With the recent COVID-19 crisis, shoppers have been grabbing many personal care items off the shelves to stay stocked for a few months while practicing social distancing. And that includes—you guessed it—baby wipes.
If you are a young child’s parent in diapers(1), those empty wipe shelves mean you might have to get a little imaginative with your diaper changes until stores are restocked. The good news? You can prepare your own baby wipes with things you probably already have in your pantry. Here’s what you need to know:
How to Make Reusable (Organic) Cloth Wipes for Babies?
If you plan to prepare DIY baby wipes, then the first option you may consider is making cloth wipes for your baby. The best thing about preparing cloth wipes is that they are washable, which means you reuse them.
However, these are not the same as the paper wipes that you are familiar with. This is because cloth wipes are needed to be used with a wipe solution. Here’s how you can prepare homemade cloth baby wipes:
What You Will Need
- Soft cotton flannel (which is washable and chemical-free)
- Scissors
- Sewing machine (you can stitch with hand also)
- A spray bottle
- Two spoons each of baby oil and baby shampoo (you can also use baby wash)
- 2 cups of water
How to Prepare
- Cut the cloth in the required size.
- Place two pieces on one another and secure by stitching all the ends.
- Place all the wet ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well.
- Whenever needed, take some homemade wipe solution on to the cloth wipe and apply it.
- You can also use old cotton shirts or cotton blankets to prepare baby wipes.
How to Use and Store
It is essential to remember that when you are using natural ingredients and no preservatives to prepare a wipe solution, then they have a very brief shelf life. You can store the wipes in a plastic bag or container. When the requirement arises, take out a cloth wipe and spray a little solution for use on your baby.
How to Prepare Disposable Paper Towel Baby Wipes?
If you find using and making cloth wipes too much of a task, you can make paper towel baby wipes. These wipes are very simple to make and comfortable to use. Here’s how to make:
What You Will Need
- A good quality paper towel roll
- A sharp knife
- 150 ml of water
- 15-20 ml baby shampoo or baby wash
- 15-20 ml of baby oil
- A big bowl
- Measuring cup
How to Make
- Cut the paper roll into two halves by using a sharp knife.
- Mix water, baby oil, and baby wash in a measuring cup.
- Pour the solution in a big bowl and immerse paper roll in it. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Now repeat the process from the other side as well.
- Once wholly soaked, take out the cardboard roll from inside.
- Your wipes are ready to use.
How to Use and Store
You can store these wipes in a homemade baby wipe container or any clean plastic bag. Whenever you need a wipe, gently take out a wipe from the box, and use it for your baby.
You can surely use these wipes for a couple of weeks. However, refrain from storing it for prolonged periods as there are no preservatives used to make them durable.
[Also Read: Home Remedies for Diaper Rash]
How to Prepare DIY Baby Wipes Solution?
You can easily prepare the baby wipes solution by using various natural ingredients available at your home. These are not only simple to make but extremely safe for your baby’s sensitive skin.
What Ingredients Can Be Used for Preparing the Solution?
Here are some commonly used recipes and ingredients for preparing
DIY baby wipes:
1. Oil
Oil is one of the finest ingredients for preparing baby wipes as it will not only make your baby’s skin supple but soft, but it is ideal for conveniently wiping your baby’s skin.
2. Soap
Soap is an excellent cleaning agent and useful for cleaning the poop and urine traces.
3. Essential Oil
Essential oil is a brilliant choice for baby wipes, and as they come with some additional benefits. Lavender oil for its antibacterial properties, can be used for calming and soothing and benefits and even tea tree oil can be used.
4. Water
Water is an essential ingredient for preparing baby wipes. It helps in blending all the ingredients and also makes it easier for the ingredients to spread fastly.
These are a few of the ingredients that you can use to prepare baby wipes. You may follow some of the recipes that are mentioned below.
Recipes For Homemade Baby Wipes
If you are thinking about how to use the ingredients mentioned above to make wipes effectively worry not, as here we have some simple to prepare homemade baby wipes recipes:
1) Antibacterial Baby Wipe Solution
Your baby pees and poops a lot in the early months after birth, and thus his private parts become the preferred place for various kinds of bacteria to survive and grow. This antibacterial baby wipe solution can help in keeping bacterial infections at bay. Here what you need:
- 2-3 drops of lavender oil
- 2-3 drops of tea tree oil
- One tablespoon calendula oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white)
- 100 ml of water
- 40-50 ml pure aloe vera gel
Avoid vinegar in case your baby has a skin rash or a skin allergy. Some babies are sensitive to tea tree oil, too; you should avoid it if your baby is sensitive to tea tree oil.
2) Easy Baby Wipe Solution
This one is straightforward and simple to make. Here what you require:
- 10-20 ml of baby wash
- 10-20 ml of baby oil
- 100 ml of water
These are ideal homemade wipes for allergic skin, and you may include any essential oil for some additional benefits.
3) Chamomile and Almond Solution
You can use these DIY baby wipes for diaper rash as they are very gentle on your baby’s skin. Here’s what all you need for preparing these wipes:
- 250 ml of hot water
- 15-20 ml of almond oil
- Two chamomile tea bags
How To Prepare:
- Put the tea bags in hot water and let the nourishment of tea get into the water.
- Take out after some time and add almond oil.
- These homemade wipes without baby oil are smooth and very safe for the baby’s skin.
- If your baby is susceptible, then handmade baby wipes made with coconut oil can be applied.
Bottom Line
There is no doubt that DIY baby wipes are perfect for your baby, but sometimes your baby may have an allergic reaction due to the presence of certain substances. Therefore, keep your baby’s allergy at the back of your mind before using any ingredients for preparing wipes.
Homemade wipes have a very brief shelf-life; therefore, keep throwing away the unused old wipes and make fresh ones for your baby every 2 to 3 weeks. However, if you notice that your baby develops a rash or an allergy due to homemade baby wipes, you should seek urgent medical assistance.
