Hi. I was just wondering if anyone out there has ever tried making their own baby wipes? If so, was the money you saved worth the effort? In other words, would you recommend it? And if so, what is your tried & true recipe that you used?
WOW! I can't believe the amount of great responses I got to my question about homemade baby wipes! This was my first time posting a request on Mamasource. I didn't know if I would get any responses, but I am so pleased to find all these great ideas in my inbox in only a matter of 12 hours! Amazing. Thank you to all who replied!! I still have a bunch of store bought baby wipes that were given to us, but I want to try one or two of these ideas for when those run out. I never even thought of making cloth wipes (& we are using cloth diapers, so that is a good idea). I had seen a recipe for making them with paper towels, but wanted to ask others who have actually tried it. Thanks again to each of you! I really appreciate your help.
Recipe
cut a roll of paper towels in half and pull out the core(Bounty works best)
1 1/4- 1 1/2 c water
1/8 c olive oil or sweet almond oil
2 T castille soap
10 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops lavendar oil (optional-for scent)
container to put them in
I bought a tupperware type container that was tall enough to fit a half roll of paper towels and cut a hole in the top to pull the wipes up from the middle of the role.
I used to make my own, and it was a little time consuming, but worth it. I used an old wipe container, then got paper towels (you have to use strong ones, like Bounty), fold the paper towels, and put them in the box. Now the next part, I don't quite remember the measurements, my baby is 7. But you use warm water ( I'm thinking 2 cups) and I think 1T baby soap and 1T baby oil. Pour the mixture in the container and let them soak. But that's the just of it. It does save money and you know what's in them. Hope that helps.
I to am a Melaluca fan but the other recipes here and ideas are great as well, it's a lot cheaper and if you cloth diaper then it just makes sence to use cloth wipes, to prevent bacteria build up in a container though i keep a spray bottle with my soap solution in it and spray the towels before use and i just use the cheap baby wash clothes. i've never had any problems and i love it, i even bought a spray bottle that fits in the baby bottle warmer so the wipes can be warm in the winter, since room temp water when it's freezing out can be cold. this was very nice when they were really small since i could give them a sponge bath the same way. good luck.
We were given a recipe for homemade wipes as part of a shower gift. We loved them!
The recipe calls for cutting a roll of paper towels in half (a big serrated knife works well - just saw it like a log). Put the towels in a big tupperware-style container that fits them.
From there, put a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of mild liquid soap (we used Doc Bronner's in peppermint) in a 2-cup measure and fill the remainder of the two cups with hot tap water. Stir, and pour over the towels in the plastic container. Cover the container and let it soak in.
The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and results in GREAT wipes that smell good, work well, and don't have scary ingredients. If we traveled, we got a smaller plastic container and put some wipes in it.
They're also VERY inexpensive.
Hope this helps!
A.
I didn't do homemade baby wipes, but my grandmother used and still does if someone in the family doesn't leave wipes, is warm wash clothes. She says that and cloth diapers for 10 kids, she rarely had diaper rash problems.
well not to sound gross or anything, when we hit hard times and had not a whole lot of money, we used wet toilet paper which, works fine, but yet sticks to the baby's bottom, now another thing is, is that we also used washclothes or even just rinsed the baby's bottom in the tub. That is one of the best and cleaner ways. Also, it don't give the baby a rash. :)
We purchased wash cloths (cheaper ones from Meijer or Kmart) and cut them down to wipe size (my mom surged the edge so they won't fray). We purchased a wipe warmer for under $20 and simply wet the wipes and store them in the container. The wipe warmer sits near her changing table and are nice and warm when ready to use. We use cloth diapers, so just throw it all in the diaper pail (but even if you don't use cloth, you could still throw them in the wash with other laundry- just wash on hottest setting to make sterile). It's initially a little bit of work, but once you make the wipes, you never have to make them again. We're still using ours after 16 months. And throwing them in the laundry with other wash is so easy & it's cheaper, better for the environment, and works GREAT. I've never felt the need to use soap or anything- plain old water works fine and the terry cloth cleans up even the worse messes so well but is still gentle on baby's skin. When we're on the go, I just put a handful of wipes in a plastic ziploc baggie and pack a plastic grocery sack to put the soiled wipes in! It really is easy, and saves so much expense. As with anything, once you get use to doing it, it's not hard or "extra work". You just have to choose your priorities. After doing research about what is actually in wipes, I couldn't conceive of using them on our daughter. Some of the ingredients very toxic in larger amounts and while the wipes only have small amounts, what is the accumulative effect? I'd rather be safe than sorry! Good luck.
Use non-printed, and if you can find it, non-bleached papertowels, use an electric knife to cut the roll in half.
Take out the cardboard middle. Find a Tupperware or otherwise sealable container that fits your now about toilepapersized roll. Mix about a cup of water with a couple of tablespoons of your favorite tear-free baby bath, pour ofer the papertowels in said container. Now you have non-irritating safe to use babywipes. I have never figured out if they are cheaper, but after I used Babywipes to remove make -up and I had my skin burning on my face, I figured that would be cruel and unusual punishment to use that on the diaper area. It hurts!!!
Hope this helps.
changing diapers every day is bad enough. especially if you use cloth diapers. trust me when i say you do not want to have to make your own wipes.
A soft wash cloth with gentle soap and warm water is what I used with my newborns. Kinda messy and lots of laundry,but I am sure you could do that longer if you wanted. I'm pretty sure it's what my mom and grandmother used before there were 'wipes'.
I made baby wipes and I love them! I made them flannel on one side and fleece on the other. They are bright and colorful. I do think it's easier if you have a surger, but you can use a regular sewing machine if you have to.
As for the solution I use...
1 pt baby oil
1 pt baby shampoo or head-to-toe wash
4 pts water
You can put it in a spray bottle or I put it in a soap suds pump (PM me for info). Also, you can add a few drops of smelly oils if you want.
Good Luck!
I love making my own wipes. This way I know exactly what is in them. I choose to use Melaleuca products. They have a very easy way to make your own wipes. Feel free to contact me for more information. ____@____.com
I use our old baby wash cloths and old cut up receiving blankets. I use plain water, or I have used a wipes solution in the past (you can find solution on most cloth diaper websites).
I wash the cloth wipes with our diapers (we use cloth diapers, too.)
