EcoWednesday – Family Cloth and Tree Houses
November 15, 2007
Getting rid of the toilet paper. Have you guys heard of the “family cloth”? It’s not a communal cloth used for the entire family, I’m not sure how it got the name. Basically it refers to using cloth “wipes” for potty needs – but not just the baby!
There’s a thread over at MDC about this. While I can’t say I would use this method for “number 2″, I think I could go for it for the rest. I don’t exactly go for the argument that it’s no different than cloth diapering – because with older babies, you can shake the poo into the potty first. I don’t like the idea of washing poopy clothes with, for instance, dish towels. I already use cloth pads for my monthlies though, so maybe this is just another case of “selective squeamishness”. Cloth certainly is more comfy! I admit I have used “family cloth” in a pinch – meaning the middle of the night when someone (ahem) forgot to replace the toilet roll and all I could reach was a washcloth!
One question I would have is how to keep the smell down. You would have to wash them daily, methinks. I live with boys, and have to clean the toilet daily to keep the smell from overtaking me.
Side note: I don’t know if these are any more eco friendly than a regular old house that sits on the ground, but aren’t these treehouse homes so cute! I want one! I have a secret Swiss Family Robinson fantasy.
More Posts By Carrie:
- Help a Mom With Potty Training
- How To Potty Train A 2 Year Old
- Just When I Thought It Was Safe to Read Parents Magazine
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I am have always had a Swiss family Robinson fantasy…also a shipwreck fantasy. I want to be shipwrecked on a deserted island and live in a tree house. I have dreamed about that since I was little. Walking through the SFR tree house at Disneyworld is surreal.
We have not yet ventured into the family cloth territory, still favoring recycled tp. Everything else is cloth though. I imagine we’d have to run them daily, and I’m not entirely sure that there’s enough of us in this household to warrant the change over. And, yes, it’s selective squeamishness too.
When I was a kid, we called them “bum cloths” My mom made them out of old sheets, t-shirts, whatever she had. She cut squares about 6 inches across, hemmed them, and they sat in a stack on the toilet. We had a bucket next to the toilet, with bleach and water it it, and every few days she would dump the bucket into the washer.
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