The Best Reusable Baby Wipes

Washable baby wipes are the natural partner to reusable nappies. Money saving, eco-minded and skin friendly, what’s not to love?

A shopping guide to reusable wet wipes.

Why choose reusable baby wipes

The benefits for baby

Cloth wipes are great on sensitive skin as they are made from soft fabric which doesn’t contain the cleaning agents that disposable wipes do. Water and sweet -smelling essential oil are all that is needed. 

Benefits for the carer

• Poo friendly – cloth wipes have more traction, so the first wipe is super-efficient at moving poo. 
• Thicker – you’re not a parent if you’ve not has poo under your fingernail at least once but the thicker the wipe the less chance of unexpected holes! 
• Time saving- a textured terry wipe will make short work of a nappy explosion, no more bored or cold wiggly babies to wrestle!

Money saving – it’s a no-brainer

• The average pack of good quality disposable wipes costs £2.50. If you are using two a week that’s £520 over two years. 
• If you use £6.95 a pack eco conscious wipes that would work out at a ridiculous £1444. 
• Now, imagine you’d had twins! 

In comparison a starter kit of washable wipe plus accessories would cost around £60 and would last for two years at the very least. 

Reduce your impact on the environment

Why are disposable baby wipes so bad for a planet that is already in crisis? 

• Plastic Wipes are 80% plastic. These micro-plastics break up into even tinier fragments and scientists have discovered that they are entering the food chain, causing harm to creatures and polluting our seas and beaches. 
• Packaging – few brands of wipes utilise recyclable packaging.
• Landfill – millions of non-biodegradable wipes end up amongst landfill each year, they will stay in the earth forever. 
• Flushed wipes – not everyone understands that baby wipes must not be flushed down the loo so thousands of them are entering our water supplies, rivers and oceans. 

Hint and tips on how to use reusable baby wipes

• Use a different colour for each job. 
• You’ll need 20-40 cloth wipes.
• How to store reusable wipes? Purchase two different coloured storage tubs with lids one to keep clean wipes in and the other with soaking agent or essential oils in for dirties. 
• Essential oils are lovely to use on your washables. Use soothing lavender for clean baby bum wipes and tea tree for the dirty ones. 
• Buy a mesh bag to line your dirty tub so that wipes are easy to transport to the washing machine. 
• A waterproof transport bag for at least 10 wipes is a good idea for your nappy bag. 
• Wipes will shrink slightly when first washed. 

How to clean reusable baby wipes 

• If the wipes you use for poo are particularly grim, soak them in the bucket with your reusable nappies. 
• Washable baby wipes are designed to go in the washing machine at 30-60 degrees. 
• Many carers will just chuck a tub of washable wipes in with the rest of the wash, just as they would a baby grow that has been through a nappy explosion. This is completely fine! 
• A hot wash every so often is prudent. It will refresh and remove any stains. 
• No need to dry! Just put them back in the clean wipe box. 

How to make reusable baby wipes

• Make your own cloth baby wipes with either cotton or bamboo fabric. 
• Old T-shirts and towels would work well, just cut them to size. 
• Alternatively, a pack of flannels would be a ready-made solution. 
• For mealtimes just use water.
• For nappy changes use wipes that have been treated with a few drops of lavender oil or camomile tea.