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Choose baby wipes by the ingredient list on the back of the pack, not the words on the front. For everyday changes, a short list you can read in a few seconds makes it easy to avoid anything your baby has reacted to before. A diaper rash changes the advice: HealthLink BC says not to use baby wipes with alcohol or propylene glycol on a rash, because they may burn the skin and spread bacteria. Warm water and a soft cloth are the gentler choice until it heals. And whatever you buy, used wipes go in the garbage, not the toilet. Prices are in CAD.
Start with the ingredient list
The front of a pack tells you what the brand wants you to notice. The back tells you what's in the liquid. Check for:
- Alcohol and propylene glycol. HealthLink BC says to avoid both on skin with a diaper rash. If your baby gets rashes often, it's simpler to buy wipes without them from the start.
- Fragrance. If you'd rather skip added scent, look for "fragrance-free" on the pack and check the ingredient list to be sure.
- Anything your baby has reacted to before. A short list is quicker to check. Attitude Baby Wipes 99% Water, for example, list four ingredients: water, hydrolyzed soy protein, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.
Words like "gentle", "natural" or "bamboo" describe the brand's claims or the sheet, not the liquid. Our guide to dry vs pre-moistened wipes explains why the sheet and the liquid are two separate choices. Ingredients can change, so read the pack you're buying, even if it's a brand you've used before.
When your baby has a diaper rash
HealthLink BC says diaper rash usually comes from skin that stays wet, a diaper rubbing, and contact with urine and stool. Its home-care advice:
- Gently wash the diaper area with warm water and a soft cloth. Rinse well and dry completely.
- Don't use soap unless the area is very soiled, and then use only a mild soap.
- Don't use baby wipes that contain alcohol or propylene glycol.
- Change the diaper every time it's wet or soiled, and check it every 3 hours during the day.
- Leave the diaper off as much as you can.
- Protect the healthy skin near the rash with a cream such as zinc oxide. Don't put cream on broken skin, because it can slow healing.
- Don't use baby powder or cornstarch on the rash.
For the warm-water step, a soft washcloth works, or dry cotton wipes: Nest Designs Organic Cotton Dry Baby Wipes ($9.99 for 80) are made to use dry or wet with water. Weleda Calendula Diaper Cream ($19.99) is a zinc oxide cream.
HealthLink BC says most diaper rashes clear up within 2 to 3 days of home care. Call your doctor if you see new or worse signs of infection, such as warmth, redness, swelling, pus or a fever, if the rash comes back more often or gets worse, or if it isn't improving after 2 days of home care. HealthLink BC also notes that babies tend to get sicker more quickly. In BC you can call 8-1-1 any time. In Ontario, call Health811 at 811 for free advice from a registered nurse, 24 hours a day.
How many wipes you'll go through
HealthLink BC says it's not unusual to change a diaper 8 times in 24 hours. At that pace, an 80-count pack lasts 10 days if you use one wipe per change, and a little over 3 days if you use three. Multipacks mean fewer trips: Attitude's wipes are $8.95 a pack or $26.95 for 3. If you're trying a new brand, buy one pack and see how your baby's skin does before you stock up.
Wipes we carry, side by side
| Wipes | Sheet | What the product page says | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attitude Baby Wipes 99% Water | Pre-moistened | Fragrance-free; water, hydrolyzed soy protein, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate; for face and body | $8.95, or 3 for $26.95 |
| Boo Bamboo Baby Wipes (80) | Pre-moistened, 100% unbleached bamboo cloth | Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic; resealable pack | $7.99 |
| Purcotton Cotton Baby Wet Wipes (80) | Pre-moistened cotton | Free from alcohol, fragrance, formaldehyde and fluorescent brighteners; sold for hands and mouths | $5.49, or 3 for $16.49 |
| Purcotton Cotton Baby Wet Wipes (20) | Pre-moistened cotton, 20 × 15 cm | The same wipes in a pocket-size pack | $1.99 |
| Nest Designs Organic Cotton Dry Baby Wipes (80) | Dry organic cotton | Use dry, or wet with water | $9.99 |
Wipes for hands, faces and toys
Mealtimes and runny noses are different jobs from diaper changes, and some wipes are made for them. Purcotton sells its wet wipes for hands and mouths. Aleva Naturals makes small packs for specific jobs: Tooth and Gum wipes, Nose 'n' Blows wipes, and Pacifier and Toy wipes, each $5.99 for 30. Use each one for the job on its pack.
Wipes on the go
A full pack is bulky in a diaper bag. The Skip Hop Grab & Go Snug Seal Wipes Case ($14.99) opens with one hand, seals to keep wipes from drying out, and clips onto a stroller or diaper bag with its strap. The 20-sheet Purcotton pack fits in a pocket. For a soiled outfit, a wet bag keeps it away from everything else. Our diaper bag buying guide and diapering station setup guide cover the rest of the kit.
Every wipe goes in the garbage
Metro Vancouver, home to our Richmond and Burnaby stores, says wipes go in the garbage even when the pack says "flushable", and so do wipes labelled compostable or biodegradable. Only pee, poo and toilet paper should be flushed. That includes biodegradable bamboo wipes. Attitude's pack says it plainly: do not flush.
Prices were current when we wrote this. Wipes and diaper creams are also at our Richmond, Burnaby and Ottawa stores. If you're looking for a particular brand, call the store ahead of your visit to check.
