Minky Cloth Wipes - Why use them?

You may have seen a lot of the cloth nappy brands sell cloth wipes. There are many versions of what is basically a small soft washer to use on your child. They can be made from Minky, Cotton, Bamboo, Velour, Fleece, etc.

I often get asked, if a parent wants to use cloth wipes full time instead of disposable wet ones, how many will they need. I generally say you will need 1-2 per change (2 for a messier change). If you change a nappy 8 times a day, then multiply that by how many days between washing. Probably about 20-25. Our minky wipes dry relatively fast as they are one layer of minky and one layer of bamboo french terry.

Minky wipes are great for nappy changes as they actually 'scrub' your child's bottom, while still being very soft and gentle on a child's skin. A disposable wipe has no texture with which to grab and drag away sticky mess. All you need with your wipes is water. Water is the cleanest and most natural, yet very effective solution for your child.

You will often hear doctors, nurses or other parents tell you to ditch wet disposable wipes in favour of cotton wool/tissues when your child has nappy rash. This is because the chemicals and solutions in the disposable wipes can be quite irritating and even sting when bub has a rash. Cloth wipes will work much better then cotton wool which will stick to your child bottom and give you very little ability to do a good thorough clean! So even if you plan to use disposable wipes, get 5 or so cloth wipes to keep spare for times when your child has nappy rash.

But what else can these little cloth wipes be used for - the answer is basically anything!

• Keep a pile in your kitchen to clean hands and faces after meals.
• Keep one in your handbag in case of a dirty face, a bit of dribble, or a sicky bub. You always need a spare cloth to avoid being caught short with vomit or dribble everywhere!
• Tuck one under babies chin to replace a bib when you find yourself without one.
• Use them in the bath rather then a face washer.
• Isolate one for things like cleaning up paint or scrubbing hands after craft activities. 
• Use them for a head to toe wash with a new baby when you don't want to put them in the bath.
• Dribbly chins need wiping. Keep a wipe with you to keep your child dribble free and avoid the awful dribble rash.
• When they are done being used on your kids, they make great cleaning cloths. They will outlast your kids and stay looking great for a very long time!