Ok, so I have been thinking what new things I can do to reduce my impact on the Earth. I was casually reading over at The Organic Sister and came across the idea of cloth bathroom wipes. Of course! When I had babies, they wore cloth diapers and I washed them. No problem and no trash. I use a Keeper instead of disposable feminine products. No trash created there. So why do I use toilet paper which get flushed, sits in the septic tank, and then goes to the landfill? Because I never thought about it. Now that I have, I am using cloth there too!
Step 1: I got a kick in the rear to begin this new project when someone offered a cloth diaper pail on freecycle. Having given my pail away a while ago, I thought I needed it for my bathroom again. So even though it had been days since the offer was posted, I emailed and got it. Score!
Step 2: I have stacks of old clothing waiting for a new purpose. I had always assumed I would make cleaning rags, but my rag bin is pretty full right now. However, the specific item of unwanted clothing I had sitting around is kids underwear from Hanna Andersson. They were so well worn that I can't pass them on to another user but they cut up into cloth wipes just fine!
Step 3: I cut the fabric into the wipes the size of my hand. They are double or triple layered and serged on the edges (in red for identification). A pretty basket holds them on the vanity right beside the toilet.
I did the sewing and set everything up yesterday. I was so excited to try the cloth wipes out. The next time I had to use the toilet, I forgot! I was so sad. Dear Daughter helped me remember next time by hiding the toilet paper and giving me no choice. By that time rolled around though, she had already pronounced the new goods a success. Yea for us and the Earth!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Wow, Zoa, we were thinking alike...
Retta has extremely sensitive skin and so I came up with a system instead of of using the baby wipes(which all break her out worse) I made a bunch of 5x5 squares of organic terry cloth and we keep a container of "homemade wipes" in the BR. I have a pail under the sink where she throws the used ones to be washed.
But you do have me beat...I didn't think of taking it one step further and eliminating toilet paper. I like the idea. I also used cloth feminine products years ago, so am certainly comfortable with the idea.
Are you eliminating TP altogether?
Is DH signed on? Don't know how Musa would feel.
Last question cause every time I come up with an idea like this there is always someone that comes along and shoots me down. Let me play devils advocate:
Is using cloth instead of paper better than using the water and electricity to wash the cloth? I am never sure where to get these answers. I haven't bought paper towel or napkins for years and even went to cloth "hankies"...much nicer on the nose.
For me I guess it also comes down to preference...cloth just feels better.
Wish we were neighbors.
I love thinking like you Ronda!
I can only commit myself to a new idea, not everyone else. So I made the wipes for me. I told everyone and explained how it worked. Maia and Evan laughed and thought it was weird. When I explained it was important to me, they stopped and tried it. They are both using the cloth now.
Walter didn't laugh or ask questions. He is a thinker. We'll see how he feels as time progresses. Of course guys don't need the wipes as much as girls, so its less of an issue.
Right now I have them set up in our first floor bath, since that is where we are all day long. Then plan is to wait a week, see how thing go, and then put some in the upstairs bath too.
Washing them - they are so small and they add to any load of laundry I do so minimally that I think it is silly to even worry about the cost to wash them. I m sure I will love hanging these tiny cloths from the clothes line soon :-)
I hopped on over here from the unschooling conference website coming up. Besides unschooling, I especially love green/natural living so I’ll be coming back to visit. ;)
We have used cloth tp for over 2 years! And whenever I go to the bathroom in public bathrooms and use disposable tp I remember why I love cloth so much more. :) I have a few wahmies bags (http://www.thestorkwearhouse.com/Wahmies-Wet-Bag-p/wam-wb.htm) though and do take the cloth wipes and a wahmies bag along when traveling overnight places. I’m so glad to see more people giving cloth tp a chance. I just wish I would have known about them especially when I was pregnant, we would have saved some money that is for sure!!
Love the Organic Sister too!
Looking forward to hearing you speak at the conference!
Post a Comment