Looking for the best plastic free wipes? Choose Cheeky Wipes

Inside this post: Switch to the Cheeky Wipes, the best plastic-free, reusable wipes! Leading the way since 2008.

I'm writing this post from a quiet, mostly empty train, on my way to Windsor Castle for a reception with Prince Charles, celebrating our Queens Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

Not my usual Tuesday morning.   

Exciting, nervous sweat-inducing and don't even get me started on the 'what do I wear' headache.  

However we're thrilled to be recognised for fighting the good fight against single-use plastic laden wipes and sanitary products for more than 13 years.

We're over the moon to see that the rest of the world is catching up.  You've probably seen lots in the news recently regarding the MP Fleur Anderson and her campaign to ban plastic in wet wipes. 

It's unsurprising to see that disposable wipes companies are behind this, with a joint campaign from disposable wipes companies asking us to sign a petition to ban plastics in wet wipes and reduce environmental damage and plastic pollution and protect our marine environment.

Welcome to the plastic free party guys.   Nice to (finally) have you on board.  

If you REALLY want to help the environment though, we'd encourage you to go a step further.  

Why not swap to reusable baby wipes?   

Cheeky Wipes launched our original all-in-one reusable wipes kit back in 2008 and since then we have helped hundreds of thousands of parents make the switch to reusable wipes - and they haven't looked back since!

Cheeky wipes aren't just better for the environment than disposable wipes, but are simple to use, kind to your baby and could save you hundreds of pounds:

'Great product! Superb design which caters for your every need. Easy to use, practical and good quality.  Well worth the money and much better than disposable wipes which produce so much waste and cost so much more in the long run. Recommended.' RHG, Trustpilot, Oct 2021

I've never heard of reusable baby wipes - how do they work?

Believe it or not, reusable baby wipes aren't a new thing although our all-in-one washable wipes kit makes using them much easier than before. 

Our parents / grandparents generation used some sort of variation on these.   You wouldn't believe the number of grandparents that we meet at baby show's who love the idea of going back to reusable wipes!

Our reusable wipes are cloth squares made from cotton, premium cotton, or bamboo which you use with plain water or a soaking solution or spray to gently cleanse your baby at nappy changes and when feeding.

The mucky wipes are simply washed in your washing machine, and reused.

If you’re out and about, the used wipes will be carried in a wetbag or similar and then dealt with alongside your other wipes when you’ve got a wash going on.

It’s not gross, generally the first wipe of a baby bum is with the nappy and that removes the majority of the poo which is then flushed away if you use cloth nappies, or binned if you use disposables.

Only the smeary bits are left on the wipe, much less than would be on a babygro if you’ve had a poo-nami for example.

'Great quality items, the starter kit for baby wipes that I bought was amazing! I was impressed by how they had thought of everything, my favourite bit is how the wash back fits in the mucky box making it easy to change over.

My 24 wipes have just been through the wash for the first time and have come up sparkling white (which I was surprised about). They making changing nappies so much quicker there is no way I will ever go back to cotton wool and water or baby wipes out and about! Would recommend to anyone!' Natalie, Trustpilot, Oct 2021

Aren't disposable baby wipes way more convenient than reusable?

Whether you choose standard baby wipes,  'biodegradable', 'flushable' wet wipes, disposable baby wipes are definitely the ultimate throwaway convenience item.   

Nowadays they're considered the ‘norm’  - but at what cost?

Disposable wipes are convenient - but what’s the eco impact?

Over the last few years, you may have seen documentaries about the problems that wet wipes containing plastic cause.  If you haven't,  ‘Blue Planet’ by Sir David Attenborough, and ‘War on Plastic’ with Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall are well worth a watch.   

At that time, 90% of wet wipes sold in the UK contained plastic which means they take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfill.  Even worse is the issues if they’re flushed and cause huge disgusting fatbergs in our sewers, and polluting our beaches and oceans.  Never flush wet wipes!

'As a child minder I was getting through a lot of disposable wipes, conscious of the environmental impact and cost I found cheeky wipes.

I wish I’d found them sooner.

However I use them now and they are fantastic, easy to use and added bonus with being environmentally friendly. I just chuck them in the washing machine with the blankets (Covid covers for my sofa) and bibs and they are ready for use the next day.

Fabulous fantastic and friendly to the earth' Liz B, Trustpilot, Feb 2021

Aren't plastic-free wipes the solution?

Plastic free wipes are definitely an improvement. 

Some claim to be flushable / compostable (although always be aware of green-washing, quite often flushable wipes are only biodegradable when composted which in reality doesn't happen and they end up in landfill). 

But it's also worth considering the enormous eco impact during the production, shipping and onwards supply chain of disposable wipes. That's not even taking into account fuel consumption by late night shopping trips when you invariably run out. 

Or what happens when the shortage of HGV drivers means they haven't got stock of your favourite brand of wipes at the supermarket....

