cd too much work??

PipSqueak0313

I've been thinking about this and the cd world's usual response that people are thinking of pins and rubber pants and their ignorance of modern cd.

Since so many of us use flats and pins, I have to wonder how accurate that really is.  Is it more accurate to say they're thinking of pictures of grandma/great grandma handwashing and boiling the diapers rather than machine washing them?  

nanabanana06

Honestly, I don't see how it's all that much work. I here CDers complain about the work. Like... I throw them in the wash and press buttons. I've CDed as a single parent working full time and as a SAHM with a 4.5 hour wash routine. It's not hard. I just think that having the option to slap a sposie on an throw it in the trash later is easier for most people. They don't want to put anymore effort than that. Which is fine. They just see CDing as a chore. For me it isn't a chore.

sarenu1

To me, I'd compare it to knitting or reading.  It's like a hobby.

Just like knitting or reading, some people love it and others don't.

abby8279

I would much rather spend the time to do a bit of extra laundry than have to take the time to drive to the store and buy more sposies.

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PipSqueak0313

I'm not saying it's too much work for me....I'm just wondering if a common response to naysayers is based on the wrong assumption regarding what part of cloth diapering the naysayers are referring to when they claim cd is too much work.

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abby8279

^wss

sarenu1

We live in a disposable society, sometimes people can't wrap their heads around re-using things.  And others can't see why you would want to have to constantly buy more paper towels when you could do a load of laundry.

It's just perspective.

But cloth diapering to me is a hobby.  It's fun to try new things, and I find it relaxing folding wipes, prefolds, flats, and stuffing pockets.  

That and I think today's society sees re-using things like towels and diapers as dirty.  How else would Bounty sell so many paper towels.

And on a side note, I totally side-eyed a woman with two huge value packs of paper towels in her cart at Target the other day.  That would be enough paper towels for me for about 10 years.

nanabanana06

Yeah, really it's all about convenience factor. You put less actual work into sposies than CDs. It's just like with anything else out there. Sposies are more convenient.

freezorburn

The other night, when I tried handing MIL a cloth napkin (which I stripped and bleached prior to her arrival) at dinner, she tried to politely decline and reached for the paper towels, "so I could save on laundry."

She's in her 70's. I guess it's just a different mindset, where I think it's no trouble at all to launder a cloth napkin, but every time I see a paper towel I think about the tree that had to die to make it. And to her it's just a disposable item that goes in the waste bin, out of sight, out of mind. And that she thinks there is actual work involved in washing a cloth napkin.

abby8279

My eyes are totally opening up to disposable products lately.  I didn't even realize how much we consumed.  And we do far better than the rest of my family.  Now I feel soo great going to the store and being able to skip over huge sections b/c I either use cloth or make things homemade.  Besides it's funner to shop for cloth/fabric and things like EOs.

BoothBaby

nanaosaki06 said:

...I just think that having the option to slap a sposie on an throw it in the trash later is easier for most people. They don't want to put anymore effort than that.

This is what I was thinking too. 

nanabanana06

It's kind of like making your own puree vs store bought. Some people would rather just go buy it premade than steam, mash, and puree things themselves.

welly01

missmimsyy said:

We have for years. My brother in law can't wrap his head around that the case of paper towels we got as one of our Christmas gifts lasted us a year. He keeps telling us "wait until you have kids, you'll use more."  I don't think we will use nearly as many as he does. We haven't started CD yet, but I'm not sure how this is much different...

He gave you a case of paper towels for Christmas?! Lol  (Is that normal or am I missing something?)

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nanabanana06

theultimatesak said:

nanaosaki06 said:

Yeah, really it's all about convenience factor. You put less actual work into sposies than CDs. It's just like with anything else out there. Sposies are more convenient.

And you know what?  Sometimes disposable things ARE more convenient, and I think that's ok.  I think the problem comes when as a society we refuse to accept our convenience comes at a cost to other things (health, environment, etc.)

No, I totally agree. Thats why I'm working so hard to try to cut down on the guys' use of paper towels, switching to mama cloth, ect. It's just more environmentally friendly. A lot of people don't care whether their sposies hurt the environment though or their costco size thing of paper towels per week. It's just like with anything else. Some people are more aware and more passionate about it.

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nanabanana06

theultimatesak said:

nanaosaki06 said:

theultimatesak said:

nanaosaki06 said:

Yeah, really it's all about convenience factor. You put less actual work into sposies than CDs. It's just like with anything else out there. Sposies are more convenient.

And you know what?  Sometimes disposable things ARE more convenient, and I think that's ok.  I think the problem comes when as a society we refuse to accept our convenience comes at a cost to other things (health, environment, etc.)

No, I totally agree. Thats why I'm working so hard to try to cut down on the guys' use of paper towels, switching to mama cloth, ect. It's just more environmentally friendly. A lot of people don't care whether their sposies hurt the environment though or their costco size thing of paper towels per week. It's just like with anything else. Some people are more aware and more passionate about it.

the SAK of 5 or 6 years ago couldn't have cared less about the environment or the chemicals in my food or anything like that.  once in awhile i look around at my life now and seriously wonder how I ever got here.

