How To Use Reusable Baby Wipes Out and About
Making any switch from something which you may have always deemed as convenient to something completely new may seem very daunting and confusing. Of course it does, we are all so used to our lifestyles being made “simple” by large companies and we are programmed to throw things away when they are dirty because it has been drummed into us that germs are bad. So, when we bring in a reusable product, something that can be washed and used over and over again, an item that is as simple as a flannel and water, we for some reason overthink it.
I did it. I ummed and ahhed about cloth nappies for months, I tried reading all I could and asked loads of questions and looking back now I think but why? Because to my mind, it was all far too simple and I wasn’t used to that. I mean how could this product exist and yet the majority of people were still using disposable nappies? If you could save that much money whilst saving the planet why wasn’t it shouted about from the rooftops? My brain just could not fathom this out. And it is exactly the same with reusable baby wipes. They are the simplest, the most convenient and also the most effective wipes around and yet so many people still buy ones that you use once and then throw away. So when it comes to starting out with them you tend to immediately try and make it all tricky when in fact it can be done easily and in a way that suits you and your lifestyle.
So, how do you use reusable baby wipes out and about?
Pack enough
Before stepping out of the door you need to roughly estimate how many baby wipes you think you will need. You can base this on how many you use on poos– most people find that just one is enough (yes really!!) Then you will need one for each normal bum change and some for hands and faces if you will be out long enough for food or if you are going somewhere they may get a bit grubby. For an entire day out I tend to take out 7-10 wipes which is often a mixture of wet and dry ones, however, it all comes down to personal choice and it will also come down to how many hours you are out and what the activity is you are up to.
To wet or not to wet
This is the most commonly asked question when it comes to using reusable baby wipes out and about. At home you can easily wet the wipes as you go and use warm water but what do you do when you go out? To be honest, you do it however you want. Some people take a plastic tub like this one we used from eBay or wetbag filled with wet wipes. Others only take their wipes out dry and wet them as and when they need them using a tap or water bottle or even a spray bottle. What you choose to do may vary and fully depend on where you are going and how long you are out. For example, if I am going to sit on a beach all day, I will take my wipes box but if I am going on a woodland walk and have a lot more to carry, I will take wet wipes in a wetbag. If I am going into town, I know there are plenty of places to change my toddler and I can wet the wipes as I go. There isn’t one rule, you can just choose what suits you and your lifestyle.
What to carry reusable baby wipes in
There are several options:
- plastic tub
- small wetbag
- small drawstring bag
And that’s it really. What you take them out in will depend on the size of your bag for that outing, how long you are out for, what is convenient for you and what fits inside your bag.
What to do with the used wipes
The used baby wipes are simply placed into another wetbag (with the dirty cloth nappies if you also use these). These can be washed together back at home as can the bag itself. It is honestly so, so simple.
And I think that’s it, everything about using reusable baby wipes out and about covered. I told you it was easy, didn’t I? Sometimes going back to basics is actually the best option we could all choose.
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