Looking for a compact bag to store soiled diapers/wipes, swimwear, or an extra pair of clothes for your baby while outside? Well,  your search ends at wet bags! A wet bag is a smartly crafted compact, reusable bag which holds smells, & leaks. And it can be repurposed as a laundry bag, gym bag, toiletry pouch,  travel bag, etc.

Read to know more why many moms are switching to trendy, inexpensive, reusable, leak proof & smell-proof wet bags over one time use plastic bags!

What is a wet bag?

A wet bag is a storage cloth bag with an outer fabric lining and a waterproof inner lining. It can hold leaks/spills & lock the odours of soiled items inside.

It is designed as a leak-proof, lightweight, machine-washable, durable & reusable bag. On an average, a wet bag will easily last you 2-4 years over multiple washes.

Wet bag – Fantastic multi-purpose storage bag

Many moms use wet bags primarily for storage of soiled baby items such as diapers, reusable wipes, clothing etc.. Especially when away from home.

Many people frequently repurpose wet bags for different requirements as a leakproof/smell-proof bag:

  • One bag for soiled/wet baby clothes: wipes, diapers, clothes, bibs, towels, swimwear etc.
  • Compact baby carry-on bag: A single leakproof bag to carry snack-box/food-box, medicine, drinks, change of clothes, diaper changing kit
  • Handy car bin: Shove in a mess created when a baby in the car; zip and dispose of later
  • Fitness-time bag: Holds exercise-wear; change of clothes, towel, water-bottle, etc. 
  • Protector for electronic items in rains: Protects phones, tablets, swipe cards, etc.
  • Store breast pump parts: If pumping away from home, store pump parts until wash
  • Store reusable sanitary pads:  When changing reusable pads, store until wash
  • Compact travel pouch: Carry toiletries, makeup items, reusable cutlery
  • Compact travel laundry bag: Holds many dirty clothes & space saver inside a travel case

Why a wet bag is a great storage bag

Stepping out with an infant or toddler means a bit of planning and prepping. Also, carrying a buck-load of things. And given the mess involved (pee/poop/food/spills) you need a good storage bag that contains the mess as well as no leaks/spills till the soiled items are cleaned. A wet bag is just the kind of storage bag you need.

Not just for storing diapers or baby items, the bag offers a lot of other advantages that it is a great choice as a storage/carry-on bag:

  • Designed to be leakproof & contain odour
  • Economical – Just a few needed & lasts over 2+ years
  • Reusable and durable
  • Easy to wash
  • Keeps away moisture and dust
  • Lightweight, easy to carry & space saver

Wet bags come with various features. So you can choose a wet bag which suits your needs:

  • Closure options like drawstrings or zipsq1
  • Single or multiple layers of waterproof lining
  • Extra/dry pockets for dry items/accessories
  • Handle/strap/loop for ease of carrying/hanging
  • Different sizes: To hold more than a day’s worth of diapers or just fewer items

My experience with wet bags

wet bag makes cloth diapering convenient

Wet bag made cloth diapering possible

I have 3 wet bags from Superbottoms. I use a wet bag almost every day. It comes with two zipper compartments. A wet bag goes into Anu’s daycare bag. The caregivers carefully separate pee/poop clothes in one zipper and the rest of the used clothes in another. No leaks, no odour. I wash the used bag daily. 

Anu is exclusively Cloth diapered for more than 1.5 years. The wet bags made Cloth diapering, even in the daycare so easy. The caregivers have to just plop the soiled diapers in the bag and zip it.

I also use it extensively as a laundry bag while travelling. I store slightly wet, smelly clothes in the wet bag. Again, no leaks and no odour.

Why wet bags is better than plastic bag

Plastic bags are non-degradable. Also, they are usually single-use bags. They may not come with closure options like zipping/string. Thus, plastic bags non-economical, non-eco-friendly and not the best choice for storing baby items.

A wet bag is reusable. It is durable and sustains 100s of washes. A wet bag will last from day 1 till your baby outgrows diapers & wipes & even beyond. It is easily re-purposed. Experienced parents suggest that 3-4 wet bags can suffice your daily requirement of a storage bag for a baby for more than 2 years. 

Biodegradable wet bags?

Do remember that many of the wet bags are not completely biodegradable. The waterproof lining is usually made of PUL/TPU. The outer fabric is many a times polyester. There is some debate about the biodegradation of these materials. Some form, but not all, of PUL/polyester, are known to biodegrade [1] [2]. Also, few brands claim to use TPU layers which are compostable in just a few years and have less toxic manufacturing process compared to PUL.

Still, the wet bag is the lesser of the two evils. The fact that you need so few, are spectacularly multi-purpose and last long makes them a better choice over plastic bags. If you can get a wet bag from a brand which produces completely biodegradable ones, then you have a clear winner :-)!

Buy the wet bag in India

Few of the many brands that sell wet bags in India such are:

  1. Superbottoms
  2. Kadambaby
  3. Bumpadum

Conclusion

Wet bags are leak-free, lightweight storage bags that contain odour from soiled diapers/wipes/clothes etc. Also, they have great multi-purpose value. They are long lasting, reusable & generate less waste compared to disposable plastic bags.