Instead of throwing out the old clothes and textiles that can not be re-homed – why not turn them into reusable wipes for around the house?
Most baby and makeup wipes can take up to 100 years to break down in landfill, and even those which are compostable have carbon pollution embedded in their ongoing production and distribution. Tens of thousands of wet wipes are sold in Britain each year and many are still flushed into lavatories, where they end up clogging mains sewers (costing a whopping £100 million to water bills each year) and go on to kill fish in rivers and other marine life as the fibers are released.
Reusable Upcycled Kitchen Wipes
Kitchen towels are so convenient in households with kids, pets… or clumsy people! Make simple reusable repurposed “UNpaper towels” by cutting your cloth/old towels into squares or go for a more absorbent option in the video below! Any sort of towelling or flannel fabric will work well. Some users like making them into a roll with the snap links, others prefer just having them easy to grab in a basket!
Reusable Make Up Wipes
Reusable make up wipes are best with slightly different fabric than kitchen towels – the softer, the better! Once sewn, you can keep them in an air tight jar/container soaked in a simple mixture. Baby soap and water for cleansing, coconut/olive oil to break down even waterproof make up and your chosen essential oils to moisturise skin, just like a disposable makeup wipe. Once used, just chuck in your regular wash.
