Comparison: Target Brand Baby Wipes, Homemade Paper Towel Wipes & a Wet Washcloth

There are many baby wipes on the market today, but this comparison focuses on one store-bought brand, the Target brand baby wipes, and two homemade alternatives. Effectiveness, cost and environmental compatibility were compared to see if the homemade baby wipes could compete with the store-bought baby wipes.

Target Brand Baby Wipes

Target brand baby wipes come in a hard plastic case that contains 88 wipes or a soft plastic, refill pack that also contains 88 wipes.

Pros

Target brand baby wipes are inexpensive compared to other pre-made baby wipes on the market. They are available in an unscented version, which is less irritating for babies with sensitive skin. The wipes in the package seem to stay moist until the pack is completely used, as long as it is properly closed. They are a generous size, so two or three wipes are usually all it takes to get a baby's bottom clean.

Cons

Target brand baby wipes are disposable and not an environmentally friendly choice. While they are inexpensive compared to other pre-made baby wipes, they are still more expensive than the homemade baby wipe options. They don't leave any protective layer on the baby's skin, so a diaper rash cream is also necessary for babies that are prone to diaper rash.

Homemade Paper Towel Baby Wipes

Baby wipes can be made at home with plain, white paper towels, liquid soap, baby oil and water. Simply mix two cups of warm water, two squirts of liquid soap and a squirt of baby oil in a plastic container. Either cut the roll of paper towels in half to fit in the container or tear off the individual towels and cut into quarters.

Pros

Homemade baby wipes are easy to make. They are inexpensive. A large package of Scott paper towels has eight rolls per package, with 60 towels on each roll. When each towel is cut into quarters, that makes 1,920 baby wipes, which is considerably more than the 88 wipes available in the Target brand baby wipes container. Even factoring in the cost of the liquid soap and the baby oil, homemade paper towel baby wipes prove to be a significant cost savings.

The homemade paper towel baby wipes work exceptionally well. The soapy water cleans the baby's skin thoroughly and the baby oil leaves a protective layer that helps prevent diaper rashes.

Cons

Cutting a paper towel roll in half is much more difficult than it seems. It is a messy job that quickly ruins a kitchen knife. When the paper towels are made from towels torn off the roll and cut into quarters, they are small. It takes twice as many homemade paper towel baby wipes to get a baby's bottom clean. The paper towel wipes are disposable and are not environmentally friendly.

Cleaning a Baby's Bottom with a Wet Washcloth

Pros

A wet washcloth is the most inexpensive way to clean a baby's bottom. The washcloth is reusable and is environmentally friendly. Several wash clothes can be set aside for this purpose and washed and dried with cloth diapers or with baby's clothes.

Cons

Unless soap is used in addition to a wet washcloth, this method does not seem to get the baby's bottom quite as clean, which leaves it prone to diaper rash. A wet washcloth may not be readily available at diaper changing time. The diaper changer has to first go to the bathroom to dampen the washcloth. When traveling, the diaper bag needs to be packed with a pre-dampened wash cloth in a plastic bag.

Verdict in the Baby Wipe Comparison

Each method of cleaning a baby's bottom is adequate. Target brand baby wipes are the most convenient, as they require no preparation. But, they are also the most expensive and the least environmentally friendly choice. Homemade paper towel baby wipes are relatively inexpensive and effective, though they lose points with the true environmentalists. A wet washcloth works adequately, is the least expensive and is environmentally friendly, however it leaves a baby prone to diaper rash if soap is not used with each diaper change.