Don't reusable wipes mean lots of hassle and laundry? What about the environmental impact of that?

Not at all.  Like anything else with babies, it's all about routine! 

You don’t have to wash cloth wipes separately, and as you’ll have lots of washing with your newborn it's easy to just chuck your wipes in the wash with everything else. 

Washing 25 cloth wipes as part of a full mixed 7kg washload every other day equates to just 6 additional loads of washing per year.

Line drying is the cheapest and most eco-friendly way to dry a reusable baby wipe and sock / underwear hangers are perfect for wipes too.   

Even if you’re tumble drying your wipes along with all your other washing, again as part of a full mixed dryer load, the amount of energy and money spent on drying them is negligible.

As far as washing detergents go, the eco impact of washing 25 cloth wipes as part of a mixed washload is again minimal, but of course there are more eco friendly washing detergents and alternatives out there to help you lessen your eco impact.

There are also different fabric options available as reusable wipes.

Bamboo, cotton and microfibre are all popular options however if you’re looking to choose the best eco options, consider organic cotton  over microfibre which can release microfibres into our environment.

'Great quality wipes, easy system to use and wipes come up super perfectly clean after washing. I have two sets one upstairs one downstairs and use the bags to take them out and about with us.' Elizabeth, Trustpilot 2021

Which are the best wipes for my baby with sensitive skin?

There’s lots of options available in disposable baby wipes, from supermarket and non-branded to premium wipes which cost a bit more. 

It's worth spending a bit more on disposable wipes, as some parents find that certain brands create rashes or discomfort to their baby, so this is worth bearing in mind in your search for the perfect disposable.

The best thing about reusable wipes is that you know exactly what is going onto your babies sensitive skin. 

This is fantastic for eczema sufferers or just delicate little ones. 

Reusable wipes can be used with just plain water, although there are lots of different options available.  Some parents use chamomile teabags, soapy squares, but our essential oil solutions are 100% natural and easy to use. 

Alternatively our new wet and wipe spray is brilliant for baby or adult bums too and is paediatrician approved and 98% naturally derived.

'Great company and great items. I started using cheeky wipes when my daughter (now 10) was a baby as normal baby wipes really irritated her skin and left her so sore, whichever brand I used.

A couple of days after using cheeky wipes, her skin was better.

I kept them for my next baby and, again no issues either. They wash so easily and the essential oils keep them soft and smelling nice.

I've recently bought some for myself to try and reduce the amount of toilet paper getting through when working from home and they're great. So environmentally friendly.' Vicky, Trustpilot, Oct 2021

How much money can you save by switching to reusable baby wipes?

We reckon that the 'average' baby could save hundreds of pounds by switching to cloth wipes which is CRAZY. But here's how the numbers stack up, comparing both cheaper wipes and more premium brands:

'Wipes are good quality and 1 cheeky wipe lasts longer than 1 wet wipe.
We've saved loads of money by switching, which feels good as well as the environmental impact it must be having - with 2 kids we were going through 24 packs of water wipes a month! Wish we'd made the switch sooner.' Lucy, Trustpilot, Aug 2021

How much do reusable baby wipes cost?

As with disposable wipes, costs range from £ to ££.   At one end of the price scale granny’s favourite ‘flannel in a bag’ will cost just a few quid and is more than sufficient for wiping grubby hands & faces.

If you can spend a little more, our all-in-one kits make life easy and are priced around £40 to £45.

They contain everything you need to make switching to cloth wipes simple, including wipes, soaking solutions and containers, washbags and travel bags.

You can see that compared to premium disposable wipes, reusable wipes pay for themselves over a 6 to 8 week period which is a massive cost saving in the long run.

Do you need some help in switching to reusable wipes?

We get that it can seem a bit overwhelming if you're new to the concept. 

Firstly, don't forget, if you don't LOVE your Cheeky Wipes kit, we'll give you your money back.

Thankfully we're here to hold your hand through making the switch with our fantastic team and their cloth wipes questionnaire.  Answer just a few questions and our expert team will give you a tailored response:

Fantastic pre sales support via email helping me to pick the right wipes for my newborn twins. Easy to order and turned up quickly.

Absolutely love the cheeky wipes for both my toddler and newborn twins. Will never look back again. Fantastic support online and over email with any questions. Wish I’d found these years ago Kerri, Nov 2021

About the Author:

Helen Rankin is the founder of Cheeky Wipes, which since 2008 has been selling the original reusable wipes kit. Champions of ‘Simple Reusables’, with 4 kids of her own, she appreciates that switching to reusable alternatives needs to be easy.

Along with her crack team, she spends most days talking about poo, pee and periods and loves a chance to talk taboos.

Since 2016 alone, they have saved more than 140 MILLION single use products from landfill and as a result, the business was recognised with a Queens Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development in 2021, celebrating their hard work over the last 13 years.