Monday, December 8, 2008
Let's Talk Cloth
We all have heard of using cloth diapers. There has been a great revival in the past 15 years or so in using them. However, there is a new cloth revolution. Cloth toilet paper! Yes, ladies, I did say cloth toilet paper. Toilet paper is full of chemicals used in the processing of the paper. Not to mention that I always found it very wasteful to flush perfectly good paper down the toilet. Then I read something and a light bulb went off in my head. Why not use cloth toilet paper? It would be easy to wash with the cloth diapers that I already wash, it is reusable so no waste, no harsh chemicals, and it is cheaper. So my family made the switch, we now use cloth toilet paper and love it. It is much more absorbent, it is softer, and much cheaper. I know many of you are wondering how to do this. Let me explain how we do it and what we use. My husband and children are always staining t-shirts and ripping holes in them. I have found that these t-shirts make great TP. I simply cut them up into nice size chunks, shape does not really matter. I just want something that can be folded over. 100% cotton works best so try to stay away from poly cotton blends as they tend to not be very absorbent. I have found that t-shirts work best because you just cut and use, no sewing involved because t-shirt material does not ravel at the edges. I keep dry cloths in a drawer next to the toilet and wet ones in a sealed coffee can. I use a solution for diaper wipes on them and will post the recipe for this today. I also keep another coffee can for used wipes and after emptying and rinsing I will put one or two drops of tea tree oil in the can for disinfecting and deodorizing. I simply wash these every other day with a load of diapers. They are wonderfully soft and absorbent. They clean much better, too. We really are spoiled now and don't know how we ever managed with toilet paper before. Cloth TP, who'd a thunk it!
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4 comments:
Are you concerned with the waste matter as it goes thru the wash? Are you on a septic system or greywater? We have both-the washing machine empties thru a drain cut into the outside wall. I'm thinking it wouldn't be too pleasant to have that dumped there. And while we're talking potty (my son isn't allowed to use potty talk!) what about the solid waste that ends up on the cloth?
I just realized that you may not use a washing machine! Do you?
Kelly, yes I do use a washing machine. That is one modern day convenience I am not sure I could live without while my children are at home! One thing we have found is that they really don't get that much waste on them. If there are any that are really soiled then I will soak them, overnight and dump the water before placing them in the wash. Otherwise I just wash them in hot water with a little detergent (homemade) and I also add hydrogen peroxide to the wash. I rinse my washing machine once a week to disinfect it with a hot rinse and hydrogen peroxide. Our wash is a greyline which empties through a long pipe out in the back pasture so there is nothing near the house. Rarely is anything so soiled that I don't feel comfortable washing them and if that were the case then I would simply throw them away. They are after all easily replaced from the fabric scrap bag. One thing I did was to make sure that everyone in the house understood the instructions for the potty wipes because I simply was not willing to sort through them. So far everything has worked well. The key is hot water, good soap and hydrogen peroxide, soak if needed, and then no germ worries. Hope this helps. God bless.
So the greywater goes to a distant pasture? How deep is the drain line? I'm willing-even thought about a composting toilet, but hubby isn't quite on board with that yet.
What instructions are you referring to for your family?
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