Family Cloth?! Yup, Reusable Toilet Paper is a Real Thing. Get the lowdown here on how to get started, tips, and FAQs.
Originally published February 2014 || Last updated March 2020 to reflect the fact that I no longer use family cloth in my current day-to-day, but wouldn’t mind starting up again if necessary. Thanks to our current global state of affairs, this post started heavily trending, and I wanted it to be as accurate and helpful as possible. That, or provide you with something to mock on the internet instead of succumbing to despair. 😉
When I stop to think about it, I realize that I have peed in quite a few places over the course of my life thus far. Let’s see: if I’m counting by country, we’ve got Canada, USA, Bolivia, England, France, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda.
I’ve used the fancy, shiny facilities in a very expensive hotel in Banff, and I’ve squatted precariously over a disgusting hole surrounded by falling-apart wooden walls in the middle of a dusty African village.
I’ve bought a roll of purple toilet paper from the woman on the side of an African road, and I’ve used luxurious quilted 6-ply TP at homes where I had to check twice to make sure I hadn’t accidentally grabbed the hand towel.
I’ve awkwardly squatted behind a three-foot pile of bricks while the rest of my tour bus waited their turn in the hot African sun after we broke down on the side of the road.
Some people use bidets. Some use squatty potties. Some people wipe their butts with one hundred dollar bills.
I’ve used my own bathroom eleventy bajillion times in each of my third trimesters of pregnancy. I have, no doubt, peed in the woods a time or two, and maybe, just maybe, a lake. Definitely the ocean.
I’ve also gone tent-camping with a group at 37 weeks pregnant where the only “toilet” was a rickety wooden chair with a hole cut out, perched over a dug-out hole in the ground, surrounded by a tarp on only two sides. I’ve peed in quite a number of teeny-tiny airplane toilets while hurtling through the sky…
(If that’s not an odd string of memories to recall, well gosh, I don’t know what is.)
What exactly is the point I’m making here, you might ask? Well there are a few things:
- Everybody in the entire world has these bodily functions. All 7 billion or so of us.
- There are many (so many!) variations in toileting style and setting depending on location, preference, and cultural norms.
- SO. MANY. VARIATIONS.
With that in mind, I’d like to finally talk about one of my crazy crunchy hippie ways that often elicits a strong reaction: family cloth. I mean – I’ve tried more crazy things than most people, and if you’ve been around here for long you know that I’m a contrarian by nature. I don’t like to follow the crowd, and I enjoy going against the grain just to see what it’s like.
I cook from scratch nearly every day, use cloth napkins, reusable snack bags, and cloth towels, tried the no-poo method (baking soda and vinegar instead of shampoo), do a ton of natural DIY body care products (dry shampoo, eyeliner, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, and I hard-core LOVE my reusable menstrual supplies and sea sponge tampons. I also love homeschooling our four kids here on our 4.5 acres out in the country.
(Yes, I acknowledge that most folks think I’m totally nuts, but hey – I love my life. What can I tell ya?)
Most people call me crazy based on a partial list of these things alone, so telling you that I previously used cloth toilet paper shouldn’t be all that shocking, really.
Want the lowdown? Here we go:
Family cloth is a phrase used for washable, cloth toilet ‘paper’. I’ve used it, and I survived. ??
Cloth Toilet Paper: Supplies Needed
1. Clean wipes
You can make them out of old rags, be fancy and sew them yourself, buy them on etsy, or just buy a few packs of cheap baby washcloths and designate them for this purpose. You could also buy a pack of cloth baby wipes like these ones. Lots of options! (I opted for cheap baby washcloths, since that’s what I was also using with cloth diapers on my babe.)
2. Something to hold the used wipes
During the year or so that I was using cloth TP, I was also cloth diapering my third child. We had a diaper pail in the main floor bathroom, so I just tossed used wipes in there, and they got washed with the diapers. It was super convenient. Honestly, part of the reason I stopped using it was because we stopped cloth diapering eventually.
If I had wanted to continue I would have just needed to use a small lidded container, or a wet bag – the same type that you use for cloth diapers. Travel sized would be ideal because you’d want to launder every couple of days, at least. This style with two pockets would be ideal – one for clean wipes, and one (waterproof) for used. You can wash the bag along with the wipes each time.
