I do love a good wipes solution. It’s because I love using cloth wipes. If I use cloth diapers, cloth wipes just seem like a natural extension. I know that some find disposable wipes to be so much more convenient to use…but I don’t really find that the case for us.
Wipes solutions are a nice little extra that helps to keep your little one’s bottom clear. My favorites are Lusa Baby Wipes Juice and Thirsties Booty Luster They are all proudly made here in the USA. All are cloth diaper safe. I also have a few DIY recipes that I use at home. You can find a new favorite wipes solution there if you like!
I know that there are many of you that pre-moisten your cloth wipes and pull them from a dispenser or warmer. But I prefer to leave my cloth wipes stacked dry on our changing table in a bin. I use the sprays to wet Sophia’s hiney to help loosen solids and to help keep her rash free.
I like that these sprays are all non-toxic and synthetic preservative free. In the Lusa and Thirsties sprays you will find aloe vera to help moisturize. Also contained in these sprays are calendula, lavender, and chamomile flowers; all of which help to soothe irritated or inflamed skin.
Thirsties Booty Luster comes as a ready-made spray. I carry the smaller bottle of Booty Luster in my diaper bag. Lusa Wipes juice needs to be mixed with water. Scarlet’s Hiney Honey Bites need to be dissolved in hot water first. I started with Thirsties, but switched to Lusa when it became too expensive to keep buying sprayers of Booty Luster. One bottle of Lusa Wipes Juice has already lasted me at least 6 months and the bottle still seems quite full.
Now, on to the BIG question. Is a wipes solution necessary? The simple answer is no.
Plain ol’ water will do a fine job. You can either just wet a few wipes at a sink before use or you can fill a spray bottle with water just as easy as any of the other solutions. The best part is… it is FREE.
While, no, it is not necessary to use a wipes solution; I think it is a nice luxury for your baby. Look at all the awesome ingredients and what they are capable of doing. Water is good, but it won’t moisturize or heal.
If you can afford a good wipes solution, go ahead and buy it! I think you will find it to be worth it.
Do you have a favorite wipes solution? Have you ever tried to make your own?
Jenn is a long-time cloth diaper educator and a passionate small business advocate. She has worked in the reusable diaper industry for over a decade, helping millions of families via her websites All About Cloth Diapers, Thinking About Cloth Diapers and Cloth Diaper Geek as well as hundreds of small businesses during that time. Her goal always to provide simple, reliable information.
Elizabeth says
I’m here because I’m using cloth wipes with just water, but I noticed my little one’s bottom smelling pretty stinky, even after getting it clean. I’ve heard great things about the Baby Bits solution, but isn’t tea tree a bit strong to use on baby’s private areas?
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I’ve personally used solutions containing tea tree. They must be properly diluted though. If this is a concern for you I recommend do more thorough research on the safety so you can personally feel confident in what you are using.
Shera says
I’ve ben using booty luster on my GroVia wipes, but I only have a few and a broken sewing machine so I ordered a pack of baby washcloths.
My question though is how do you carry your wipes in your diper bag?
I’m trying to switch everything over to cloth (still have disposable wipes for on-the-go and when I run out of cloth wipes)
I also wonder about keeping wipes moist, but I guess I’d be afraid of mold/mildew since we live in a tropical climate.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I just carry the dry wipes in one of the side pockets and a thirsties booty luster small sprayer. Used cloth wipes go in wet bag. :)
Reilly says
I find that wipe solution definitely adds some “slip” that makes getting poop that is stuck (from going unnoticed for a little bit…oops) a LOT easier to get off. At the very least I would say add some kind of oil and a bit of mild baby soap to some boiled (but cooled) water for sure. That’s wipe solution on the cheap!
Chrissy says
We use Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion (the concentrate). You can mix the concentrate with either distilled water or witch hazel. We choose to mix with witch hazel. I have a spray bottle of water too, but I find the wipes solution makes it much easier to get my ds bum clean & it has a nice smell too :-)
Jen Stewart says
Yes, I do make my own wipes solution! :)
I take a quart sized jar and add:
3-4 drops of Lavender Oil
3-4 drops of Tea Tree Oil
3/4 TBS of Olive Oil (that’s less than 1 TBS…not 3-4tbs) :)
A squirt of gentle baby soap (optional)
Fill the jar up with warm water, shake before using. – Put in a spray bottle or dump some over your cloth wipes! ENJOY the wonderful smells! :D
Try swapping the olive oil for coconut oil and maybe add some grapefruit seed extract too! Wipes solution is SO easy and versatile! Read up on what each ingredient is good for and create your own healthy option! :)
Jamie says
Jennifer, I would be interested in an updated post about making wipes solution at home!
