Why Go for Non-Toxic Baby Wipes?

This is a collaborative post

Baby wipes are a lifesaver when it comes to your baby making a mess, which let’s face it, can happen quite a lot.

With that in mind, using non-toxic baby wipes is best for you and your baby. You can check The Good Nursery’s website for specific baby wipes recommendations.

Table of Contents

Wait? Non-Toxic?

What do you mean by non-toxic? Like organically made wipes? Does that mean there are those made with toxic materials?

That’s right! What you might be unaware of are the chemicals that comprise these products. So what are some of the ingredients you should avoid?

Fragrances

Fragrances are something you want your child to be cautious of. Strong scents make babies feel uncomfortable and might aggravate them. This is why before approaching a baby, ensure that you are not wearing any perfume or cologne.

But this is just a surface-level worry. Fragrances can also be associated with health risks.

Babies have a weaker immune system and are more vulnerable to external risks. They are still in their developmental stage and need more care and attention so they grow up with a stronger and healthier immune system. Fragrances can negatively affect certain aspects of their development if exposure is prolonged. Chemicals involved in fragrances include allergens, asthma triggers, and hormone disruptors.

Specific names of the chemicals may be difficult to look for in a product. So to make things easier, you may want to avoid any product with the word “fragrance” or “parfum” in them.

A much easier way of verifying is seeing if the product says “fragrance-free,” although a background check of the company selling it won’t hurt either.

Preservatives

Preservatives are also common in a lot of products. These chemicals are placed in order to protect them from external contamination like molding and bacteria, but just because they clear out these contaminants doesn’t mean they don’t come with their own risks.

Like with other chemicals, they pose a threat to the immediate health and overall development of your child. Minimizing their exposure to these ingredients is a top priority.

So what specific preservatives are used in baby wipes?

Paraben is a preservative used in a lot of baby products. They are associated with causing allergic skin reactions and rashes.
They come in many forms such as isobutyl paraben, butyl paraben, propylparaben, ethyl paraben and methylparaben.
Sodium benzoate is a preservative found specifically in baby wipes. They can cause organ system toxicity.
Although considered the alternative to paraben, phenoxyethanol is another preservative to be wary of.

They still carry the risk of causing skin irritations like eczema to babies, so it’s still best to avoid them.

Synthetic Fabric

This is what most baby wipes are made of. You can tell by the title that these aren’t made with organic ingredients and processes.

Apart from wanting to go non-toxic for your child’s sake, you can also consider the risks toxic materials have on the environment. Once these fabrics are disposed of, they release microplastics into the environment which can harm animals and even kill sea creatures.

Going for a more environment-friendly option reduces the number of wipes with synthetic chemicals laced in them out in the open. This positively impacts the environment.

Choosing the Best Baby Wipes

Now you know some ingredients that comprise conventional baby wipes. How about organic baby wipes?

What are some qualities you should be looking for when buying non-toxic baby wipes?

Thickness

A thin pair of wipes will not suffice. In order for your baby wipes to get the job done and not make a mess, they will need to be thick and durable enough to handle the mess.

Packaging

This might not seem all that important, but it still is. Preservatives are also placed in the packaging since they can attract contaminants.

Therefore, it is crucial to check if the packaging is just as safe as the baby wipes themselves.

The Ingredients

This will be the most important out of the three. The composition of the baby wipes will decide whether or not this is organic or not.

Keep in mind the chemicals from the list above.

Apart from that, also check your baby’s own personal needs. They may have certain allergies to specific ingredients, even if they are organic.

Good Ingredients for Baby Wipes

A natural moisturizing ingredient that would be good for babies is aloe vera.

Not only does it moisturize the fabric to help make cleaning easy and mess-free, it is also safe and non-toxic for babies. This makes it a great ingredient to look out for when buying baby wipes.

Vitamin E is another good ingredient for babies because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Now when it comes to preservatives, they are present for a reason. No one wants their wipes to be easily molded or contaminated by bacteria. While you should avoid chemical preservatives like parabens, there are alternatives.

Sodium benzoate is the least harmful chemical preservative and is still used in many baby wipes. If you have difficulty accessing other wipes without this, this is the safest choice.

Just ensure that this is the only chemical in the ingredients. The fewer chemicals, the better. However, avoid it if you chance upon wipes with organic preservatives.

Delicacy

Like bath products, these wipes need to be delicate to a baby’s skin to not irritate or cause them to have harsh rashes.

Baby wipes that are hypoallergenic should do the job well.

Smooth and natural materials include bamboo, cotton, and wood pulp.

Bamboo is a popular material for organically made baby wipes. They do not require a bleaching process and come out as soft and delicate fabrics for your child.

While they don’t turn out in the pure white color we associate with wipes, their beige color is the bamboo’s natural shade. This gives an indication that little to no chemical processes have occurred.

Wood pulp and cotton are also eco-friendly and delicate, so long as the cotton is organically made.

Conclusion

Baby wipes are integral to your baby’s cleanliness. However, that should not go in the way of their health. A good baby product is something that both cleans a baby and doesn’t have unpleasant side effects.