3. A washing machine with hot water and detergent.
Pretty simple – if I weren’t washing with a load of cloth diapers I’d just wash them on their own in a small hot cycle with vinegar as a rinse aid, then dry on extra hot to help kill germs.
Cloth Toilet Paper (aka Family Cloth): Routine
Step one: walk into the bathroom and grab a wipe. Use dry or wet with water (your choice).
I recommend dry for #1 and wet for #2. In either scenario, I feel immensely cleaner than when I use paper. The cloth wipe is just… sturdier and more substantial for those purposes.
Step two: use your wipe as needed, then toss in the appropriate sealed bag or container until wash day (a couple of days max is my recommendation.)
Done! It’s not difficult, technically speaking. Most people simply have a cultural ick factor about, which is fine. Just remember that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you run out of paper toilet paper (ahem, panic buying… sigh), this is an option, and you can totally survive it.
Family Cloth FAQ’s:
How did you get started in it?
I cloth diapered my first baby from the get-go (as soon as his teeny little legs beefed up a little to fit the diapers I had bought). We didn’t want to buy expensive cloth wipes that are sold by the cloth diaper companies for a million bucks, so we marched ourselves down to the big-box store and got a pack of cheapie baby washcloths.
I think it was around $6 for 10 of them. We got a couple of packages, and those were our designated baby wipes. Then one time a few years ago I read a post about family cloth somewhere. Probably from this wise friend. And then my curiosity was piqued, and it was just a matter of time.
Isn’t it super gross?
I fear I’m overstating the obvious here, but bear with me. We cleaned all three of our kids’ poopy bums off with those cloths, washed them in our washing machine, and used them over and over again.
Got that? We wiped poop and pee… washed them… and reused them. The only argument that is usually left standing after getting the basics out of the way is simply the ick factor. People think it’s just gross.
Of course, that’s a totally subjective judgment, right? I personally don’t think it’s really any grosser than cloth diapers. And cloth diapering is becoming way more mainstream than it used to be (since disposables came on the scene.)
Can I be a part-timer?
Absolutely, 100% yes. I was a part-timer at best since I didn’t have a system set up in my upstairs bathroom. I used the main floor one all day long and it’s where my diaper pail was (and it’s close to the laundry room).
And of course, it’s advisable to keep regular disposable toilet paper on hand for guests (and resistant spouses).
Some people also like to use it for just #1 and not have to deal with #2. Personally, I love it for both. I find it so much more comfortable and luxurious feeling. I feel cleaner. I also use it for ‘that time of the month’ which is extra-awesome. We ladies tend to feel icky in those days because it’s tough to get totally clean with just paper. With a warm, wet cloth, I feel like I’m actually getting 100% clean.
Full disclosure: sometimes I tag team it and use a bit of paper to wipe first, then a wet cloth for a more thorough clean. What’s that? TMI? I think we crossed that line back in the title of the post, amiright?? And yet here you are. 😉
For laundry as a part-timer: I would throw them in with my regular laundry if it were just #1 wipes. For #2 I prefer to use hot water. For #1 I’m ok with just a warm wash, considering that’s what I do with any clothes or bedding that have been accidentally peed on. #momlife
Doesn’t it smell bad in your bathroom?
Nope. Not if the container or bag is sealed/zipped and the contents washed every 2-3 days.
But WHY???
Save money (a negligible amount once you factor in laundry costs, but I think it’s still possible). Save the environment. Those are big enough reasons for me. You may make a different choice for your family, and that’s cool too. I just wanted to give you a rundown on how we do it because people have asked.
I ultimately didn’t stick with it more than a year or so, as I explained above, but I’m super glad I tried it. Family cloth is way easier than you think, and really – you might even enjoy it.
Oh, and one last reason why you might want to give it a try? Maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself in the midst of a global pandemic and everyone has panic-bought all the dang toilet paper in the city. Maybe a clean, soft cloth is better than leaves. Maybe. Your call.
OK, that’s all I’ve got for now. Hit me up, peeps. What kind of questions do you have on this subject?
