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Make Your Own Homemade Baby Wipes

Why would you want to make your own homemade baby wipes?

Money and health.

Estimates across the web for one year of commercial baby wipes range from $350 to more than $1000. That upper number sounds extremely high to me. Either I am just a little more stingy with the wipes than the average mom, or I have had my head in the clouds!

Whatever the actual cost, homemade baby wipes are significantly less expensive than commercial wipes. The actual savings will vary depending on which ingredients you choose to add.

A newborn baby will need to be changed about 8 to 12 times a day, and many of those diapers will contain a bowel movement. Since they are consuming liquid only, their stools are usually loose, messy, and plentiful. This equals a lot of wipes!

Commercial baby wipes are a great convenience, but many contain ingredients that can dry or irritate a baby's delicate skin. At worst, they are being exposed to toxic chemicals14 that may cause an allergic reaction, skin conditions, or ???

Most certainly there are some commercial wipes that are worse than others, but distinguishing which are acceptable will require you put in some major research. (You may also want to start thinking about good, non-toxic options for a diaper rash remedy.

If you want to save some bucks and/or want to be sure what is going on your baby's skin, homemade baby wipes are for you.

How to make your own baby wipes

There are soooo many combinations that will make a great baby wipe recipe. Browse through the following options, or if you'd prefer, scroll to the bottom of the page for some visitor submitted recipes for a great homemade diaper wipes.

You will need...

A Container

• A spray or squirt bottle for wetting the wipes on an "as-needed" basis. (This may be the best option. Due to the lack of preservatives, home made wipes tend to mold faster than commercial baby wipes.)

  OR

• A container, such as a large coffee can, an empty wipe container, or a plastic container with an airtight lid. (If you go this route, make only enough homemade baby wipes to use within a week to avoid the mildew problem.)

Wipes

• Strong, heavy paper towels (Don't be tempted to go cheap on this. They will fall apart or will be so thin that you will end up using more.) You may leave these on the roll if you will be using the squirt bottle. If you will be using them pre-moistened, you may tear, fold, and place them in the container. The other option is to cut the roll in half with a knife, and place half in the container. After adding the liquid, remove the center tube and pull the wipes up from the middle of the roll when needed.

  OR

• Cloth squares - soft washcloths or cut-up receiving blankets work well for making cloth diaper wipes (this option has the added benefit of reducing environmental waste).

Solution Ingredients
This can include any number of items. Choose from each of the 3 categories below and experiment with what works well for you and your baby. The amounts shown are only a guide for general quantities. You should start out with the smallest amounts listed to make sure that it doesn't cause a skin reaction. Place the ingredients in an airtight container. Shake the container until the solution is completely combined.

• Water
  This will be the main ingredient in your wipe solution. Water is necessary to dilute the other ingredients, and is necessary for cleaning your baby. It often works best for mixing the ingredients if the water is very hot. (Be sure to cool the water before using on your baby.) Use about 2 cups.

• Skin Conditioners/Softeners - choose 1 or 2
  
  * olive oil- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL)

  * lanolin (such as Lansinoh) 1/8 tsp ( <1 mL)

  * sunflower oil - 2 Tbsp. (30 mL)

  

  * baby oil or lotion - 2 Tbsp (30 mL) (these often contain questionable ingredients, so choose wisely

  * glycerine - 1 Tbsp. (15 mL)

  * aloe vera - 2 Tbsp. cup (30 mL)

  * almond oil - 2 tsp. (10 mL)

  * apricot oil - 2 tsp. (10 mL)

• Skin Treatment/Cleansers - choose 1 to 3 of the following (If using an essential oil, be sure to use pure therapeutic grade, not synthetic.)
  
  * calendula oil - 2 tsp. (10 mL)

  * dill oil - 1 to 2 drops

  * tea tree oil - use 1 to 3 drops

  * baby wash or shampoo - 1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 mL) - use a natural soap since many baby washes/shampoos are known to have small levels of carcinogens 14

  (This baby wash from Earth Mama Angel Baby is my choice for a non-toxic wash.)

  * chamomile oil - 1 to 2 drops

  * chamomile tea - brew the hot water with 2 tea bags

  * lavender oil - 1 to 4 drops

  * Vitamin E - break and squeeze out one capsule

Since many of the above ingredients are already scented, there is no need to add an additional scent. Additionally, some scents are irritating to sensitive skin.

Puzzling over where you might find some of these ingredients? Use the Amazon.com search feature to check them out!

If you have any questions regarding the appropriateness of any particular ingredients in your homemade baby wipes, be sure to consult with your baby's doctor.

Did you find everything that you were looking for?
If not, please use the search below.

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See Related Articles

Need a Diaper Rash Remedy?

Time for a Diaper Change

Diaper Bag Checklist

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