We’ve all been there. Your baby decides to go number 2 while you are out, far away from your diaper pail and washing machine. What do you do with the used cloth diaper when you aren't home? Use a wet bag, of course! Well, what is a wet bag for cloth diapers?
What is a Wet Bag?
If you are new to cloth diapers, you may find yourself asking, “What is a wet bag?” This word floats around on many different cloth diaper websites, blogs, Instagram, and Facebook pages, but it usually isn't explained what they are or how they work. A wet bag is designed to hold used cloth diapers for short periods of time, usually between wash days. It is waterproof and has a sealed zipper that is leak proof.
How do wet bags work? Well, wet bags are designed to keep all the liquids inside. After a diaper is used, simply throw it into the bag and forget about odors.
What Is A Wet Bag Used For? How to Use Wet Bags for Cloth Diapering
A wet bag is usually used to store dirty cloth diapers. To effectively use a wet bag on the go, these are some steps you should take:
- Always have at least two wet bags on hand. This is because, during wash days, it is inevitable that your baby will poop in the middle of the washing or drying cycles. What do you do then? Use your spare wet bag! Wet bags should be washed as often as cloth diapers. If you want more information on wash routines, check out this class about how to wash cloth diapers.
- A hanging wet bag is the best way to go for at home use. These can easily be hung from a hook on the wall so you are able to keep the wet bag far away from your baby and prevent any type of contamination.
- Once you have a location picked out that is far out of reach of your baby, it’s time to hang it up! Many people choose to hang their wet bags on the back of their head rest when they are on the go or on the door handle in their bathroom at home.
What’s The Difference Between A Wet Bag and a Wet Dry Bag?
Now that you know exactly what a wet bag is and how they work, what’s the difference between a wet bag and a wet/dry bag? As we mentioned above, the wet bag is meant to keep liquids in. The wet bag does the exact same thing, however, wet dry bags also have another zipper that keeps supplies and diapers dry. Simply pull your clean cloth diaper out of the dry side and throw the used diapers in the wet side.
Before throwing the used cloth diaper into the wet bag, make sure you have removed any solid poop and flushed it down the toilet.
To sum it all up, the purpose of the wet bag is to keep the wet in, while the purpose of the dry bag is to keep the wet out.
What Is A Wet Bag Used For After Your Baby Grows Out Of Cloth Diapers?
What are some uses for wet bags outside of cloth diapering? There are a multitude of uses that will make any parents life easier. Or what if you baby grows out of cloth diapers and you don’t know what to do with these wet bags now? If you are an environmentally friendly or green parent, you probably will not want to send it to the landfill, so what should you use it for?
Makeup Bag
One way to use a wet bag is for a makeup bag! We have all been there, your foundation lid isn’t screwed on all the way and now you have a sticky mess all over your bathroom, car, bedroom, etc. Using a wet bag for makeup will ensure that no spillage gets out of the bag which makes clean up so much easier.
Gym Clothes
It’s almost as if wet bags were created just for gross gym clothes. Just hang the bag in your gym locker and throw your workout clothes in there when you change back into your street clothes. The wet, stinky clothes are segregated from the rest of your clean gym bag and ready for the wash.
Bathing Suits
First on the list are bathing suits. If you ever accidentally left a Walmart bag full of wet bathing suits in the back of your car for too long, you know why having a waterproof bag would be beneficial. It’s so easy to toss the suits in a wet bag after a long day at the pool. Wet bags will ensure there is no spillage of the chlorine water in your car.
Pool and Beach Toys
Similar to bathing suits, pool and beach toys can get equally gross, especially beach toys. After a long day at the beach, the last thing you want to deal with is sand all over your car. This is why wet bags are a great way to store used toys until you get home. Just toss the toys into your wet bag, wash off the outside, and worry about the sand when you get home.
Painting Supplies
If you have children that love to paint and watercolor, this will be a lifesaver for your kitchen table and tablecloth. Store your paint supplies easily in the wet bag to keep all the runny colors from ruining anything while in storage.
Winter Boots and Snow Gear
When your kid’s boots are caked in snow after a thrilling session of sledding, wet bags make the perfect carrier! No water will escape as the snow melts. You could also throw in gloves, hats, and socks as well.
Soiled Clothes Replacement
Most preschools and kindergartens require a change of clothes for every child, and this is the perfect way to use those old wet bags! Store all the clean clothes in the bag and if your child does need to change, the soiled clothes can go right in the wet bag, locking in moisture and smells.
Game Organization
We all know how annoying those big, bulk game board boxes are when you are trying to organize. Wet bags are an adorable way to store those loose game pieces!
Repurposing your wet bags is another great way, alongside cloth diapering, to be more eco-friendly as a parent. At Nicki’s Diapers, we help parents to start their journey to being more sustainable. If you are ready to start yours, check out our blog about cloth diapering for beginners.