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.
Cheeky Wipes Washable Wipes Starter Kit
A great value kit that is ideal for bottoms and sticky faces and fingers.
These cotton wipes have a terry towelling texture that is great for removing poop. The fabric is super soft so it will feel lovely on your baby’s bottom.
We love that all you need for gentle and fast nappy changes is a small square of quality fabric, water and drops of anti-bacterial essential oil.
Pros
They wash and dry beautifully, so quick and easy!
Features
The kits include twenty-five wipes, a handy travel bag, a storage box with sturdy lid and an effective but kind essential oil solution
Bambino Mio Washable Wipes
These fluffy wipes have lots of gentle cleaning power. The squares of absorbent material are bigger than other brands so would be good for older babies and toddlers.
It’s reassuring to know that these fab wipes are free from drying alcohol, parabens and chlorine so your little one’s delicate skin is protected.
Pros
The different colours are a useful idea as you can use each colour for a different task. You’ll have wipes for poo and wipes for tidying up carrot puree covered faces.
Features
Bambino Mio wipes are made from 80% cotton and 20% polyester, so they are easy to wash and dry.
DualVertex Bamboo Terry Washable Baby Wipes
Bamboo is a wonderful versatile fabric with high absorbency, anti-bacterial properties and lots of breathability. It is perfect for use as a washable baby wipe, face and hand cloth, make up remover or even as a tissue. They can be used either wet or dry.
Pros
These wipes are robust and strong. They wash and dry well without shedding.
Features
The thick un-dyed, biodegradable fabric is 70% bamboo and 30% cotton terry, so it is soft and 100% natural. All you need is water and some drops of essential oil or squirts of nappy spray.
Little Gubbins Microfibre Baby Wipes
The pretty colours of these Mother and Baby Silver Award winning wipes will help you to colour code their uses. No-more wiping face and bum cheeks with the same cloth!
These wipes are not recommended for use on dirty bottoms.
Pros
These extra-large wipes are crafted from micro-fibre, a material that dries FAST (less time for bacteria to grow) and has an amazing level of absorbency. No nasty dyes are used in the manufacturing process which is good news for those with reactive skin.
Features
Little Gubbins AZO free micro-fibre can be used wet or dry and is easy to wash and tumble. A free laundry bag is included.
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.