Would you ever consider trying it?
Tammy
I have been considering doing this for a while now. Problem is that being single, I don’t do laundry often. I tend to wait until I have enough fora few loads. Is there anythingi could put the cloths into so that I could extend the timeframe for washing? I was thinking if maybe I put them into a pail with say, a vinegar solution? Or something similar? Any suggestions from experience would be appreciated.
Wendy
My mom would add 1/4 cup of vinegar to a soak that she kept the wipes in for my little brother in the 70’s.
you could try it with a few wipes and see if that works?
Beth
I think Wendy’s solution is great – I’d try that!
Rachael
I think husbands have instant negative reactions to just about everything natural. At least that is my experience.
kelli
I put mine in a regular uncovered bucket. I only use for pee though, wet and dry, and a followup for tp for #2. I throw my wipes in with my regular towels maybe twice a week at most and my bucket has no smell whatsoever. Washing them with my towels creates no extra laundry and uses no extra water.
Joy
I love this idea. I switched to wet wipes in my bathroom, and it is so much easier on my delicate skin than the cheap tp that I have been buying. I am a gringa from California who once lived in Mexico for five years, Puerto Vallarta, it was not roughing it and yet even still, I got used to the practice of NOT flushing the paper. We always were reminded in public toilets to NOT flush, to put the used paper in the trash receptacle next to the toilet. It was often surrounded with flies, it was warm and not sealed…just saying that their sewer system did not process well and we all also thought that in some other places – not the tourist city – they flushed it out to the streams…but that is just speculation…TMZ .anyway all that to say I had already developed a habit of looking for the receptacle to place my used paper, it was weird to get used to NOT flushing the paper after wiping, (many times in the beginning, I either fished it out or apologized to the manager of the establishment) and then it was weird to flush it all when I returned to US. I have a friend who never has toilet paper in her bathroom, I always have to ask for it. she is training her daughter to run the water in the sink or tub to wash herself after pee pee, Her man is Arab and believes in washing rather than wiping…never thought it strange, just inconvenient when a visitor there…..anyway… I am SO doing this…good words
Diana
Family cloth is not that bad of an idea. I would suggest a quick wipe for the sticky poo with TP then clean yourself with a cloth. I second the essential oils to put in the covered pail. You rinse the cloth out some before dumping it in the pail just like you would a dirty diaper. We used to dip the diaper up and down in the toilet to rid it of any larger particles. I used to dump the water and cloths into the washer and spin out the dirty water. Then wash in hot soapy water. Hang them to dry on sunny days and they will be germ free. TP has gotten so high and with a large family you can go through a lot of it. So try it and see how you like it. With home made laundry soap you can save even more.
Dianne
I am so glad to hear more mothers opting for cloth diapering! I had my babies before the disposable diapers came on the market and used cloth washcloths to clean their bottoms with. I might just try the “family cloth”. I live alone, so no one to bat against. But one thing I wonder, is when I cloth diapered my girls, the only diapers on the market were sold in giant sheets, which we folded ourselves. It was nice sitting, folding diapers, and watching them blow in the breeze on the clothesline. As they got bigger, I would alter the way I folded them. All cloth diapers now are pre-folded and sewn together, and are very expensive. If I were a young mother, I would buy a big bolt of Birdseye fabric and make my own by cutting and hemming large squares, and folding them, after wash day. Then, when they are potty trained, the cloths are wonderful for dusting, or cutting up for “family cloths.” Just a suggestion..
Christine Sowell
Well I found this blog many years too late to add anything helpful, but, I had to reply to Dianne! My husband and I spent the first year of our daughter’s life in Bogota, Colombia, while he was working on his degree. It was completely expected to cloth diaper; at that time, only fancy city stores even sold disposables. Like Dianne, we used large, super light-weight cotton sheets that we folded differently for different ages (and sex! thicker in front for boys; thicker between for girls). Diaper folding was a bit of an art! We hand-scrubbed them on an outdoor washing station and hung them to dry in the sun. They were wonderful. Back in the US years later, I was surprised to see cloth diapers sold pre-folded and sewn — doesn’t the thickness require machine washing and drying? Anyway, Dianne’s comment brought back some very nice memories for me; thank you! And kudos to any of us who are trying any way to make it easier on the planet!
