have a travel wipe box (the sort that you sporadically get free with baby magazines) and pop a few damp ones in there. You can make up solutions and if you have a quick search on here there are lots of suggestions but tbh I find that I always end up with some left in the bottom of the box that smell all musty and damp if I do that. For size I like to have some larger ones that are good for poo and some little ones for taking out etc.

As my DS is still using a cot and can't get out I have a flask of boiling water in his room that is refreshed every day and a botty bowl. Pour water onto flannel in bowl, obviously it's bloody hot at start of day. However I'm a slattern when it comes to going out and would use wipes and disposables then.

Thanks very much!
That's what I was sort of thinking EasilyConfusedIndith maybe I could have a little night time box just in case of night time changes too, I can see myself tripping over, making loads of nice and generally getting irked if I have to go and get water for wipes in the night. I'm not liking the idea of musty anything, but might try solution of some kind!

Madame that's a really good idea, but I also have a 3.9 YO dd, who would be unlikely to touch the flask if told not to
o, but I wouldn't want to risk it. A shame as the idea of nice warm wipes for a little baby bum is appealing! Oh god I'm tooooo hormonal! Not long to go tho...

Er I mean loads of noise, obviously, not 'nice'.

We use mini muslins from Mothercare, think they were about £5 for 50. I just use cold water now my DS is a bit bigger (not freezing obviously!). Out and about I use packets of wipes but I do put them in the wash and use them again at home.

WillbeanChariot I too must employ a tight fisted emoticon and share with you that I have dyed all the pink muslins, towels, bedding etc blue in honour of DS arriving. I wanted to keep the stuff pink, proclaiming loudly that it was 'just a colour', but then decided it was maybe a little mean....the dye was only a fiver after all...

I've got 24 flannels as a starter, I think they'll do to begin with and depending how I get on, but cut half of them in half, but I did wonder if they might be a bit thick - and I feel a bit bad using them for poo wiping, the airing cupboard organiser in me wants them available for face washing... must make sure I don't get confused there!

I just wet a load (also use flannels) once a day. I've never had them go musty in the nearly 3 years I've been using .

I know quite a few people use a spray bottle of water (or solution) and keep the wipes dry.

I use fleece squares. If I wet a bunch and they don't get used they dry so fast that they don't go musty. They also stay reeeally soft.

I keep mine in a basket in the bathroom and just run them under the tap when needed, only plain water dont put anything on them. When we go out i have a little wipes bag, i wet them before and they stay moist. I have a mix of cheeky wipes, little lambs and fleece Peachy wipes.

Thanks everyone - I might try all of the above and see what works best...loads of ideas! Any other suggestions v welcome...

I love this board, everyone is so friendly and helpful!

I have one DD in cloth nappies and one DD who is potty training and we are using a lot of wipes these days! I use flannels for washing hands and faces after meals and snacks but use smaller ones for bottoms. I have a mixture of little lambs, close parent, poundland baby flannels (nowhere near as big as a normal flannel) and some two sided ones with fleece on one side and terry on the other. The 2 sided ones are my favourite as you have texture to deal with poo and smooth for just a wee. I have had problems with them going a bit whiffy TBH. I was given some soap bits which were lovely but DD2 has got sensitive skin so I'm now just using Chamomile tea. I don't hang out my wipes to dry (which I probably should) so sometimes they get a bit whiffy before I use them. I have bought extra as I was running out of wipes before I ran out of nappies.
I take some wipes out in a monkey foot design bag but you need to remember to use them when you get home and not leave them to fester in your change bag

SmacsGonePotty I think I may need a monkey foot wet bag, they are lovely. In fact maybe I need two, a clean one and a dirty one - they are nice to look at!

One side fleece and one side terry? Can you remember what they're called - I'm intrigued, they sound good!

the monkey foot bags are lovely. They are launching new 'double bags' so with two pockets which sound good for clean and dirty.
I got some of the fleece/terry ones pre-loved and some new ones from babykind along with a minki rainbow wetbag here but there are other ones on the same page. I prefer the monkey foot to the rainbow bag though.
And today I've been good and hung out half of the wipe stash so that they don't fester
Looking back at your OP I think that if you cut flannel in half the threads will all come loose as all the ones I have have been finished off. You can cut fleece up though and it doesn't need hemmed.

Smacs Yes I would need to hem them, but I don't actually mind, I'm a bit bored! I have the luxury of just having started mat leave - with DD in nursery and not much to do for new LO in the way of preparation! Wow that sounds amazing - why am I not considering going out and doing something fun? oh yes, I can no longer fit my ridiculous swollen feet or ankles through the door...

I might hold out for a double monkey foot bag! I have a wash bag I just found that would do for starters... The cheapest wipes on babykind (thanks for the link) look like the ones I'd get if I need some - I'm sure I will, I guess a wipe has a limited life.

Are the fleece wipes any good?

I normally use flannels - ours were cut into quarters and hemmed so they'e nice & small. I need some more though and was wondering about using some of my fleece liners as wipes.

I started off putting my wipes in solution but they did go smelly. Now I keep a tupperware box of solution (boiled then cooled water, lavender oil & a slosh of olive oil) next to my dry wipes. I find drying the wipes between uses prevents smells too.

hmm - i just discovered how lazy and cheap i am when it comes to wipes. I cut up an old dressing gown for the wipes. I have a small plastic tub for the change bag and a big one for DS bedroom. I keep them in there in water only, and chuck them in the wash with nappies, and dry them with nappies. If they do go a bit whiffy in the tub (rare as we get through them quick) i just put them in the wash and put clean ones in the tub.

We have some of the fleece/terry ones but recently bought some Smartprice white flannels from Asda. 80p for 4.

Just wet them under the tap with plain warm water when needed.

eggybrokenoff I'm too cheap to cut up my dressing gown! If it still has arms and a belt, it's not old yet

hopingforanother, you're a woman after my own heart! I wouldn't be able to face that either. :)

I'm annoyed that Wilko's Right Price flannels cost me 10p more than if I'd have bought some from Asda!