LOL I'd totally agree with you. I think the Seattleite in me is just seeping deeper. I love that more and more people are becoming more environmentally aware. I'm still not biting the Hybrid car juice though.

zaraceligon

I just think is ignorant, and part is easy to just trow the diaper away. For a lot of Latinos it's easy to pay for dispensable, than deal with CD, one they don't have time, because most of them has two jobs, and second most of them they don't care to much about the environment, and third a lot of them they care about what people will think about CD. Third for Asian people its just not common anymore. They rely to much on technology the most of the Disposables are made of bamboo or cotton,easy to dissolve than others diapers.but one think the I notices more is the European people and American people are more aware of quimicals, pesticide etc. than the rest of the population. But I just think is ignorant.

sarenu1

nanaosaki06 said:

theultimatesak said:

nanaosaki06 said:

Yeah, really it's all about convenience factor. You put less actual work into sposies than CDs. It's just like with anything else out there. Sposies are more convenient.

And you know what?  Sometimes disposable things ARE more convenient, and I think that's ok.  I think the problem comes when as a society we refuse to accept our convenience comes at a cost to other things (health, environment, etc.)

No, I totally agree. Thats why I'm working so hard to try to cut down on the guys' use of paper towels, switching to mama cloth, ect. It's just more environmentally friendly. A lot of people don't care whether their sposies hurt the environment though or their costco size thing of paper towels per week. It's just like with anything else. Some people are more aware and more passionate about it.

Paper towels are expensive.  I sometimes wonder if people actually know how much they spend on paper towels in a year.  When I bought my two pack last week I looked at the family size pack, $15.  I can't even fathom spending that each week.  $780 a year?  I could buy some fancy napkins with that.  And you know what, they would last more than a year.

TugboatSheila

theultimatesak said:

nanaosaki06 said:

Yeah, really it's all about convenience factor. You put less actual work into sposies than CDs. It's just like with anything else out there. Sposies are more convenient.

And you know what?  Sometimes disposable things ARE more convenient, and I think that's ok.  I think the problem comes when as a society we refuse to accept our convenience comes at a cost to other things (health, environment, etc.)

Very well said. It's like the saying that One person can't do everything but everyone can do SOMETHING. Not every single person in the world, realistically, will use cloth napkins, CDs, make their own baby food, walk instead of drive if possible, grow whatever they can etc etc but I think people don't' take into account that they could do just one of those things and make a difference. Even if the difference is very small.

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RockiesNugget

freezorburn said:

The other night, when I tried handing MIL a cloth napkin (which I stripped and bleached prior to her arrival) at dinner, she tried to politely decline and reached for the paper towels, "so I could save on laundry."

She's in her 70's. I guess it's just a different mindset, where I think it's no trouble at all to launder a cloth napkin, but every time I see a paper towel I think about the tree that had to die to make it. And to her it's just a disposable item that goes in the waste bin, out of sight, out of mind. And that she thinks there is actual work involved in washing a cloth napkin.

It is strange that there is such a disconnect between her generation and the one before it. My grandmother was in her late 90s when she passed a couple years ago and everytime we ate at her house we used cloth napkins. This wasn't just because she had company either, she would use cloth for meals that she ate for herself. I remember that she had paper towels but only used them rarely. And if for some strange reason we did not use cloth, we would use paper napkins instead of paper towels.

TJ1979

Oh my mom is crazy for paper napkins! I just use a paper towel for whatever, but my mom insists napkins are different. I think paper napkins just fall apart and are worthless.
I really wish we could be better about using kitchen cloth. But I'm a germaphobe and worry about mh wiping up raw chicken then me wiping E's mouth with the same rag. How do you prevent that (with people who aren't conscious of things like that.)

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unaveragejane

I finally trained DH that the yellow rags are for DS and the table only. We dampen a new one at every mealtime and put it on the table so we can easily clean up DS afterward. When he's down from the table, we wipe the table with the other side of the rag and throw it in the wetbag.

flummadiddle85

TJ1979 said:

Oh my mom is crazy for paper napkins! I just use a paper towel for whatever, but my mom insists napkins are different. I think paper napkins just fall apart and are worthless. I really wish we could be better about using kitchen cloth. But I'm a germaphobe and worry about mh wiping up raw chicken then me wiping E's mouth with the same rag. How do you prevent that (with people who aren't conscious of things like that.)

I just throw it in the wetbag after one use.

abby8279

I have not completely eliminated paper towel.  There are a few uses I am not sure how I can.  One of them is raw meat cleanup.  Another is the very occasional dog accident.  And lastly, covering food in the microwave in case it splatters.  Any tips?

welly01

abby8279 said:

I have not completely eliminated paper towel.  There are a few uses I am not sure how I can.  One of them is raw meat cleanup.  Another is the very occasional dog accident.  And lastly, covering food in the microwave in case it splatters.  Any tips?

