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FAQ's: Can I use the same wipes for bottoms & hands & faces?

***Updated: August 2023***

Can I use the same wipes for bums & hands & faces?

Yes, you can use the same reusable clean wipes for face, bum and hands, though you can also keep them separate if you prefer.

At Cheeky Wipes, we recommend that the wipes are either washed in the washing machine at 60c once a week to keep them hygienic. Or, use a laundry sanitiser like dettol or napisan if washing at lower temperatures. Here at Cheeky HQ we tend to wash at in warm water at 40c and use dettol.

The only time we suggest using anything different is for cleansing the eye area on a newborn baby. Then you should use cotton wool and cool boiled water. 

At Cheeky Wipes HQ we've been using washable baby wipes for 19 years now. It all started when my eldest son was born. I had a shocking eczema flare up and my hands were cracked and really sore and using disposable baby wipes made the sensitive skin on my hands even worse.

Initially I cut up an old towel to use as wipes alongside my cloth nappies but they quickly looked like rags that you would wash the car with! Nevertheless, that's how the idea for Cheeky Wipes was born.

Reusable Toilet Paper 

In all that time, we have used the same wipes to wipe our butts and hands & faces - though washing in between of course!! We started when the kids were babies for nappy changing.  Now they are all grown up, we all use them as a reusable toilet paper and for removing makeup.

Ick! I don't like the idea of using the same wipes on bums and hands & faces!

We know that using the same reusable wipes for both bums and hands and faces gives some people the 'ick' factor.

If you don't like the idea of using the same wipes on bums and hands & faces, no problem.

Just use white cotton or natural bamboo wipes for bums in our all-in-one wipes kit which also contains wet bags for both clean and dirty wipes. The white cotton and natural bamboo wipes can also be washed to 60c which is why we recommend them for bums.

Then when you get to weaning stage, add in a weaning kit with some coloured cotton, bamboo or bamboo plush wipes for faces as they can be washed to 40.

Shop Reusable Face Wipes

Can you use face wipes on your bum?

Yes, you can use Cheeky face wipes on your bum no problem, however we wouldn't recommend using disposable face wipes on your bum. That's because many of them contain astringent ingredients which could nip a bit!

Can you wash bum wipes with face wipes?

Yes, you can wash bum wipes with face wipes. If you're worried about poo, remember that for nappy changing the nappy is used for the first wipe which removes the majority of the poo. This is then flushed or binned, depending on whether you're using disposable nappies or reusable nappies.

BTW - did you know that even on disposable nappies, you should flush the majority of poo? Check the back of the packet!

The only poo left on your wipe will be smearage. Less that you would have on a babygro if they have a poonami.

By soaking the mucky wipes in our mesh bag & mucky box with tea tree essential oil, you're kick starting the hygiene process and presoaking the wipes so that they wash really well.

The dirty wipes should be washed on a washload of decent length.   A rapid wash won't clean well enough.

Drying your wipes is easy and helps keep your wipes hygienic. They can be tumble dried or line dried. Line drying gets them out in the sunshine which is also great for bleaching any lingering stains!

We hope that was of interest to you? If so, you may also enjoy reading:

Help - my reusable wipes smell musty!

8 Top Tips for Eco Friendly Weaning

 

About the author: Helen Rankin is founder of Cheeky Wipes, who decided to ditch disposable wet wipes back in 2008 when she created Cheeky Wipes, the original environmentally sustainable reusable baby wipes kit. The Cheeky Team pride themselves on helping people make the switch to reusables EASY, with a range of eco friendly products including period pants and cloth sanitary pads. Cheeky Wipes were awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise for their sustainable development goals in 2021.