Baby wipes are one of the many inventions that have made a mother’s life easier. What many mothers do not know is that they often contain toxic preservatives and parabens and are bad for the environment. The easy-to-use baby wipes also appear to be much more expensive than their alternatives.
Baby wipes
The first baby wipes were discovered in the 1950s. The first real baby wipes, as we know them today, appeared on the market in 1990. Major companies such as Kimberly-Clark and Procter & Gamble’s marketed baby wipes under the brands Huggies and Pampers. The baby wipes quickly became very popular and many local brands also entered the market. Today there are many types and brands of baby wipes available in stores. Although baby wipes are widely available these days, there are a number of reasons to opt for an alternative.
Cheap
A cheap pack of baby wipes easily costs around €1 per pack. If you buy luxury wipes with natural ingredients, the price can even go up to €5 per package. With a baby you use an average of about two packs per week. On an annual basis, baby wipes easily cost €104 to €520. Parents can save a lot on this expense by looking for cheaper alternatives.
No toxic additives
Many baby wipes contain parabens and preservatives that can be harmful. For example, they can affect the hormonal system, be toxic to the liver, cause contact dermatitis and allergies. Research by the French Consumers’ Association showed that 32 of the 34 wipes examined contained hazardous substances for babies. There is therefore a very good chance that an affordable pack of baby wipes is toxic to your baby.
Environmentally friendly
Not only the packaging, but also the wipes themselves are often made of plastic. Plastic pollutes the environment, especially if it is not recycled, as is often the case with baby wipes. The oceans are full of plastic and this ends up back in humans through the water. Not only the wipes themselves, but also the chemical additives affect the environment. By choosing an alternative you can save the environment.
Alternatives
For all price-conscious and sustainable mothers, there are a number of good alternatives to the chemical baby wipes from the store.
Washable baby wipes
There are washable wipes for sale that have been specially developed as baby wipes. An example is the Cheeky Wipes. These consist of a box for clean wipes in which you can put water and essential oils to moisten the wipes. There is also a box for used wipes that also contain essential oil. In this last container you attach a laundry bag, so that the used wipes can be placed directly in the washing machine. It is of course also possible to make this yourself, for example with hydrophilic washcloths that you put in some water with oil and put in a wash bag after use. The extra washing of the wipes is of course not free and not very environmentally friendly, but it is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than disposable baby wipes. In addition, you do not use chemicals with washable baby wipes.
Toilet paper
You can of course also wipe baby’s bottom off with toilet paper. You could possibly put some oil or water on the toilet paper to really clean the bottom. By choosing toilet paper instead of wipes, you can save around €72.80 to €488.80. A cheap toilet roll costs 0.30. If you use two rolls per week, it will cost 31.20 instead of 104 or 520. If you prefer to use thicker paper, you can also opt for a kitchen roll, which you can saw in half.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a perfect substitute for the chemicals in baby wipes. It softens, protects and prevents mold growth. You can make the perfect baby wipes yourself by placing papers or wipes in a mixture of hot water and coconut oil. You can then also use the coconut oil for all kinds of other things, such as dry skin, eczema, butt cream, sandwich fillings or for cooking.
Water
The cheapest way is to simply hold your baby’s bottom under the running tap. The buttocks are cleaned well and water does not irritate. You can then dry the buttocks with a towel. If the buttocks are really dirty, you can choose to wipe them with some paper first.
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