Homemade Baby Wipes

I tried making baby wipes when Eden was a baby, but I did exactly what Ann Marie at White House, Black Shutters says not to: I bought generic paper towels and used a serrated knife to cut them.  No wonder it didn't work!  I will be trying this one out in the next few weeks. 

2 containers (round with an airtight  lid)

1 roll of select-a-size paper towels (Bounty works best)

4 cups water

squirt or two of organic baby wash of your choice (we use Shakleebaby Gentle Wash)

generous spoonful of coconut oil (found in a health foods or vitamin store)

Make sure your kitchen or other working area is clean before you start, you don’t want crumbs in your wipes! Get your paper towel roll ready.

Take a clean, large, sharp, non-serrated knife and cut your paper towel roll in half. If you use a serrated knife, you’ll end up with little fuzzies in your wipes . Brush off any little pieces of fuzz that are left on or loose.

Set aside while you make your wipes solution.

-For your solution, you’ll need 2 cups of water per container, or 4 cups total. I like to use the biggest measuring cup I have (8 cups) so it allows for some room and splashing while I stir.
Add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil. Coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees, meaning that it is solid and white at anything less than that (looks like shortening). To warm it up, take the amount you’re using, put it in a saucepan with a bit of your water and heat it just warm enough to melt (76 degrees, so it won’t take long). Once melted, pour the mixture into your water and stir.
Add in about a squirt or two of organic baby wash. If you’re using coconut oil, you can choose to skip this step (I do). It may not seem like enough, but keep in mind you are not rinsing them like after a bath and you may have a bit of soapy residue left if you use more. Stir gently.
Pour your mixture evenly into the containers, about 2 cups per container.
Place the paper towel rolls cut/fuzzy side down into the container and solution. Your containers might be bigger than mine, but if not, don’t freak out if they look like the containers are too small. I promise you – they’re not. ;)
Smoosh your paper towel down with the lid and make sure it seals shut. See – I told you they’re not too small! Turn your containers upside down, stack them if you like, and walk away for no less than 5 minutes.
ome back, open up (see, they stayed smooshed!), and take out the inside paper towel roll. Don’t try to do this earlier on while it’s dry (I did) it doesn’t work and just makes a big mess…
Take out the start of the roll in the center, pop it up for easy grabbing, and close the lid. You’re done!

-Don’t make them way ahead of time and keep out of direct sunlight. I’ve heard other people online complain of issues of mold on the bottom after a while. We haven’t had this problem, but I only make two at a time.

-Once you buy the oil and containers, you use so little that you’re only spending $1.50 for two containers! Store bought wipes are anywhere from $1.50 to $5 each and the wipes are larger so you go through them faster.

-Experiment with a mixture that works for you… adding essential oils, omitting baby wash, using just water. We’ve switched it up but one thing stayed the same – 4 cups of water is best.