Use of Baby Wet Wipes

Baby Wet Wipes are a new parent's best friend. They are quick, convenient, and can quickly clean up your infant's dirty hands or face after feeding, wipe down the high chair tray or car seat, or a host of other tasks. Baby wet wipes are made with either a cloth or paper base that is saturated with water, and often a few added chemicals to help clean and kill germs and prevent drying. These wet wipes are then packaged and stored until they're needed, usually in a plastic bag or a paper envelope with a flip-top lid.

There are many types of wet baby wipes available, and it is important for parents to know what they are buying before they purchase them. Most wet baby wipes are a combination of three main components: the basesheet, the formulation (the ingredients that make the wet wipes wet), and the packaging (which keeps the wipes from dry out and protects them from bacteria, mold, or mildew).

Many manufacturers use a time-consuming fabric weaving process to manufacture their cloth. This requires large vats of water and raw materials such as cotton, polyester, viscose, cellulose, polypropylene, bamboo fibers, and other raw materials to be mixed with chemicals to create short and long bonds between the individual fibers that are then flattened and spun, and rolled into spools resembling giant paper towel rolls. These are then sent into machines to be cut, saturated (with the wet baby wipe ingredients), folded, and packaged for sale. Some brands also produce a non-woven baby wipe that is similar in appearance to a paper towel but is thicker and more durable, and which can be used as a cloth alternative.

Most wet baby wipes are loaded with preservatives to ensure that they do not spoil before the package is opened by consumers, and that the products have a reasonable shelf life for consumer use. These preservatives often include antibacterials, alcohol, and chemical cleaning agents to ensure that the wet baby wipes are effective at cleaning infants' dirty skin and killing germs.

Some brands of wet baby wipes advertise that they are biodegradable or flushable, but it is important for parents to note that this is not a guarantee of safety. Many cities and towns have banned the flushing of baby wipes because they clog sewer lines and waste treatment systems.