If you read the post about reusable cloths/paper towels, then you will have a good idea how this one is going to go. Except these are even simpler. I started doing it when I discovered that the wipes I used no longer contained bleach and were no longer safe for food contact surfaces. Yeah, take a minute to read the containers. Anyways, I needed wipes with bleach, and that could be used to clean surfaces that may come in contact with food. In addition, I was spending quite a bit of money on these, and while I still use them for a few things, I don't spend anywhere near as much money on them now.
Now as to why I just don't grab a bottle of cleaner and a separate wipe, well the reason we buy these things is because they are convenient. The bottle of cleaner frequently isn't where I thought it was. And neither are wipes. In this case, both are pre-assembled in one place that is easy to grab. I also tend to refill several containers at the same time and distribute them to different rooms in the house. The wipes are just the right size for most jobs and then I toss them in the laundry pile. (Warning: if they contain bleach, rinse them well before tossing in the laundry pile. Or just pile them separately and add them to a load that you would use bleach in.)
This project can recycle two things depending on what you have on hand, those containers from purchased wipes and old clothes.
I make these two ways. The first batches were done using some cheap white microfiber wipes that I grabbed off a clearance rack. They are 8" squares. I took a box of 16 and rolled them with one inch overlapping edges. Then I stuffed them into an empty container from the purchased ones. Because I find the lids to be a bit frustrating, I take a razor knife and carefully cut out the sections meant to hold the wipes at the top. Last step was to add one cup of cleaner and give it a day for it to get completely soaked up. Then I pull from the center or outer edge. Either way works fine.
In the years since I started doing this I've also used squares cut from knit material to make wipes using various cleaners. The knit material comes from various pieces of old clothing and I use the 6 inch square from this pack. (https://amzn.to/2CroK1h) I end up with a 6 1/2 inch wipe. I've also been known to use the 9" square for this as well. One reason I use knit material for these is because there is no need to stitch or serger the outer edges, which makes one less step for me to worry about. If you want to use woven materials instead, make sure to finish off the edges so they don't fray.
Anyways, I roll the squares the same way as the microfiber clothes and pour in one cup of whatever cleaner I want. Remember that some cleaners need to be diluted to the use strength first. The most recent set of wipes I made was Chlorhexidine wipes for my dog. But I've used them with most of the common cleaners for all areas of the house. Just make sure to mark the outside of the container with the name of the cleaner that you filled it with. I use a sharpie on the side and the lid. And this honestly turns out to be a great way to reuse all those containers from the store bought throw away wipes, which still have their place and purpose.
One note here, if you are going to use bleach, or bleach containing cleaner, with the knit fabric squares be aware that the bleach will bleach them. I tend to save white or pale color squares for those batches.
When COVID popped up on the scene I had a few friends that found themselves in a pickle. And they didn't have time to make wipes from old clothes or clearance materials. They purchased the 24" x 24" microfiber wipes from Sam's Club and then used a serger to turn them into 8" x 8" wipes. So that's another idea if you want to do it. Microfiber wipes are useful in a lot of situations. Especially if there is a rice/quinoa/little bitty things spill.
A few bit of extra guidance, from experience, if you have an HE washer put the squares in a net bag before washing. For some reason HE washing machines will suck these into the system and they end up caught in a lower filter. Especially the knit ones. That is a pain to deal with. You can deal with it. But it requires a shop vac and towels. So a simple drawstring or zipper wash back will prevent that. I traded my HE machine to my brother several years back to get one of the older washing machines. I haven't had any problems in that machine.
When washing the microfiber wipes, don't put them in with items that tend to shed lint, like towels. Or clothes covered in lawn and leaf debris. They will grab that lint and debris and hold tight to it. Oh, and hair, both dog hair and my 3 ft long head hairs.
And lastly, dry microfiber on a low heat setting to keep the qualities that make it so useful. For some reason, high heat dryer temps can cause the "hook" ends to melt/deform. The cloths will still work as cloths, but they aren't as "grabby" as most of us prefer microfiber to be.
Now as to why I just don't grab a bottle of cleaner and a separate wipe, well the reason we buy these things is because they are convenient. The bottle of cleaner frequently isn't where I thought it was. And neither are wipes. In this case, both are pre-assembled in one place that is easy to grab. I also tend to refill several containers at the same time and distribute them to different rooms in the house. The wipes are just the right size for most jobs and then I toss them in the laundry pile. (Warning: if they contain bleach, rinse them well before tossing in the laundry pile. Or just pile them separately and add them to a load that you would use bleach in.)
This project can recycle two things depending on what you have on hand, those containers from purchased wipes and old clothes.
I make these two ways. The first batches were done using some cheap white microfiber wipes that I grabbed off a clearance rack. They are 8" squares. I took a box of 16 and rolled them with one inch overlapping edges. Then I stuffed them into an empty container from the purchased ones. Because I find the lids to be a bit frustrating, I take a razor knife and carefully cut out the sections meant to hold the wipes at the top. Last step was to add one cup of cleaner and give it a day for it to get completely soaked up. Then I pull from the center or outer edge. Either way works fine.
In the years since I started doing this I've also used squares cut from knit material to make wipes using various cleaners. The knit material comes from various pieces of old clothing and I use the 6 inch square from this pack. (https://amzn.to/2CroK1h) I end up with a 6 1/2 inch wipe. I've also been known to use the 9" square for this as well. One reason I use knit material for these is because there is no need to stitch or serger the outer edges, which makes one less step for me to worry about. If you want to use woven materials instead, make sure to finish off the edges so they don't fray.
Anyways, I roll the squares the same way as the microfiber clothes and pour in one cup of whatever cleaner I want. Remember that some cleaners need to be diluted to the use strength first. The most recent set of wipes I made was Chlorhexidine wipes for my dog. But I've used them with most of the common cleaners for all areas of the house. Just make sure to mark the outside of the container with the name of the cleaner that you filled it with. I use a sharpie on the side and the lid. And this honestly turns out to be a great way to reuse all those containers from the store bought throw away wipes, which still have their place and purpose.
One note here, if you are going to use bleach, or bleach containing cleaner, with the knit fabric squares be aware that the bleach will bleach them. I tend to save white or pale color squares for those batches.
When COVID popped up on the scene I had a few friends that found themselves in a pickle. And they didn't have time to make wipes from old clothes or clearance materials. They purchased the 24" x 24" microfiber wipes from Sam's Club and then used a serger to turn them into 8" x 8" wipes. So that's another idea if you want to do it. Microfiber wipes are useful in a lot of situations. Especially if there is a rice/quinoa/little bitty things spill.
A few bit of extra guidance, from experience, if you have an HE washer put the squares in a net bag before washing. For some reason HE washing machines will suck these into the system and they end up caught in a lower filter. Especially the knit ones. That is a pain to deal with. You can deal with it. But it requires a shop vac and towels. So a simple drawstring or zipper wash back will prevent that. I traded my HE machine to my brother several years back to get one of the older washing machines. I haven't had any problems in that machine.
When washing the microfiber wipes, don't put them in with items that tend to shed lint, like towels. Or clothes covered in lawn and leaf debris. They will grab that lint and debris and hold tight to it. Oh, and hair, both dog hair and my 3 ft long head hairs.
And lastly, dry microfiber on a low heat setting to keep the qualities that make it so useful. For some reason, high heat dryer temps can cause the "hook" ends to melt/deform. The cloths will still work as cloths, but they aren't as "grabby" as most of us prefer microfiber to be.
You are so knowledgeable and give very clear instructions! Thank you for sharing :-)
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