written by
Ariel Whitehead

Zero Waste Living: 5 Ways Cloth Wipes Will Change Your Life

Zero Waste Cloth Diapers 101 5 min read

At Lil Helper, we love helping families move towards zero waste living. But we also love helping families solve real problems. And let's be honest here: COVID-19 sent all of us scrambling to stock our homes with everything our families need to be able to comfortably self-isolate... Toilet paper. Diapers. Wipes. These were the essentials people grabbed first, and that left a lot of us wandering empty aisles and wondering how we would get by without access to these necessary items.

What if we told you that you could be stocked from now until LITERALLY the end of time? That you NEVER had to worry about whether there would be enough toilet paper to get your family through again? That’s how we go from zero waste to zero worries.

It's true! Cloth Wipes are a reusable option that will ensure that when difficult times happen - even the most unprecedented ones - your family is stocked and comfortable for whatever comes.

So, if you've never even considered using cloth wipes before, let us break down some of the ways that you'll fall in love with them...

Wipe those baby bums - the zero waste way.

There's absolutely nothing better than adorable little baby bums, but here's the thing: babies poop. A LOT.

If you've already converted to the cloth diaper side, you know just how much money you can save by going reusable. So why not swap your wipes out for a zero waste option, too? Add even MORE money back into your wallet - and save the planet in the process - by swapping to cloth wipes!

Just add a bit of water to your wipes, clean up your little one, and toss the dirty wipe into the wetbag along with the dirty diaper and you're good to go! You can even toss your wipes in the same load of laundry as your diapers*. Easy peasy!

... And everyone else’s bums too.

Wanting to lower your carbon footprint even more? Take your cloth wipes into the bathroom for your entire family! Keep them in a cute little basket on the back of your toilet, or in the front pocket of a dry/wetbag beside the toilet.

Use them exactly the same way as you would for your little one... Dampen them (if you feel it's necessary), clean yourself up, and toss them into one of our dry/wetbags or small zipper wetbags while you wait for laundry day*!

Washable, reusable, zero waste toilet paper options means that you'll never find yourself worrying about not having enough after Taco Tuesday.

Zero Waste Runny Nose, Anyone?

So we've saved on baby wipes and toilet paper... why not also skip the tissues?

Keep small baskets of wipes around your house and whip them out when someone gets the sniffles. Toss them right into the laundry when you're done! Plus, they're extra soft on sensitive noses.

Go ahead, grab cold and flu season by the horns. You'll be more prepared than ever before!

Go Zero Waste in the Kitchen!

Cloth wipes are the best alternative to paper towel that you'll ever use. They're thick and plush enough to absorb even the biggest mess, and thick enough to scrub down a sticky oven.

Move over, Bounty. We’re going zero waste and you’re no longer needed!

There when things get messy.

There's no reason to beat around the bush: babies are MESSY. Once they hit the age where sensory play becomes the most fun thing to them, expect to go a good five years before your house feels fully clean again.

The good news is, you don't have to be afraid of the mess your little ones want to make! Grab a couple sweatshirt or t-shirt wipes to make quick work of any shenanigans that your tiny humans get into.

So go ahead. Get messy!

So what are my cloth wipe options?

Now that we've convinced you that you haven't started living until you get some cloth wipes into your life, where do you go from here? You might find yourself scrolling through all of the different cloth wipes options on our website and wondering which is the best option for YOU.

If things are a little tight and you’d rather save some money and go with a DIY option for your wipes, check out this tutorial to help you out.

Here's a breakdown of everything we offer, along with recommendations on how you might like to use each one to get closer to zero waste in your home:

T-SHIRT WIPES

Our best sellers! Made in Toronto, Ontario from 100% cotton t-shirt material, these are the ultimate in multipurpose. You'll love them for:

- Wiping bums

- Battling sniffly noses

- Cleaning up around the house

- Washing spaghetti-covered faces

... And basically anything else you can possibly think up. These are sure to become a household favourite!

BAMBOO WIPES

If you're looking for luxury, these are the wipes you want to go with. Made from a bamboo-terry blend, this creamy white wipe will blow your mind when it comes to:

- Taking off makeup

- Cleaning lenses and screens without leaving scratches

- Making dinner cleanup a one-wipe job

- Scrubbing down during bath time

BOOFAS

Now you've entered the big leagues. Our Boofas (literally meaning baby loofas) are an elevated version of your standard face cloth. This will quickly become your go-to for bathtime or cleanups on your tiny humans soft and sensitive skin. You might even want to steal a few of these for yourself - they're that good.

*NOTE: Any waste should be rinsed off the wipe prior to putting through the washing machine. Please contact delight@lilhelper.ca for more washing information if needed.

DO YOU USE CLOTH WIPES IN YOUR HOME? WHICH ARE YOUR FAVOURITES? HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY LIKE TO USE THEM?

Zero Waste Cloth Diapers 101