What Makes a Good Baby Wipe?

A pack of baby wipes is a new parent’s best friend. They are essential for diaper changes, spit-up, food spills, sticky hands and faces, and dirty toys. But they’re also useful for many other things around the house, like removing makeup smudges and cleaning the nooks and crannies of keyboards, phones, and other electronic devices. Baby wipes can even be used as a quick and easy way to clean off sweat from a workout or during a hot, sunny day.

Considering how often we use baby wipes, it’s important to understand what makes a good one. Baby skin is thinner and more delicate than adult skin, so you’ll want to find a wipe that is gentle and will not irritate the little one’s bum. According to pediatric dermatologist Dr. Heidi Goodarzi, the most important feature of a good wipe is that it should be “durable enough to remove debris from a baby’s bottom and have sufficient moisture and softness to avoid irritation.”

To make the best baby wipes, manufacturers start with non-woven fabric made from raw materials such as cotton, polyester, viscose, bamboo fibers, or polypropylene. These fibers are blended together in giant vats of wet mixture and pressed through industrial machines to create short and long bonds that allow the fibers to stick together. The wet cloths are then cut, saturated with the appropriate liquid ingredients, and packaged.

In addition to the main ingredients such as water, most wipes contain a cleansers and moisturizers. Cleansers are used to break down residue from urine and feces, but they should not be too harsh as they can cause irritation and damage the baby’s sensitive skin microbiome. Moisturizers help to keep the skin hydrated, but they should not contain any fragrance or perfume.

Lastly, most baby wipes will also contain preservatives to prevent them from going bad too quickly or getting mildewy or moldy in the package. Typically, these are relatively safe preservatives such as grapefruit seed extract and trace amounts of benzalkonium chloride. However, some brands will use more harsh preservatives such as methylchloroisothiazolinone or propylene glycol phthalate that are not considered suitable for newborn and infant skin.

Once you’ve figured out how to choose the best baby wipes for your little one, you’ll be surprised at all the other ways they can come in handy. A pack of baby wipes in the car can be a lifesaver for messy fingers, quick lunches, and even car-seat emergencies. They are also a great way to clean off hard-to-reach surfaces, such as the back of a fridge or a high cabinet.