Make Your Own Wipe Solution
Wipe solutions are so easy to make and can save you money too! Use them for cleaning sticky hands and messy faces as well as dirty bottoms. Unlike commercial wipes, these recipes don't contain alcohol or chemicals, and they smell good. Use these recipes on cloth wipes or make your own disposable wipes and save even more money! To make disposable wipes, cut high quality paper towels in half, or leave whole for full-size wipes.
Common Cloth Wipe Solution Ingredients:
Many wipe solution recipes contain similar main ingredients, which are used for the same reason in each recipe. These are the common ingredients and why they're included:
- Oil: Helps the wipe glide across baby's skin and keeps skin soft
- Soap: Cleanses by removing all traces of urine and feces
- EO: (Essential Oil) Added for antibacterial and/or aromatherapy purposes.
- Water: The main ingredient in each recipe, cleanses the diaper area and dilutes the other ingredients
The type and amounts of oil, soap, EO and water that goes into a recipe is what gives each cloth wipe solution it's own distinct "personality". Have fun trying different recipes until you find the ones that you like best!
How to Use Cloth Wipe Solutions
When mixing solutions it works best to start with oil and end with water. The oil will coat your measuring tools so the soap slips right off. Be sure to add the water slowly or you'll end up with a ton of bubbles! Most of the time it's easiest to gently mix the wipe solution in a bottle with a cover, then pour it into the storage container.
There are many different ways to store and apply wipe solutions to your wipes, try a few of the following ideas to find the one that works best for your family. You may discover that one system works great at home and another works great away from home. Here's some ideas to get you started:- Use a spray bottle to spritz baby's bottom or the wipes. (For baby's comfort we prefer spraying the wipes)
- Use a bottle with a pull-up spout (like on bottled-water bottles) to dribble solution onto the wipes.
- Warm solution and place in an insulated container to provide warm wipes for baby.
- Place the solution into a commercial baby wipes container and dip wipes into the solution.
- Place cloth wipes in a commercial baby wipes container and pour wipes solution over wipes.
- A commercial baby wipes container can be placed in a wipes warmer to provide cozy warm wipes for baby.
Don't store solution or wet wipes for a long time because they can become musty and the wet wipes may even grow mildew - ewww! Check your solution and wet wipes daily, and mix smaller batches of solution frequently instead of large batches less often to avoid mustiness. We mix fresh solution once a week, store it in a bottled-water bottle, and have not had any problems with mustiness.
Cloth Wipe Solution Recipes
Almond 'n' Chamomile
Steep the tea bags in the hot water then add the oil.
2 chamomile tea bags
2 teaspoons almond oil
2 cups hot water
Anti-Fungal
Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
A few drops lavender oil
A few drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1 cup water
Anti-Fungal Too
Similar to the other anti-fungal recipe, but less vinegar and water.
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
A few drops lavender oil
A few drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1/2 cup water
Basic Wipe Solution
This basic recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil.
1/2 cup baby oil
1/2 cup baby wash
2 cups water
Castile Solution
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap comes in several yummy scents!
1 tablespoon almond, apricot, or other oil
1 tablespoon Dr Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap
2 drops tea tree oil
1 drop lavender oil
1 cup water
Chamomile 'n' Honey
Brew the tea, add the honey, and drink any leftovers!
1 chamomile tea bag
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup boiling water
Easy Peasy
Just three simple ingredients...
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons baby wash
1 1/2 cups water
Eight is Great
Similar ingredients as other recipes, but in different amounts.
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup baby wash
8 drops lavender oil
4 drops tea tree oil
2 cups water
Fruit 'n' Veggie
Dr Bronner's soaps can often be found in organic markets.
1 teaspoon fruit or vegetable-based oil (apricot, olive, grapeseed, etc)
1 tablespoon vegetable-based soap (like Dr. Bronner's liquid castile)
1 teaspoon 100% aloe vera gel
1 cup water
Just One
Just one "something" of each ingredient for this recipe.
1 chamomile tea bag
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon baby bath or shampoo
1 drop lavendar oil
1 cup hot water
Lavender 'n' Tea Tree
Lavender and Tea Tree are popular EO choices for wipe solutions.
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon baby shampoo
4 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil
3 cups water
Lanolin & Glycerine
Lanolin and glycerine moisturize without oil.
1 tablespoon liquid glycerine
1/4 teaspoon liquid lanolin (100% pure)
1 tablespoon baby wash
1-3 drops EO
4 cups water
Lotion Potion
Baby lotion adds more softening power to this solution.
1 tablespoon baby oil
1 tablespoon baby soap
1 tablespoon baby lotion
1 cup water
Magic Baby
Baby Magic products are usually easy to find in local stores.
1/2 cup Baby Magic oil
1/2 cup Baby Magic wash
2 cups water
No Measuring
Don't measure for this one, just estimate amounts.
2 squirts baby oil
2 squirts baby wash
1 drop EO
1 cup water (about)
Olive 'n' Tea Tree
A great natural wipes solution.
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin not necessary)
1/8 cup gentle baby bath
A few drops tea tree oil
4 cups water
Shampoo Style
Baby shampoo works as well as baby wash.
1 tablespoon baby oil
2 teaspoons baby shampoo
2 1/2 cups water
Soapless
This recipe relies on the EO to cleanse, instead of using soap.
1-2 drops tea tree oil
1-2 drops lavender oil
1 cup water
Zany Apricot Solution
One of our favorites, the apricot oil smells heavenly!
1 tablespoon apricot oil
1 tablespoon unscented baby wash
3 cups water
Zany Lavender Solution
Our other favorite, the lavender is calming for us and our son.
1 tablespoon baby oil
1 tablespoon lavender scented baby wash
2-3 drops lavender oil
3 cups waterAmy S. Nogar has been using cloth wipes and wipe solution for over 17 years with her infants and young children. She is the founder of Zany Zebra Designs and encourages parents to slow down to enjoy everyday routines with their children.