I first heard about fellow mom friends making their own baby wipes years ago while attending MOPS (mothers of preschoolers). I’m embarrassed to say that nearly 10 years and three kids later I finally tried it myself! It’s so easy! It’s even kinda fun. I don’t have much time for creative pursuits these days, so taking the time to choose my ingredients counts as “craft time” in my book!

The recipe I’m going to share with you was given to me by a friend and is very similar to all the other recipes you’ll find out there online. However, she calls for less soap and oil which I’m all for since skin sensitivity has always been an issue for my babies. Also, I chose to replace the traditional baby wash/soap and baby oil called for in most recipes with more natural selections like almond oil and Aveeno Lavender and Vanilla baby wash or Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash which I love because it’s 98.9% natural.

Supplies:

1 roll of paper towels (the thicker the better for a stronger wipe, recycled paper towels are a great eco-friendly choice too)

1 serrated knife (for cutting the paper towels in half)

2 plastic containers with lids (I found mine in a 2 pack at Wal-mart for about $2.50)

1 two cup measuring cup

1 tea kettle

1 cutting board

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of baby wash/soap (I like Aveeno or Burt’s Bees brands)

1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil (instead of baby oil)

6-8 drops of lavender essential oil (entirely optional,you can use other scents too according to your preference or none at all)

1 3/4 boiled hot water

Begin by boiling the water in a kettle. While the water is boiling cut the paper towel roll in half with the serrated knife on a cutting board using some muscle and a see saw action.

Place the paper towel in the containers cut side down. Once the water is ready, pour it into your measuring cup.

Add 1 T. of sweet almond oil and 1 T. of soap/wash and 6-8 drops of lavender essential oil (optional). Stir well. Pour over paper towel in one container. Repeat process for the second container. Pull out the card board centers, they should slip out easily. Place the lids on the containers securely. Turn the containers upside down and let them sit for 5-10 minutes to thoroughly saturate the paper towels. Turn right side up, let sit another 5-10 minutes.

Pull the wipes from the center as needed and enjoy! When researching recipes online I found that many people believe that boiling the water is a great deterrent against mold. I have never had any mold issues, but I always boil the water and using lavender and other essential oils that act as antibacterials probably helps. Making your own wipes is a great way to save money (they cost about 1 penny per wipe) and  create an eco-friendly product. It feels great to know exactly what”s in them and what you are putting against your baby’s precious little bum!