Ever wondered how to make your own homemade baby wipes? Yes, I said baby wipes.
I never had thought of it either. Then again, I never thought I'd be making my own baking powder, egg replacer, vegetable broth mix, tortillas, or bread for that matter.
What started me thinking about this topic again, since my youngest is well out of the diaper stage, was a situation that occured this past week.
I was staying after church and talking with a friend. Her older little one came in and proclaimed quite astutely that Baby Sister was in the car with Dad and needed to be changed, but there were no wipes!
I mentioned what we had used for wipes, but didn't think until today about all of the steps that had led to my making them the way that I did. Here goes….
I told you back in one of my posts about making the perfect popcorn that I am willing to pay for quality items, but not for things that I can make myself.
Well, I guess that actually is only a half truth. In fact, I could make some of the clothes that I am willing to pay for, but I don't have a sewing machine currently and though I consider myself a good seamstress, I was never really satisfied with the things that I made when I did sew a lot.
So moreso my DIY tendencies are in the food and home / personal care department.
I see cutting my home and cooking budget almost like a game.
It's the “Cigiomi Flang CDI” game.
“Can I Get It Or Make It For Less And Not Go Crazy Doing It” Game. Get it? Did I digress again?
Homemade baby wipes fall into this category.
Years ago, when my oldest was born, I was told by his wonderful physician who delivered him at home (remind me to post about our home birth and how this amazing man saved me from years of misery by telling me to breastfeed my child for as long as I could) that our son was very sensitive and we were not to use store-bought wipes on him. So I started on my quest for a substitute. Little did I know how much wisdom there was in my pediatrician's advice. My son proved to be exceedingly sensitive and ended up with a number of physical issues that eventually led to an autism diagnosis around the age of 7.
Back to the wipes–At my baby shower, a friend gave me “make your own wipe” instructions that consisted of cutting a roll of paper towels in half and then soaking them in a combination of baby shampoo, baby oil and water.
I liked the idea of saving money by making my own wipes, but it sounded tedious and perfumey. If my son's skin was already sensitive, why would I be putting this concoction on his skin?
In fact, there are even medical studies showing that commercial baby wipes are causing skin problems not just for babies, but also for adults! See this article from the UK regarding the need to keep chemicals away from baby's skin and also the abstracts of a study done by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
There are a TON of recipes on the web for Homemade Baby Wipes.
Mine, I guarantee, is the easiest. But if you are dead set on making something scented, check out localharvest.org for the best and most concise ones that I saw.
What I used were two different, yet similar versions of the Easiest Diaper Wipes Ever.
Homemade Baby Wipes
Version 1
Ingredients:
Paper towels
Water
Directions:
1. Wet paper towels
2. Squeeze out extra water
3. Place in small plastic container or baby wipes container
4. Wipe baby when changing diaper and discard
Version 2 (for cloth diapering families)
Same as above, but substitute rags or baby wash cloths for the paper towels and wash with cloth diapers after use.
We used Version 1 when we were using disposable diapers (and if we were in a pinch) and Version 2 when we were cloth diapering.
Now, I know that you might be thinking, “Don't I need a nice scent for my baby's precious bottom?” I can only tell you that the amazing physician whom I mention above gave me the basic idea for this method and though I thought it ridiculous at first, my pocketbook and my busy days really welcomed it, and I am so thankful that we did not go down the path of using regular wipes.
When you think about it, this really makes sense logically. When we adults use the bathroom, are we using fragrant toilet paper to clean ourselves? Now, granted, we don't sit in a diaper for any amount of time, but with the modern disposable diapers and the modern cloth counterparts, our children are sitting in mess for a lot less time than they used to.
This baby wipe method is similar to my Jojoba and Rose Water Facial Cleanser that I posted about. Simple to make, easy to use and cost effective.
I personally think that our society is way too dependent upon packaged food, cleaning items and personal care products.
When we make basic items simply from things that we have around the house, we end up with less clutter in a lot of arenas of our lives: spending less money, wasting fewer resources, creating less garbage, using fewer toxic chemicals, creating less pollution and saving time in the process.
I think that's a recipe that I would like to follow for all of life! How about you?
Do you have a favorite frugal and eco-friendly tip?
carolyn says
A friend of mine told me she uses toilet paper exactly like you do with the paper towels these you can flush !!
