How many use and appreciate.......

[ShannonS]

I use family cloth for the kids and I also, DH is so not on board. lol. We use a little trash can that has a lid, but we have to make sure to let our overnight guests (friends visit often and sometimes bring new friends) that the can with the lid is NOT a garbage can. haha.

I probably never would have used family cloth, but since we cloth diapered both of the kids, we had a ton of cloth wipes left over. Also wiping a kiddos dirty bottom with paper TP is downright NASTY. When they do it themselves, they use enough to clog the toilet since they have not learned how to wipe efficiently yet. So cloth wipes were the better option by far! We even travel and camp with them. Just put the dirtys into a wet bag (a waterproof zippered cloth bag) and wash when you get home.

I have had an IUD in for the last 5 years, but I had it taken out the month before last, so for the first time in 8 years I experienced my regular flow again. It was drastically reduced and lasted 9-14 days with the IUD instead of the 5 days I just experienced. Yay!! I wonder if it has to do with me not using tampons or sposie pads in so long. hmmm!

I also use cloth mama pads and I just throw them in with the family cloth for wash day. No soaking or anything. But I did just purchase a Diva cup (26.00 from drugstore.com) and I really hope it works well for me because a cloth pad would look REALLY funny with a bathing suit in the summer.

I'm new here, but I really love it so far!!

 

[dragonlaurel]

Welcome - sounds like you'll fit right in. I mentioned family cloth to my DH, but I would rather use it for peeing and still have the tp for the other stuff.

 

[ShannonS]

Welcome - sounds like you'll fit right in. I mentioned family cloth to my DH, but I would rather use it for peeing and still have the tp for the other stuff.

You could always use a bidet spray for #2 I guess I just really like cloth because it really gets the job done and I feel much cleaner than with paper TP.

I have to wonder about when my boys get old enough to start getting squeamish about poo (or when they move out in like a million years, lol) if we will still use family cloth. I'm not sure if it would be worth it to run a load just for me.

 

[dragonlaurel]

We use coin washers, so I just don't want poo-ey cloths waiting around. We are in an apartment, so we don't pick the bathroom fixtures. At least they got the water saver stuff for it.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Today I cut up another unwanted T-shirt into nice little squares for my personal wipes. FIL brings us "souvenier" T-shirts from his frequent trips to the casinos, usually XL, which neither one of us is
Recently when I ran out of tp, I started using them to blow my nose as well. Anyone remember handkerchiefs?
I have allergies, so I always have a slightly runny nose. Those little 6" squares are just perfect.
I have also come up with a system for hanging them up on the line. I just stack them nicely as I am getting all the other wet laundry out of the basket and then at the end I take three squares at a time and hang them by one pin. It goes pretty quick that way. When they are dry I take them down and stack them and put them in the basket together. Then it is a quick job of putting them back in the bathroom.
I add the little basket of used wipes to my laundry. They really don't take up much room.

 

[mamaluv321]

Hi all, great thread! Just wanted to throw this in there for all you makin your own pads; you can use felted wool for the water proof layer just lanolise first. Also, if you're worried about slippage you could have "special" undies that you can sew some Velcro to the crotch...

 

[dragonlaurel]

I made a batch of pads. Velcro seemed like it would be uncomfortable if they touched the skin there, so I skipped it.
I might add a small button to the bottom side of the pads and a ribbon loop to the undies I'm likely to use them with. Or small snaps.

I've heard that preshrunk wool is great for the absorbent layer. I wanted to try it, but I already donated the wool sweaters that I wasn't using.
I cut up a THICK towel that was already torn. Used 1 layer of towel inside for light days. 2 layers of towel inside for normal flow.

I made one with 3 layers for really heavy flow but that's probably overkill with this towel. Might be better to stack 2 normal pads for those days, cause this one took to long to dry when I pre-washed it.

 

[freemotion]

Hi all, great thread! Just wanted to throw this in there for all you makin your own pads; you can use felted wool for the water proof layer just lanolise first. Also, if you're worried about slippage you could have "special" undies that you can sew some Velcro to the crotch...

I plan to do this soon, special granny panties with velcro.

What does lanolise mean? Wash out the lanolin?

 

[dragonlaurel]

It's adding lanolin to make it more water repellent. It makes it feel softer too.
Careful with the velcro. The edges can be scratchy- not just the hooks.

 

[mamaluv321]

It means adding lanolin back into it. I lanolise all of my wool, helps it last longer and helps make it semi water proof. You can use lansinoh get it at any grocerystore, for breast feeding mamas. Take a pea sized drop and smear it on the bottom of a tea cup and pour in some boiling water so that it melts, add a bit of your favorite soap and stir until it becomes milky and then add to a bathroom sink full of lukewarm water (bathroom sink is the perfect size) and dip your woolies in! You'll feel the lanolin getting pulled out of the water by the wool. A word of caution: don't add too much lanolin, it will make wool sticky! Great for wool gloves and socks and diaper covers!!