To 'wipe' or not (mealtime)

[Dreamalittledream]

First of all have to say I love the full sleeve nylon Ikea bibs, those have been a godsend both with my own children for years and my dck...they last forever! But, so far I've been using (my own) sensitive wipes for clean-up time after meals in my home daycare.
Would like a greener (& cheaper) alternative that would work in my daycare setting. With my own, we use a baby washcloth after each meal...but can't think of how this could work in the playroom, where I don't have a sink within eyesight. What do you use?

[CountryHill]

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I used to make a mixture of water and tea tree oil then wet a pile of the little baby facecloths with it. When they are folded in half they fit nicely in a wipes container. The tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial and will help them stay fresh. Now that you've got me thinking of that again I really need to get back into it

[Dreamalittledream]

Nice idea. How much tea tree oil do you need (ratio oil to water)? I tried the washcloths in baby soap and water...just didn't work out.

[gcj]

I just have about 20-30 baby face clothes and each day each kid has their own facecloth...throw it in the wash at the end of the day. They're super-cheap...you can even get them at the $ store. Cheap, environmentally friendly, easy and sanitary!

[playfelt]

I have 5 little plastic tubs that sit on the counter and each holds their cup since I rinse and use for the day and their washcloth. Stopped using the baby ones cause I found they didnt' take off as much mess as a regular cloth does especially on a 3 year old. Just uses the ones you buy by the dozen at giant tiger or walmart or similar as in cheap quality but good for what I need. I rinse them in super hot water and leave them in the ball I rung out. By the time I need them and open them up they are still warm enough to use which would be your option without water as I am assuming you come near water before the meal starts. I just collect the cloths and do a load at the end of the week. I have a chest of drawers in the area next the kitchen and one of the drawers is full of cloths and extra bibs.

[Care]

I think that's a great idea and will start doing that too (till now I had them hanging on the back of their chair... but they sometimes swap places...

[Momof4]

I do a load of laundry every other evening so on laundry day I use facecloths for the children and on the non-laundry day I use wipes too. That way I'm not using wipes every day in case they are irritating to the children's skin.

[sunnydays]

I use the baby washcloths as well. Each kid has their own colour so I don't get mixed up and use the same one on a different kid (they have their own colour of cup as well). I like Playfelt's idea of having separate little tubs to hold them...I may do that as it beats having them sitting in piles on the counter top all day

[momplus6]

I use wipes I just by them by the box at superstore I use their brand I find the quality really nice and try to load up when they are on sale. But I also supply wipes for bums unless you want a special kind. I only have two that need to be wiped down though the rest are bigger. But we use them to wipe down when out on feild trips and such to.

[Mamma_Mia]

I also use washcloths. Even for days that we're outside and I know it's going to be a messy snack or sand day I dampen a washcloth with soap and leave it still a bit wet - put it into a ziplock bag and it stays moist! Same can be used for plastic containers...use a small one in your playroom with soapy water and the washcloths soaking in them - take out as you need!

Just don't leave them there over night so not go grow 'germs' LOL