Adrienne says
Yes – perfect!!
Carol says
I had 3 kids in 4 .5 years and never bought wipes. I use the recipe you mentioned using baby bath, baby oil, and warm water with Bounty paper towels. Rubbermaid no longer makes the 1.6L container and the best container substitute I have found was a square one (the size of a napkin) and about 4 inches deep. I have been making them for shower gifts using Bounty quilted napkins (they seem to hold up better than cheap ones). My daughter is 20 this week and still uses them with a little less soap and a little more baby oil. My first grandson is due in about 3 weeks — I am going to try one of the other oils you mentioned, as well as the witch hazel mix for makeup remover.
Thanks for sharing!!
Adrienne says
Hope it works well for you – thanks and hope to see you around again!
Carrie says
Hi,
Ran across your blog today – loving it!
I’ve seen mention of baby shampoo in a couple of the comments and want to caution folks about that: the “tearless” shampoos don’t necessarily contain gentle ingredients, some have pain deadeners added to cut the sting.
If you feel you need some soap in the mix, I use one I love that is non-toxic and I have friends that credit it with helping their eczema and know of many who use it to soak in the tub. Contact me directly for that info if you like.
If you have a co-op or natural food store nearby, there are probably some good alternatives to what’s normally found in the supermarket. Just be sure to know your brands and ingredients..
Adrienne says
I agree with you on those icky ingredients. I never made my own wipes w/ that as an ingredient for that reason.
Thanks!!
Lindy says
the wipes will got moldy. Mine did. I called the manufacturer of the paper towels and he said it’s cellulose, they will go moldy when wet and left a while.
Adrienne says
As long as you change them they don’t. I never left them in there that long.
Devi says
Hello,
I’m a new reader on your website and loving it already! I’m going to be a first time mom soon…due in early march 2014 🙂
I really wanted to get some alternatives to the regular chemical infused wipes that everybody gets and I came across this. It’s such a simple solution and yet we never think of it! Just one question though…do the paper towels dry out after a while once they are stored in a box? I’m sure we can just wet them again, but I was just curious as to how long they stay damp.
Thanks so much!
Devi.
Adrienne says
Mine stayed damp for quite awhile b/c it was a little plastic wipes box. Congrats and welcome!!!! I hope you can stay in touch on Facebook (but that’s hard these days) and Pinterest and Google Plus. I try to do all the same updates on G+ as I do on FB b/c FB isn’t showing my updates to many fans these days. Boo.
Karan says
Cloth wipes, silly right? but every time we visited my grams, by the time id go to the car, get the wipes and come back- she’d already had a washcloth out and cleaned baby. i tried it a few times- soooo much more effective than wipes. I finally bought some cheep flannel cut it up and zig zagged the edges. Folded them like wipes and stuck them in an old wipes container. I run them under the sink for a second and use. (Some people use spray bottles, so that its next to changing station but I have toddlers fascinated by spray bottles, so I just use the sink.) cloth $3, had thread, made 40 in about an hour. Love them! I have another empty wipes container underneath the cloth wipes to “dispose” the used ones until laundry time. (Since we only use cloth diapers sometimes, I don’t have an official spot for cloth diapers…)
Heather says
I am interested in learning more about this comment you made — “remind me to post about our home birth and how this amazing man saved me from years of misery by telling me to breastfeed my child for as long as I could” — I am currently breastfeeding our 16 month old and would be interested in learning why he encouraged you to breastfeed for as long as you could, and for how long you did breastfeed? Thanks!
Mallorie says
Aren’t paper towels a little rough, especially for babies who have sensitive skin? Also, paper towels can be expensive as well…is there a particular brand/deal you recommend? As of right now, I use Target’s Up&Up brand of sensitive wipes, which seems to be the best deal I can find so far…
Adrienne says
I didn’t find them to be rough at all. We didn’t go out that often and honestly, if it was just for wiping “#1” I would bring wet rags from home. When I was out I would use whatever was in the restroom :).
