If I were Hank Hill, I would say: I make cloth diapers and cloth diaper accesories...

I've done some cloth diaper related posts, but today, we are going to talk cloth wipes. If you are already using cloth diapers, using cloth wipes is a no-brainer. Even parents who use disposable diapers may opt for cloth wipes, as they are much better for baby's skin. Disposable wipes generally contain loads of chemicals that have no place on a baby's butt.

There are two major ways of using cloth wipes: 1. Wipes are placed in a container or wipes warmer and pre-saturated with wipe solution. 2. Wipes are stored dry and then squirted with wipe solution just before use. I do the latter, as homemade wipe solutions don't contain any preservatives, this could lead to things getting yucky. I mix up just enough solution for a few days, to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria.

After use, wipes are just thrown in the diaper pail and washed with the diapers.

How to make your own cloth wipes:

Wipes can be made with one or two layers. They also come in a variety of sizes. I like 7" x 7". You may also choose to round off the corners or leave them square. There are also many ways to make wipes, depending on the equipment that you have available to you.

Regardless of your sewing method, you will start of by cutting your fabric into squares. Pin your two sides together if making double sided wipes.

Serged Method: This is a quick and durable method, and my favorite. Just serge around your fabric squares, and BAM! wipes!

Sewing machine method: I am really not into turning and top-stitching wipes. It's just to bulky and labor intensive. Here is what you can do instead: Stitch around the wipe, about 1/2" from the edge. You can use a straight stitch, or any decorative stitch. Then use pinking shears to trim the edges.

Hand sewn method. Simply blanket stitch around the edge of the wipe, using embroidery floss. If you are using flannel, you should press your edges under, as it just frays like crazy. This is definitely the cutest method of the three. It does take a while, but it's a portable, little project, that you can do just about anywhere. You could actually use any edging stitch that would keep your fabric from fraying, so the options are limitless.

You can use two different fabrics on your two layer wipes. Good fabrics include:

Sherpa
Baby Terry
Cotton Knits
Flannel
Birdseye
Diaper Twill
Velour
Cotton or Bamboo Fleece

My homemade wipe solution:

There are a lot of different recipes for wipe solutions out there, unfortunately, a lot of them have like a hundred ingredients. Mine has three.

Fill a squeeze bottle with warm water. Add 2-3 drops of baby wash. Add a squirt of baby lotion or aloe gel. Replace the lid and shake until the lotion has dissolved. Done.