Nancy
After I wrote my post of before, I read all the other posts. OK, wonder why I am not making the pads as for monthly. Well, ever have my problem, not worth the work, because I can leak just a little about 12 times a day and just unpin the zorb and put another piece there. 🙂
Nancy
Love it, love it, love it! have camped while pregnant and same things I did in the 50′ and 60’s Now, I am 77 and you know our bladder has a mind of it’s own. So, I am on SS and those pads are expensive, so I asked my daughter for some of the pul pieces, she was making the diaper holders, so I used some of them, cut up old hand towels and that was nice. have a little hand basin I drop them in and a mesh bag to put in the washer with my undies. so, got 1 yard of Pul and one yard of Zorb, cut them a little bigger than the crotch of panties I used to make. I have a tiny piece of the Pul and put that on the outside of my panties, and a couple safety pins, I am protected about 90 % of the time, and feel comfortable and not spending money on those pads to throw away. All supplies are in a basket right in front of toilet and another basket with my undies folded up when we have over flow. Works for me, cheap, and no chemicals as are in pads.
so the family wipes, well, there is just me and I like the fresh wet wipe and dry. And I have taken care of many elderly and they had the order, well, I insist I will never have one. Just Sayin’
Tracy
Nancy, try making some pads using wool instead of PUL. you would wash the wool in hot water before cutting and sewing. No leaking and much more comfortable. You can buy it from the same online stores that sell diaper making supplies.
Deb
What size of squares are you using?
Thanks
Rebekah
I made myself some cloth pads for that time of the month, use cloths to clean kitchen messes instead of paper towel, made up some cute cloths to wash my face and more to use after intimacy, and have always loved the idea of cloth diapers, but for some reason had never considered cloth instead of toilet paper!
Last week I read another blog post about it and a light bulb went off 😀 I immediately served up some flannel I had laying around, but wasn’t too fond of the texture. My local fabric store and a sale on extra thick flannel shirting (seriously soft and thick and fluffy) and those make the BEST wipes ever! thick and soft and they clean really well. I mixed up a spray bottle of water, lavender EO and Aloe juice and I love how clean it feels! I have sensitive skin and have had trouble with regular toilet paper leaving me feeling dry, raw and uncomfortable, so this has been the perfect solution. My husband on the other hand had a rather instant and negative reaction to the idea…time will tell.
Melissa
You’ve convinced me! We already cloth diaper (including using cloth wipes), so this is just a logical next step. I think the thing that icks people out about the idea is just their paradigms about poop and periods being gross…but having a baby/toddler can really get you over that idea, since there is no way to parent without coming into contact with poop from time to time (ahem…as in, scooping it out of the tub with your hands). Like you said, paradigms regarding cloth diapering are changing. So why not family cloth next?
Crystal
This sounds brilliant. I feel pretty ignorant because I’ve actually never ever heard of it before or even thought of it, but seriously. Brilliant.
BTW, in light of your strange string of potty memories, poo on the shoe ring a bell? 🙂
Kate
Yes! 🙂 We’ve been doing this since before we even had kids, although I will admit it took me a few months to start really using it for #2. Works super well for blowing noses too. We used to use a pretty flower pot for the dirty ones – I would just put a few drops of eo in the bottom and there was never any smell. You can never really come back from this, I swear.
I buy t-shirts at the thrift store periodically and just cut them in to squares. Ni seams or hemming of any kind, and when they get ragged after a year or two, I feel no guilt about tossing them and buying a new thrift store cotton shirt. re: blood, just use dark colours and you don’t even notice. If you want to go all out, put some hydrogen peroxide in the wash, or spray it on before you wash. Works every time (people are always astounded that my birth center uses white linens and they’re always stain-free. The h2o2 is the trick. 😉
I’m more pleased than I should be, I think, that you wrote about this!
Irene Garner
I do this off and on. Depends if the cloths are at hand. Well, I made the commitment and put the cloths within reach! As it’s only me in the house, not a problem. (I’m also into not flushing after each pee) I will keep TP on hand for the company.
