Image credit to Wallpaper Flare
The Best Cloth Diapers If you’re looking for ways to save some bucks right after the baby’s arrival, you definitely aren’t alone. The next tip could be very handy: making your own reusable baby wipes. Homemade baby wipes can indeed be worth additional hassle if you have time and the will to do so.
Make homemade baby wipes, either reusable or disposable, saving tons off the $5,000 to $10,000 annual expense in the case of reusables. They will help reduce waste, too. Another benefit of making baby wipes at home is knowing exactly what products and ingredients are going to come into contact with your baby’s skin. Follow these steps to learn how to make your own reusable or disposable wipes.
How To Make Reusable Wipes
The waste is, therefore, reduced since people can use cloth wipes over and over again. Making them will, however, require some sewing. You can sew the cloth wipes either by hand or using a sewing machine if you have one.
However, you do not have to need to be good at sewing in order for you to have this project done successfully. Where you will be using the wipes on your baby’s sensitive skin, ensure that the products you use are fragrance-free.
What you will need to make reusable wipes:
- 2 cups of hot water
- 2 tablespoons of baby oil
- 2 tablespoons of baby shampoo or baby wash Be sure.
- Receiving blankets, flannel shirts, or baby washcloths
- Scissors
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
- Spray bottle
Step-by-step pictures to make re-usable wipes:
Cut blankets, shirts, or washcloths into 8-inch by 8-inch squares.
Put one square of fabric on top of another square.
With a serger or using a tight zigzag stitch on the sewing machine, sew around the edges to secure squares together.
Wipe Solution: In a spray bottle mix water and baby shampoo or baby wash. Add in baby oil. Shake to mix.
When it is time to do a wipe, lightly spray the wipe with the wipe solution. Wipes can be thrown in the garbage can.
Washing Homemade Baby Wipes
Always wash dirty wipes before putting them in with your regular laundry. Never combine it with your family’s laundry. Set your washer to hot/sanitizing.
How to Make Disposable Wipes
If you just can’t bring yourself to get on the reusable wipe bandwagon, or if you don’t have the time to really develop proper sewing skills, you can also make disposable wipes for routine baby care. Paper towels make great disposable wipes at a fraction of the cost of store-bought wipes.
What you need to make disposable wipes
cup water
roll of premium paper towels
tablespoon of baby shampoo or baby wash
tbsp baby oil
large bowl
large liquid measuring cup
serrated knife
Step-by-step for making disposable wipes:
Cut a roll of paper towels in half with a sharp, serrated knife. Leave the cardboard tube intact.
Mix together in a liquid measuring cup water, baby shampoo or baby wash, and baby oil.
Place the paper towels with the cardboard tube left in the middle in a large dish and pour the liquid over the top of them. Allow the paper towels to soak for 10 minutes.
Turn over the towels and soak for another 10 minutes. If some adjustment is needed in the mixture or the soaking time, it can be done now to have the towels really saturated.
Remove the cardboard tube before it gets too soaked that the towels are. Wipes to dispense through the center of the roll.
Safety and Storage
Also, just make sure that anything you do use in your blend for a baby is safe and non-toxic for babies and very young children. Florencia Segura, MD, board-certified pediatrician, Einstein Pediatrics, Vienna, Virginia: She said all soaps and oils should be fragrance-free to minimize the risk of a reaction your baby might have.
Keep in mind that because these don’t have preservatives in them, they’re not going to last quite as long as those commercial baby wipes do. As a precautionary measure against mold, homemade baby wipes should not be kept longer than three to four days, according to Dr. Segura.
You can store homemade wipes in any clean and airtight container. Most probably, you will get something lying around the home that will fit the bill. Large plastic bags, plastic storage containers, or empty disposable wipes containers can be used for storing homemade wipes.
Also Read : How to Break Up With Your Child Care Provider
Properties of Homemade Wipes vs Commercial Wipes
You can never go wrong with those baby wipes from the store. At the very least, it saves hassle and time when you really need it. I understand that people are always hunting for a more “natural” way to go, and even in the past twenty years, several attempts have been made to remove some of the abrasive and alarming ingredients from the commercial wipes’ formulation so as to be effective yet gentle on babies.
Added to this is the fact that, if you have a baby who has skin allergies or sensitive skin, by making your own wipes, you will know exactly what you are putting in them. That way, you can be sure that only the gentlest ingredients will reach your baby’s sensitive skin.
