Easy DIY baby wipes and wipe solution

by Anya Dunham, PhD

A tutorial for DIY baby wipes and wipe solution: a quick project to make something you will use every day!

There are a few reasons to make your own cloth wipes:

• Homemade wipes are better for your baby’s fresh skin than store-bought ones
• They are kinder to the environment
• They are much more affordable!

Here is a tutorial for easy DIY baby wipes, along with my favorite cloth-diaper-friendly wipe solution recipe.

How to make cloth wipes

First, gather your fabric. You can use:

- Thin cotton terry towel.

- Bamboo terry towel. This is my favorite: so soft and stretchy.

- Flannel. You can purchase flannel fabric in fun prints or consider an economical option: flannel receiving blankets. Second-hand receiving blankets are great for this project.

Next, cut your fabric into approximately 8 x 8 inch squares:

If you are using flannel, you don’t have to finish the edges: flannel does not unravel much. However, you can finish the edges using a serger (overlocker) or an overcasting stitch on a regular sewing machine. You can also sew two squares of flannel together for double-thickness if you like.

If you are using cotton or bamboo terry towel, finish the edges using a serger or an overcasting stitch on a regular sewing machine. And you are done!

How many baby wipes will you need? Well, it depends on how often you like to do laundry, but 30-40 wipes is usually enough. I wash cloth wipes with our cloth diapers every second or third day and have about 30 wipes in rotation.

DIY baby wipes solution recipe

Unlike other wipe solution recipes, this recipe does not include olive or coconut oil, so it will not lead to build-up of residue on cloth diapers. I find this solution works great for keeping baby's gentle skin clean and rash-free. 

Recipe

You will need:

• 1 Tbsp baby soap or 3 drops unscented castile soap
• 2 Tbsp Aloe vera
• 2 Tbsp Witch Hazel
• 3 cups (750 ml) boiled and cooled water

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together. Use this solution to moisten cloth wipes in a wipe warmer or pour into a spray bottle to spray individual dry wipes just before use.

Storing wipe solution

I store our wipe solution in a mason jar. Printing the recipe and adding it to the jar as a label helped me replenish our stock without having to look up the recipe again.

I also used a cloth wipe warmer (I had this one) when my babies were very young and needed diaper changes in the middle of the night. I found pre-moistened wipes were easier to use, and because the wipes were warm, diaper changes were less likely to fully wake the baby.

Speaking of very young babies… you might want to use something totally different during diaper changes in the first few days. Luckily, you almost certainly already have what you need on hand.

Best for the first few diaper changes: cotton rounds and oil!

This may sound strange but I promise you will find this useful:

Prepare a package of cotton rounds and a small container of olive oil or fractionated coconut oil. If you are having a hospital birth, add these to your hospital bag. Cotton rounds and oil are the best for wiping meconium, baby’s first tar-like bowel movements!

Use diaper changes as a special time

If you slow down, let your baby be an active participant, and avoid using negative language (like “eww” or “stinky”), your baby will experience:

- being treated respectfully and lovingly
- feeling capable
- feeling connected

... again and again, 2500 times or more (!) during the first year.

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Warmly,

Anya

Hello! I'm Anya Dunham, a scientist with a PhD in Biology, an award-winning author, and a mom to three young kids. Here and in my book, Baby Ecology, I analyze the research on baby's first year to find the optimal nurturing environment — the (usually wide) range of good options — to help you choose what works best for your baby and your family. Welcome!

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