Boobs McGoobs
Can I use this with Depends?
Nature girl
I was just talking about this with a friend. I use reusable everything but TP. I mentioned this idea of a “family cloth”. (BTW, I really like using the reusable Diva Cup for that time of the month. I like it better than reusable pads. I just feel cleaner.) Anyway, my friend asked me if I thought using extra water and detergents from all my extra laundry were better for the environment? I thought it was a very good question. I told her I would try to research it but I felt like it had to be since the companies use so much water and chemicals to make the paper products. What is your opinion?
kelli
I wash them with my towels so it creates no extra laundry and uses no extra water. 🙂
sarahkeith
I’ve been using cloth wipes (flannel ones I made) for pee for years now but haven’t taken the leap for #2 🙂 We are currently cloth diapering, so I’m seriously considering it though. It would be so easy, especially right now when we are washing loads of diapers every other day anyway!
JC
Been thinking about this idea. I’m getting ready to make homemade pads for myself and the girls (each will have her own patterned set) and thinking about learning to make cloth diapers as well. this isn’t any more gross than reusable pads sooooo…..why not! Not sure the rest of the family will go for it though. I may just be on my own.
Stephie N
Everyone I know that w have told that we family cloth kinda gets this yuck look and then their eyes gloss over like k hippie I don’t want to hear anymore! But we have two kiddos under 3 that like tearing up the tp,, so we just keep it in the cabinet next to the toilet and tell guests where it is, since we diaper in the bathroom on the counter no one even guesses that or wipes box is close to the toilet for a reason! (yes I am ocd, I have my cloth wipes filled up in accordian style so they fit into and come out of an old disposable wipes box a if they were sposies.) Even though my kiddos are darn near potty trained! (my 18 month old is off and on still) But to those who yuck out, they even sell silly wet wipes for adults, this is much cheaper and cleaner! The one thing I was a little concerned about was the post partum fun stuff, Beth do you have a big problem with staining? I kinda fresh out with blood Stains and it’s kinda one thing for the mama cloth to have, but I’m not sure about the wipes!
Katjo Daniels
My suggestion: DARK wipes! I just cut up an old burgundy bath towel for THAT time and works for wipes for THAT time too.
My #2 wipes are dark t-shirt squares and sleeves. 😉
Stephanie
So do you use the baby washcloths for your family cloths as well? Or what do you use? We’re about to start cloth diapering (baby on the way), so I’m thinking now might be a good time to make the transition to family cloth as well. This article was very timely!
Stephie N
I may be totally intruding here, but you know those inexpensive flannel baby blankets everyone has a gazillion of? Those cut up into squares, edged if preferred work excellent! And bonus it they are patterned they hide stains to a degree! Or you can just by and cop up cheap flannel fabric from a craft store too! we were given so many out those flannel blankets in hand me downs that they were just cheap and on hand! Congrats on the new baby! We’re gearing up to start cloth diapering our third, we love cloth! It’s wonderfully simple even though it’s overwhelming at first! Just don’t give up! Once you find a rhythm that works for you, it’s awesome!
Marissa
Old t-shirts cut up into squares also work really well for baby wipes and family cloth, no need to even sew and they don’t fray:).
Ashley
I LOVE that idea!!
Katjo Daniels
I have purchased flannel sheets at the Goodwill for $2 for a full or queen size. These make a quizillion bathroom wipes or kitchen wipes. Can’t buy fabric for that cheap and I buy 100% cotton sheets to make jar covers instead of cheesecloth and I plan to do the beeswax coating to make reusable food wrap ad bowl covers.
Wendy
beeswax coating! Great idea! will look that up.
ruby
If possible, I would like to hear more about how to make the reusable food wrap covers with beeswax i think. Thanks. Great idea!
Stephanie
Been waiting for this post! Very interesting and yes I would consider it. Not sure the hubbie would go for it right off, but you never know.
Belle
This made me smile! I have actually thought about this. I have one of those “resistant hubbies” ….. not very crunchy… workin’ on ’em. 🙂
Grace
I’m so thrilled that you wrote about this! I wrote about cloth toilet paper on my blog about 2 years ago when I started using it, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else talk about it. Kudos to you!