Make homemade baby wipes with tea tree oil to and prevent your baby from the harmful chemicals in commercial baby wipes! Keep reading to find out more.
Babies require special care and exclusive products that cater solely to their needs. Over the years, the baby products industry has witnessed a massive turnover. One of the products that have been in high demand since it was first marketed in 1957 is Baby Wipes. It was invented by Arthur Julius, who had years of experience in the cosmetic industry. A Baby Wipe is a moistened piece of cloth or plastic used to clean a baby’s bottom after a diaper change. It comes in individual wrappers packed in plastic cases. You can use baby wipes to clean your baby’s hands or face too.
Commercial Baby Wipes
Baby wipes are made of non-woven fabric, mostly polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene or viscose, rayon, and cotton. It looks like tissue paper but is stronger, softer, more absorbent, and is stretchy. It is moistened with water or other liquids like isopropyl alcohol.
You cannot wash or reuse it and is sold as a disposable, non-flushable product. For busy working parents, it is convenient, simple, and readily portable. It is generally water-based and has no germ-killing ingredients, specifically for the baby’s delicate skin. Besides, some brands have a mild detergent, a moisturizing agent, mild fragrance, and preservatives.
Can we make Wipes at home?
There is a growing demand for wipes made of natural fibers and organic ingredients and no chemicals. Homemade wipes are safer, more economical as well. Homemade baby wipes are washable and reusable, which makes it even more preferable. You can make the cleansing solution and store it in the refrigerator in a spray bottle and spray it on a cleaning cloth or paper towel when needed. Tea tree oil in the solution acts as a natural preservative and will stop the growth of mold on the wipe. Check out our recipe for homemade baby wipes with tea tree oil below.
Homemade Baby Wipes with Tea Tree Oil
What You Need
- 1.5 Cups of water
- A roll of paper towels
- Container with Lid
- 3-4 drops of tea tree oil
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- Organic castor oil or Baby Shampoo
What To Do
- Take a roll of paper towels and cut it in half using a sharp knife or a scissor. Put one of the paper towel roll halves in a square container. Save the other half for when you’ll make another batch.
- Boil 1.5 cups of water and add a squirt of natural soap solution to it. You can either use organic castile soap or baby shampoo for this step. Just keep in mind that whatever you choose, it should be free of harmful chemicals so that it doesn’t affects your baby’s delicate skin.
- Now, add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil and a spoon of white vinegar to the water.
- Pour the solution over the paper towels and remove the cardboard from it.
- Now, close the lid of the container and let it rest until it cools down.
- After cooling, pull individual wipes out from the center of the roll. A batch of these homemade wipes should last for a few weeks.
Tea tree oil and vinegar will fight mold growth and yeast infection, respectively. However, make sure you use good quality, absorbent paper towels. You can cut the roll into thirds too depending on the size you need.
DIY Reusable Baby Wipes
What You Need
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup 100% aloe Vera gel
- 1 tbsp calendula oil
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 2 drops lavender oil
- 2 drops tea tree oil
What To Do
Mix all the ingredients and store the solution in the fridge in a spray bottle. You can squirt the solution on to a microfiber cloth. Once you clean your baby’s skin, wash and disinfect the cloth by drying it under direct sun. The solution will last for a week or two, but it is best to make it fresh every week.
Commercial Wipes Vs. Homemade Wipes
1. Environmental Aspect
Most of the commercial baby wipes have 70 to 100% polyester, which is a plastic made from petroleum. One packet of Baby Wipes has the equivalent of 8 to 10 plastic bags. This is environmentally and ecologically a hazard. Whereas, homemade wipes are either cotton, paper, or natural fibers such as bamboo, which are environmentally and dermatologically safe.
2. Preservative Aspect
Preservatives like formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing agents are popular in commercial wipes to prevent mold growth on the wipes. These agents can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, and even cancer. A chemical preservative Methylisothiazolinone(MI) in wipes has caused painful red rashes in some babies. While with homemade baby wipes, you can use chemical preservative-free and make fresh batches every week
3. Economical Aspect
On an average, you need to spend 10 to 45 dollars per month on wipes alone, depending on the brand you use and the number of wipes needed per day. The baby wipes market is predicted to touch 30 billion $ in 2024. On the other hand, a box of homemade wipes can cost 1$. Homemade baby wipes with tea tree oil are clearly more pocket-friendly.
The latest types of wipes come with better natural fibers, are biodegradable, have alcohol free cleansers, and have skin-protecting ingredients like aloe Vera. This hikes up their cost. But with homemade wipes, you can make simpler versions with less expensive but effective ingredients and cut down on the cost.
4. pH Balance
Some brands of wipes can mess up the pH balance of your baby’s delicate skin. But by using pure water in homemade wipes, you can maintain the optimal pH balance of your baby’s skin.
5. Parabens
Even the brands with ‘natural wipes’ label on them contain parabens, which prolong the product’s shelf life. It is absorbed by the skin and may disrupt hormone production, cause reproductive disorders, and developmental and learning problems. Look for words like ethyl, butyl, etc. in the ingredients list of the baby wipe to see if it has parabens.
Your homemade wipes are paraben-free and free of other harmful chemicals.
6. Disposal
You have to dispose off the commercial wipes as they are not reusable and most of them are not biodegradable. This harms your monthly budget as well as the environment. You can use recyclable paper towels or a microfiber cloth to make homemade wipes. While paper is recyclable, microfiber cloth can be reused.
Benefits of using tea tree oil in homemade wipes
- Tea tree oil, obtained from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia tree, which is native to Australia, has been a part of aboriginal medicine for centuries. It is both safe and inexpensive.
- Tea tree oil has antibacterial property, which stops molds from growing on homemade wipes. It is a natural preservative.
- It has skin-healing powers and can even heal diaper rash.
- Has compounds like terpinen-4-ol, which kill bacteria, viruses and fight fungal skin conditions.
- Increases WBC activity, thereby fighting infections and accelerating healing.
- Its anti-inflammatory property makes it effective against psoriasis, and contact dermatitis.
It is definitely worth the effort to make baby wipes at home. After all, when it comes to your baby, you cannot afford to take chances. Make these homemade baby wipes with tea tree oil and use the goodness of natural ingredients to keep baby safe, comfortable, and healthy.
