Which Reusables Can Help You Through The Coronavirus?

a woman hugging toilet rolls

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Well, um, where do I start, eh? It all feels very surreal right now. I have literally just returned from a shop where people are grabbing the toilet rolls that have just come in and then frantically asking the staff when more is coming. I saw a man wearing a face mask and a woman wiping her hands over and over with a disposable wipe in her car after shopping. I must admit, I did feel quite calm knowing that I was buying washing powder so I could go home and wash my reusable nappies and wipes and that under my bed I have enough Who Give’s a Crap toilet roll to last me around 3 months or more! Being more eco-friendly seems to have its benefits during a crisis

and it made me think that this is actually a good time to make more people aware of products that will help them. I dread to think how much plastic waste is going to be in landfill by the end of all of this (wipes, antibac gel, toilet roll packaging, plastic soap dispensers) and it has honestly got me worried because I really feel as though the plastic message made such progress in the last year and now that’s all been forgotten. So, in order to keep the eco message alive here are my reusables that can help you through the Coronavirus…

Reusable Wipes

These are a game-changer in all aspects of life. I have reusable wipes for faces, for hands, for nappy changes. I then have household reusable wipes which can be used in every room of the house. Disposable wipes are long gone and as most contain around 87% plastic as well as perfumes and chemicals, I am more than happy about that.

The most daunting thing I hear from people about making this switch is usually around using reusable baby wipes when out and about but I have covered this in detail in this previous blog all about using wipes out and about here. Once you find a routine that works for you, you will honestly wonder why you hadn’t made the swap sooner!

These are the wipes I use and they work brilliantly at grabbing all the dirt and wiping it straight away. For a nappy change in the past I could have easily have used 4 disposable wipes but with reusables, I literally just need 1! Then that 1 wipe goes into the washing machine rather than the bin meaning my money isn’t going straight down the drain!

reusable baby wipes

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Reusable Nappies

It really makes me sad that nappies are being bought out like this just for people to sell them on eBay or Facebook marketplace but the selfishness of people will never surprise me even during a virus outbreak. Horrible. So, if you are struggling to find nappies in your baby’s size why not consider making the switch to reusable nappies? Now you probably won’t be able to purchase enough all at once to see you through being able to use them full-time but it will at least make a difference to both your life and the environment. You can pick up reusable nappies quite cheaply on eBay, selling pages, preloved pages and also over on Amazon. Reusable doesn’t have to mean expensive. My favourite brand of nappy is a mid-priced nappy and I can tell you now that I do also own preloved nappies which were all in amazing condition and we still have every single one of them now.

Of course, getting your head around this swap is the biggest challenge and it was what stopped me starting sooner but now look at me! I LOVE my reusable nappies and I have plenty of blog posts to help answer all of your questions:

Your Cloth Nappy Questions Answered

Affordable Ways To Get You Started With Cloth Nappies

How To Wash Cloth Nappies

Busting Those Cloth Nappy Myths

Popper or Velcro Cloth Nappies?

This set of 5 reusable nappies with inserts would make a great starter pack

reusable nappies

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Family Cloth

Family cloth is the term used for reusable toilet roll. You use it in the same way as you would reusable wipes and wash them whenever you need to. You can keep a bucket with a lid next to your toilet for the used wipes. This could contain a laundry bag so you wouldn’t need to touch the wipes themselves as you put it into the washing machine. With toilet roll selling out across the UK, this may be a very sensible option for you. Cheeky Wipes do a starter kit which will provide you with everything you need. Your other option is to use flannels, reusable baby wipes or cut up old towels to make your own.

Cloth Sanitary Pads

If everybody is grabbing the nappies and toilet roll I wonder how long it will be until the period products are cleared out? If we all have to self-contain, we will need to ensure we do have these types of essentials. Luckily, I also made this swap last year which means I have enough pads to cover my period and I can wash these after use. Again, these are a gamechanger!! My periods are lighter, the pads are far more comfortable to wear than plastic disposable ones and now that I have enough, I don’t have to spend money on this every month. I use Baba and Boo CSP but there are plenty of companies who make and sell these so we really are spoilt for choice in this area now. Oh, and did I mention that they also come in funky patterns?!

You can read all about my switch to CSP here.

Hankies

Tissues will also most probably be in bigger demand if more people become ill so why not switch back to the handy and faithful hanky? I always had one as a child as it was the norm. Packets of tissues came a bit later (god I sound old!) and the hanky seemed to die out. Maybe this is the time to bring it back? Again, you won’t ever run out, you can wash it and reuse it and you’ll be saving money too.

two piles of hankies

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Reusable Water Bottle

You’ve gotta love a reusable water bottle and in times like these it may the best way to keep germs to yourself! As well as the perfect way to stay hydrated if you do get ill. I have a wave water bottle which I bought from Amazon and it also keeps my water really cold which makes me more inclined to drink more. You may also want to consider a reusable straw too.

reusable water bottles

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Those are just a small selection but other items that come to mind are reusable make-up remover wipes, beeswax wraps for your food, tea/coffee cups and flannels.

I really do hope you all stay safe and healthy and that we can all make it through this uncertain time and I hope that a few of these have maybe given you some food for thought, if not for now, maybe for the future?

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