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I use baby wipes to clean my stamps when I'm creating a quick card or two. Many times I use it on one stamp and by the time I'm ready to do another its dried out, yet still fairly clean. Last night I had an idea. I got out one of my little snack cups with a lid and put the baby wipe inside when I was finished. I've used that same wipe twice and its still wet enough to clean my stamps! I hated tossing half clean wipes out and it was such a pain to spray or wet it to use again. So glad I had the snack cups available! They are 2 oz.
You are so smart, Kathy. I've always hated "wasting" those wipes, too. All I had figured out was to fold the wipe and put it under something on my table, like a coffee mug, to keep it from drying out. Your idea is much more sensible to use a little cup with a lid!
And, I need some of those tiny cups. I haven't seen them before. Must check next time I grocery shop.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I got them at Walmart for another reason, but they come in handy! Sometimes I would put a semi-used wipe back in the pack, but if you have a little color on them it gets on the next clean wipe. Thus works great because its small and airtight
I've had the same experience and it pains me to be wasteful. I like your idea, but.....I was using wipes and have just changed to "the absorber". It is like a chamois and can be kept in the original container and used over and over. All I do is rinse, wring, and restore when I'm finished for the day. LOVE it. I learned about it from the Stamping Enablers group on Facebook and purchased mine from Amazon for less than $8.
I use a zip lock type Baggie to store my used baby wipe until it dried out or was too dirty (inky) to use. Some baby wipes are still useable for the next workshop or next crafting group meeting. Have been doing this since I started using baby wipes.
That sounds cool but I dont shop online so baby wipes are the best for me and i hated tossing one out because it dried or having to wet it to use it.
The Absorber, or a similar product, can be purchased at any store that would carry car wash supplies. It is not a chamois, but similar. I purchased from Amazon because, well, I purchase quite a bit online. The Absorber, It can be too large, so many cut it up and share with friends. Some use the original container and others keep them in the portable hard wipe case. I have just started using a DVD case with a piece I cut off, just to see if this works too.
I just stick my baby wipe back inside the pop open top of the baby wipes container. It doesn't last for days but it certainly keeps it moist for hours.
I do what Jen does - put it back in the container and close the lid. I can use it quite a few times before it gets too inky and I have to toss it...
The Absorber is at every Walmart I've ever been in. I've used one in the past, but it didn't make the cut when I moved across the country, and I haven't replaced it since...
I have those little cups, too - they are VERY handy for any number of things! Right now I have one in the fridge that contains a lemon-juice-soaked paper towel that I used for stamping a woodgrain background, then heating with my heat gun to "burn" it so it would show up. Didn't want to toss the paper towel after only one use...
Just realized how often I use an ellipsis... ;)
__________________ ~ Sue Happy for no reason...
Last edited by gregzgurl; 04-30-2015 at 02:59 AM..
I've just recently learned of the Absorber method on a Facebook group. I had a different brand of synthetic chamois on hand, the Shamwow, so I thought I'd give it a try. Works like a charm. I will never need to buy baby wipes ever again. I have a stamp scrubber from CTMH that was worn out so I cut my squares to the size to fit in that. I think I cut 4 or 6 and I wet them each time I start a crafting session. I then rinse them out and wring them out tight at the end and let the pieces air dry until my next session. I was going to keep them permanently wet in a ziplock but some have mentioned they go musty and moldy.
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
I've put mine back in the container too but stuff transfers to the fresh sheet. Going to Walmart in a few minutes so I'll take a look at the absorber. Sue, I recently came to the conclusion that I use the ellipsis a lot too...
I looked at the absorber at Walmart today but wasn't sure about it or spending the money. I think I prefer storing that little baby wipe rather than storing a larger absorber. By the way, the baby wipe is still wet from two days ago.
I looked at the absorber at Walmart today but wasn't sure about it or spending the money. I think I prefer storing that little baby wipe rather than storing a larger absorber. By the way, the baby wipe is still wet from two days ago.
I'm with you, Kathy. I checked out the absorber and decided to pass on it. I already have lots of microfiber cloths that I don't use like I thought I would, lol.