Leanne Mc says
Instead of just using water, add a tbsp of coconut oil per cup of water. Use warm water melt the coconut oil. This softens cloth wipes amazingly! I also add 1 tbsp of natural baby soap per cup of water which gives you a little more cleaning action. 🙂 I usually refill the container every two days and don’t have a problem with then getting stinky. 🙂
Katherine says
Can this solution be used for cloth wipes too? I’ve been cloth diapering for years, but haven’t delved into cloth wipes and I’m not sure why. Just wondering if this solution would be fine with cloth wipes sitting in it for a week or two or if it would be better to keep it in a bottle and spray/squirt on each wipe. Thanks!
Adrienne says
I would do this every day or so to avoid them getting icky.
Meliisa says
I use Viva, baby body wash,, baby oil, and a few drops of lavender, mix and pour on the paper towels.
Adrienne says
I really would like to try this again with an essential oil, but the baby washes typically have chemicals in them unless you use a really natural one. Do you use a natural one?
Connie says
Yes, a substitute for toilet paper. I recently bought a bunch of “bamboo cloth” for that purpose (sight unseen) but when it arrived it became apparent this would not work because it looks disposable so everyone would just drop it in the “toilet” instead of putting it aside to wash and re-use. Of course I’m trying to avoid that (otherwise I’d just stock up on toilet paper and we certainly don’t have room for enough of that!) There is lots on the web about “family cloths” but it would be great to have your input, since you research everything so thoroughly.
Adrienne says
Hmmm.. I don’t have any thoughts on that right now. Maybe someone else does….
Karen says
I like to recycle t-shirts. I cut them up and use the rags for all sorts of details. If the job is super messy I just throw it in the trash otherwise I have a can that is marked for the rags and I wash them separate. I like a hinge swinging lid so i do not have to open a pail. You can put some water and vinegar in it for the soaking. ON THE ROAD YOU COULD PLACE THEM IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER WITH WATER SO YOU HAVE A CLEANSING CLOTH AT HAND WITHOUT THE NEED TO FIND WATER.
Connie says
Have you done any articles on cloth wipes for adult use–as in “the family cloth”? I’m trying to sort that out for our bug-out bags, and I’d love your perspective on it ’cause you’re my kind of thinker. 🙂
Adrienne says
Hmm….you mean a toilet paper sub?? Thanks for the kind words.
Daphne says
When my sons had sore bottoms or diaper rash, I would mix a bit of cornstarch with warm water to wash/wipe them with. It seemed soothing, and the redness diminished quickly. In a pinch, I would rinse commercial baby wipes thoroughly to remove or lessen any chemicals, then saturate them with cornstarch water.
Adrienne says
Good idea – I do think that I recall cornstarch in the bottom area contributing towards candida issues, however. So other readers might wish to be careful about this.
Cora says
I would suggest using the chlorine-free paper towels. You would be surprised at what nasty chemicals can be on something as simple as paper towels and napkins :/
April says
We use the Target brand back to school cloth wash rags and water. Then we wash them with the diapers. If we see a rash happening then we add a couple TBS of vinegar to some warm water and wipe with that. So glad to see we aren’t the only ones doing cloth wipes.
Monica says
I have the Thirties cloth wipes. I just used water at first but she got a slight rash and I thought maybe she wasn’t getting clean enough. So I switched to regular wipes and the rash went away. Did you ever have trouble getting your kids clean? I mean, she looked clean, but then she got the rash. Maybe they weren’t related, but I don’t know.
Adrienne says
Never had that problem, but you do need to make sure they are wiped thoroughly :-).
Heather says
What brand of paper towel did you find to be the softest option?
Adrienne says
Hmmm…good question! I personally used Bounty, I think, or whatever I had on hand. In fact, in a pinch, I even used those completely-not-soft generic brown paper towels in some public bathrooms. Makes it convenient when you are out and have to change your baby quickly :-).
Janice says
I used to make my own wipes as well. I would cut the paper towel roll in half (to make 2 smaller rolls) then carefully work out the cardboard tube. I found a container that nicely fit the 1/2 roll. Then I remember boiling water (1-2 cups?) then adding a little baby shampoo/oil (1-2 tsp?) to the water then pouring over the end of the 1/2 roll. After that all I had to do was pull a towel section from the inner part of the roll! Sorry I don’t remember the quantities and I threw away the recipe as we have moved passed the baby stage (yeah!).
shelley says
We use homemade wipes here for our two cloth diapered kidos!! Can’t wait ’till the oldest is potty trained!