Jennifer Reinhardt says
No problem Jamie! I am researching now! I agree, its time for an update :)
Twin Grandma says
My daughter has twin girls and she uses both cloth diapers and cloth wipes. So easy to do the wipes since you’re doing the diapers anyway. She uses regular baby wash cloths, wets them with water and puts them in a warmer, then sprays the cloths with wipe formula when she diapers them. She makes her own formula: gallon of water, tsp of Dr. Bronner’s Soap (you can use more if you have to feel like they have to be soapy) and 16 drops of tea tree oil, then put in spray bottles.
Jackie says
How long does this solution last I’d be worried about bacteria growing in that making a gallon at a time .
Jennifer Reinhardt says
I would say at least 3-4 months. It’s super easy to make so I don’t make it in bulk. I reuse a plastic sprayer and just make a bottle as needed.
Alice says
For the first 6-8 months of my sons life, water was just fine. Now I really feel like wipe solution is necessary or he starts smelling a little too human haha. I use bee green naturals wipe cubes in a spray bottle and dry wipes. But I will confess to using disposable wipes on the go!
Autumn Beck says
I agree on the smell problem. If he’s stinky I’ll either wash his bottom in the sink or spray with CJ’s spritz
Jennifer says
I use an ENJO fibre as a baby wipe with my cloth diapers. I have ONE diaper wipe! :) All you need is water (so I don’t have to worry about any product residue on my baby) and it works amazing… one cloth will clean up a poopy diaper and do a way better job than any other wipes I’ve tried! I’ve found we’ve had less diaper rashes because the cloth cleans pore deep and removes everything that is sitting on baby’s skin. After I’m done changing I just rinse it out with warm water and some gentle soap and it’s good to use next time… the ENJO fibres are designed to release the dirt and bacteria with the warm water and soap. The cloth is around $30 and lasts for 2+ years so it is great value. I’ll never go back to “convenient” wipes. :) If you want more info on ENJO feel free to e-mail me.
Anne says
I used to spend time mixing up wipes solutions and soaking wipes in it and then filling my warmer. Now I just do exactly what you do – wet a cloth wipe with plain water. If there’s a big mess, I just spritz them with CJ’s or Thirsties.
Not having to mix anything up, or pre-moisten wipes, is a big time saver!
NP says
I had a flannel receiving blankets that I’ve cut up into 16 pieces and manually blanket stitched (crazy, I know). I stack it dry and bring some to wet at the sink before I change my baby’s diaper. I use a Burt’s bees liquid soap to wash my baby’s diaper area, then rinse and dry it with the cloth wipes. I feel it is cleaner and more simple this way.
I keep disposables for travel and grandma. These get washed with the cloth diapers. Some get reused as cloth wipes, some get used for cleaning around the house.
Krista C says
I just use water in a spray bottle ans it works great! I’d rather carry around water than wipes solution because it can be used for other things, too (like taming cow-licks). I use coconut oil with lavender as diaper cream when needed, though, and sometimes I’ll put a little of that on the wipe with the water. I’ve found that wipes solutions help get the tougher messes off, but not enough to be worth it. I use french terry wipes that I made (super easy) for bigger or stickier messes, and leave my flannel wipes for the easy stuff.
As for the cloth verses disposable wipes, I think it’s inconvenient to have to throw the wipe in the trash and the diapers in the laundry. It’s much easier to put them in the same place.
Autumn Beck says
Hey, now!! That post was from 2 1/2 years ago!! We are happily using cloth wipes and have been for a long while now. I simply grab one or two and get them wet in the sink.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
You’re right! fair enough Autumn! lol :) I actually do keep disposable wipes around but more for dirty hands or if anything else needs a quick wipe clean.
Autumn Beck says
Michael wishes we had disposable wipes. He’s not a fan of cloth wipes.
Allison Blue says
I make my own wipe solution and keep it in a spray bottle to spray my cloth wipes or my baby’s bottom. It’s really easy to make. You just need a little soap and a little oil and fill the rest with water. Shake before each use. You can use regular baby wash and baby oil. Or if you prefer natural ingredients, you can use something like Dr. Bronner’s and olive oil. Coconut oil can work too, but it’s difficult to keep it mixed in.
Jennifer Reinhardt says
Allison, thanks for posting! Yes, you are right. Great suggestions. I think I need to do an updated post for folks wondering about making their own solution at home!