Baby Wipes from Scratch

There's a phrase, "smooth as a baby's bottom", and a baby's bottom is smooth enough to warrant a saying- really! To keep my new little one's bum exactly that smooth, I decided to give homemade wipe solution a try. Commercial wipes have all kinds of chemicals and detergents-even some of the "gentle" ones. The solution I make comes from Tipnut, is incredibly easy to make and is much less expensive than store bought wipes. The tea tree oil ensures that it lasts a couple weeks. I use baby washcloths that I got from the dollar store (4 for $1). Since I use cloth diapers, it's really simple just to throw the cloths into the wash when I do the diapers. Other people suggest using cut up t-shirts, sheets or even paper towels.

To make the solution, mix together:

- 2 cups of water

- 2 tablespoons of baby wash (I'm using some conventional wash that I had in the pantry, but any gentle wash will work.)

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (calendula oil is also suggested, but most folks have olive oil hanging around)

- 2 drops of tea tree oil (this has some antiseptic properties)

You can put your cloths right in the solution or put the solution in a spray bottle and spray your cloths as you use them. This is recommended if you're using paper towels, to avoid disintegration.

This mix cleans really well and is gentle on the little one's most sensitive areas. We haven't had any issues with diaper rash so far, but I'm confident that this solution is gentle enough to use even if there is some rash.

If you've got little ones, give it a whirl. It only takes a minute to whip up and you won't hear any complaints from the baby!