I'm going to stick with the baby wipes - now that a smart person told me how to save them.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I just stick my baby wipe back inside the pop open top of the baby wipes container. It doesn't last for days but it certainly keeps it moist for hours.
This is all that I do as well. But lots of other good tips for this problem on this thread too.
I guess I am the biggest tightwad I use a facecoth and just wash it once it gets uber grubbo!!!!
I, too, just use an old used washcloth to clean my stamps. I like the bit of nap they have to kinda scrub the stamp crevices. I also just throw mine in the wash when needed. There are so many great paper crafting things out there that I would rather spend my money on! I've used baby wipes but its about the replacing part that bothers me. One kind I got dried out before I could even use 1/4 of them up. Changed brands so I'm really frugal about using them. Love the input on this thread.
Lots of great ideas here. I use baby wipes and have always just stored a small stack in a zip lock baggie until they are too grungy to use anymore. As for baby wipes drying out---I just put a stack about an inch thick into a baggie, then add a little water from the faucet directly onto the edge of the stack. It doesn't take much, and I don't notice any reduction in the "cleaning power" when I use them on my stamps. I have a large container of wipes that I have been working with for over a year. They are dried out. I just refresh a stack with water and they are great!
I just stick my baby wipe back inside the pop open top of the baby wipes container. It doesn't last for days but it certainly keeps it moist for hours.
I've had the same experience and it pains me to be wasteful. I like your idea, but.....I was using wipes and have just changed to "the absorber". It is like a chamois and can be kept in the original container and used over and over. All I do is rinse, wring, and restore when I'm finished for the day. LOVE it. I learned about it from the Stamping Enablers group on Facebook and purchased mine from Amazon for less than $8.
I hadn't thought of that. I have a couple I could have used. But I didn't buy the little cups just for the baby wipes so no money was spent. I already had these cups.
I have the Absorber and love it... but before I found out about it, I also used baby wipes. I kept them inside 2 large ziplock bags to keep them from drying out. For everyday use, I stored several at a time in a medicine bottle. They stayed damp for weeks. If I used one that could be used again, I just popped it back into the medicine bottle.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I bought the Absorber at Walmart, cut a strip down side about4" wide which I cut into two pieces and then I gifted the rest to my husband to wash his car. He was happy and so was I
I have an absorber and LOVE it ... however I still use baby wipes for fast projects (like having to stamp words on the inside of a card, etc.). I keep my semi used baby wipe in a medicine container ... Hubby gets a wider container with his meds (they are bigger pills and he gets a 3 months' supply) ... they are great. I decorated one and I store my Tombo multi glue in it so that the glue stays toward the tip. They do also work great for baby wipes. Keeps it wet for day!!! If I don't get to the stamp room for a while and I find it is dried out, I just spritz a bit of water in the container and it's ready to go.
I have the Absorber and love it... but before I found out about it, I also used baby wipes. I kept them inside 2 large ziplock bags to keep them from drying out. For everyday use, I stored several at a time in a medicine bottle. They stayed damp for weeks. If I used one that could be used again, I just popped it back into the medicine bottle.
I should have read all the posts
I repurpose medicine bottles for everything!!! They also make great water containers for watercoloring!!!!
At my work I had used foam stamps with some young toddlers and after I had rinsed them with water I placed them on a wipe (I don't know why I had one out that hadn't been used) when I came back after the week-end. The stamp outline was darker but the color had bled out around it nicely and I had strip of dried wipe with cute designs/color going down it. I cut it and used it on a card front.
I only use baby wipes for my hands and no longer for the stamps. There are little bitty fibers that come off the wipes and attach to the stamps. I've ruined a few stamped images because of those minute fibers floating on the stamp.
I use the CTMH My Acrylix Stamp Scrubber. It's a flat 'brush' embedded in plastic that almost looks like a stamp pad. Now if you can't find them, I imaging any flat brush would work.
another option is to use an absorber cloth (chamois type cloth) that you can cut into smaller pieces and just wash out as necessary.
I bought one but need to find a container for it and these cups might be just the ticket.
no more wasted baby wipes