Sometimes we use a paper towel for this too but a kitchen towel works just as well.  They also make plastic microwave covers that go over your plate.

km_md

I'll weigh in on a few things. People here seem to view CDing as the old school way with pins and rubber pants and hand washing. Now we have so many great diaper choices and washing machines that it is so much easier than people think. I get people asking me questions all of the time and I'm happy to answer what I can. I love most things about CDing but mainly the money I save and the cute fluffy bum.

We buy those giant packs of paper towels for $15 or so but they last us for a really long time, it is just cheaper to buy the big pack than a small one. We only really use them for things like DH if he's running late for work and wants to take a piece of toast to eat in the car, or sometimes I use them for messes on the counter that I can throw out. But most of the time I use rags for cleaning and dish cloths for wiping down the counters and such. I have different types that I use for different purposes.

mrshudson618

abby8279 said:

I have not completely eliminated paper towel.  There are a few uses I am not sure how I can.  One of them is raw meat cleanup.  Another is the very occasional dog accident.  And lastly, covering food in the microwave in case it splatters.  Any tips?

You can use a cloth/towel for all those things. 

Why do you think you cant? Use once, then wash. Is it just a squeemish thing? Designating certain cloths for the dog and raw meat could help with that.

abby8279

mrshudson618 said:

abby8279 said:

I have not completely eliminated paper towel.  There are a few uses I am not sure how I can.  One of them is raw meat cleanup.  Another is the very occasional dog accident.  And lastly, covering food in the microwave in case it splatters.  Any tips?

You can use a cloth/towel for all those things. 

Why do you think you cant? Use once, then wash. Is it just a squeemish thing? Designating certain cloths for the dog and raw meat could help with that.

I suppose.  I have been getting better w/ using cloth.  I am fine with mama cloth and family cloth.  But for some reason dog messes, vomit, and raw meat really gross me out.  And I guess I never considered putting cloth in the microwave.  Maybe b/c I have never seen it done?

mrshudson618

It's weird because growing up, my mom used cloth diapers, napkins etc, and now she is all about disposable plates, forks, and paper napkins. When we were kids I think it was mostly because we were broke, so I think she does it now just because she can.

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ElleBeeDub

theultimatesak said:

The thing I haven't figured out replacing paper towels for yet is greasy foods. Like when I pull bacon out of the pan I put it on a paper towel lined plate to get some of the grease off. Any suggestions?

I've been using a clean FST for this too... 

RockiesNugget

Mapleme said:

Yup, what SAK said. TJ, that was my biggest fear with using FST instead of paper towels. MH THINKS he's aware of that stuff and he just isn't. He uses a kitchen towel to wipe up a floor mess and then puts it back over his shoulder and wipes his hands on it before wiping the counter and hanging it back up on the oven for me to use. Eww. That has been one of my favorite things about FST. We have a ton, so I have no problem with using one to clean up a tiny mess and then throwing it in the wash. If I have any question about what MH did with an innocuous looking FST, I just grab a new one. I feel like they clean better than terry towels and I have no problem using them for anything and everything because if they kick the bucket they are so cheap to replace. Just a couple days ago MH (who was just entertaining his pretty, pregnant wife when she wanted to use FST) spontaneously declared, "Flour sack towels are amazing." Oh, and last week my mom brought M into the bakery without the diaper bag (wtf?!) and a FST saved the day. No way the paper towels I used to use in the bakery would pull that off.

DH does the same thing. I have finally learned to just grab a new towel or rag.

freezorburn

theultimatesak said:

The thing I haven't figured out replacing paper towels for yet is greasy foods. Like when I pull bacon out of the pan I put it on a paper towel lined plate to get some of the grease off. Any suggestions?

Wouldn't bacon grease wash out of a cloth towel if your water is hot enough? Or, if the grease stains, maybe just reserve this purpose for older towels? I'm pretty sure we've drained bacon and fries onto old kitchen towels ... because my same MIL who wanted to use a paper towel to save on laundry, thought that giving us a giant shopping bag of her old, discolored kitchen towels to use as rags, would be a nice housewarming gift.  So we used those for everything for a few years.

The one I have trouble with is cleaning my bike chain. All this black grease comes off, and from the research I've done, you are not supposed to put that stuff in the washer. So I end up using either heavy-duty disposable towels (those blue-gray kind that they sell at hardware stores and auto supply shops), or it's the last use for which my oldest rags go to die.

nanabanana06

It sounds like I need to order more flats. I don't think SO got enough lol.

stoneycakes

I drain my bacon on a cooling rack.

YellowLily2013

My old college towels are dog towels. They are used for her baths, cleaning wet paws, pee accosents, throw up. All the nasty stuff.

I have a small trash can I put them in and it lives under an end table near the back door. (We wash right away if its anything gross!)

I would never use kitchen cloth with the dog though. That just gives me the heebie jeebies.