Earlier this month, I had a moment where I thought, “OK, time to panic.” My husband had just been to every store in our area and come up empty handed with a must-have item: baby wipes.
We’d already placed an online order to restock, but it would take days to arrive. I was down to the last few baby wipes I had at home. Help! The coronavirus pandemic had already limited our sense of security and ability to do, well, anything outside our home — but now I wasn’t going to be able to properly care for my baby? This was too much.
Before I started crying like a baby, I had a thought. What if I could make my own baby wipes? A quick online search provided several recipes, but some of the needed products were not readily available in my pantry. So, I had to be a bit inventive with my steps. Guess what? Despite my initial misgivings, the result was amazing! My hubby even claimed my homemade baby wipes cleaned our tot’s bum better than store-bought wipes. And, the process was so easy and used such few resources, I think I may just continue making my own DIY baby wipes from here on out.
Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to make your own baby wipes along with the only four products you’ll need to turn a potential emergency into a sense of relief and accomplishment.
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1 of 4 Image Credits: Bed Bath & Beyond
Storage Container
Progressive SnapLock Rectangular Food Storage Container
You’ll need a storage container for your wipes. A rectangular shaped vessel works well since you’ll be using paper towel roll halves. Any brand of paper towel will do, so whatever you have on-hand or can find is totally fine, even if you have to beg a neighbor who majorly stocked up.
Specifications:
Snap-hinge closure and silicone seal
BPA free
4 cups (32 ounces)
2 of 4 Image Credits: Overstock
Heavy Duty Scissors
Cuisinart Kitchen Shears
The next step is to cut your paper towel roll in half. Each batch of baby wipes requires half of a paper towel roll. Make two batches at a time, or keep the leftover half for later. Regular scissors won’t cut it (see what we just did there?). Try heavy-duty kitchen shears to make the task easy. Bonus: Kitchen shears always come in handy! Get it? OK, we'll stop.
Specifications:
Soft grip handles
Stainless steel blades
Lifetime warranty
3 of 4 Image Credits: Burt's Bees Baby
Baby Wash
Burt’s Bees Calming Shampoo & Wash
Boil a small pot of water, about two cups. To the boiling water, you’ll add a few drops of baby soap. Don’t overdo it! Any baby wash works, but we love the scent of this gentle and non-irritating Burt’s Bees formula.
Specifications:
21 ounces
98.9 % natural
4 of 4 Image Credits: Fresh Direct
Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The last ingredient you’ll need to DIY safe and gentle baby wipes is oil. I used olive oil, but baby oil or coconut oil will work just as well. Again, add just a few drops to the water, and let the mixture combine in a rolling boil for a moment or two. Turn off the heat. Place your half roll of paper towel in the storage container. Once the liquid has cooled a bit, carefully pour it on top of the paper towel roll. Soon, the cardboard roll in the center will be soft enough to remove easily. Wait until the baby wipes have cooled to room temperature before using them on your little one’s behind.
Specifications:
16.9 fluid ounces
