Washable baby wipes are small squares of fabric that you dampen with water to clean your baby's bottom, hands or face, then wash in the machine. Twenty to thirty are enough for a baby cared for at home. The choice mainly comes down to the material, the size and how you organise the washing.
This guide helps you decide: which washable wipes to buy, how many you need, how to use them at nappy changes and on the go, and how to look after them without spending your evenings on it. Their effect on the skin of the bottom is covered separately in our article on nappy rash in babies.
Why switch to washable baby wipes?
Parents who make this choice tend to give three reasons. The first is cutting down on waste: a baby is changed several times a day, and each change often uses several disposable wipes. The second is control over what touches the skin: a square of fabric and water contain no fragrance and no preservative. The third is budget, once the small starter stock has been built up.
The health angle deserves a closer look. In 2019, France's Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament (ANSM, the French medicines and health products safety agency) required a label on leave-on cosmetic products containing phenoxyethanol, a preservative. These products must state that they cannot be used on the bottom of children aged 3 or under. The ANSM explicitly mentions wipes, which are very often used at nappy changes.
This measure was taken as a precaution. The latest update published by the ANSM, in March 2021, mentions an application for annulment that was still under review. The practical rule remains simple: read the ingredients list on disposable wipes, and favour water on the bottom. The other ingredients to watch out for are covered in our guide to choosing baby soap.
Which material should you choose for washable wipes?
The material determines softness, absorbency and drying time. None is perfect for everything: many parents end up with two types of wipes, one for nappy changes and the other for the face and hands.
Cotton terry towelling
This is the most common material. Its loops grip poo well and absorb a lot of water. It withstands hot washes and stays sturdy for years. Its drawback: it dries more slowly and can turn stiff if your water is hard.
Cotton fleece and flannel
Flatter than terry towelling, they glide more gently over irritated skin. They dry quickly and are easy to store. They are well suited to newborns, whose poo is runny and easy to wipe away.
Cotton muslin
Thin, supple and very quick to dry, multi-layer muslin feels lovely on the face. It is less good at holding the thicker poo that comes with weaning onto solid food.
Bamboo viscose
Very soft and absorbent, it is often sold blended with cotton. It wears out faster than pure cotton and copes less well with high temperatures. Read the care label before you buy.
Textile labels
A textile label indicates that a finished product has been tested for a list of substances. It says nothing about softness or durability. Our guide to baby product certifications explains what each label really guarantees.
Size, shape and seams: the details that matter
- Size: a square of around 15 to 20 cm per side covers one change without wasting fabric. Any smaller and you'll need two.
- Edges: a tight overlock stitch or a double hem prevents fraying after dozens of washes.
- Double-sided: a terry side for cleaning and a smooth side for drying, on the same wipe.
- Colour: mid-tones hide stains better than pure white.
- Thickness: too thick and the wipe dries poorly; too thin and poo comes through.
How many washable wipes do you need?
The calculation starts from the number of changes and how often you wash. A newborn is changed often, sometimes eight times a day or more. You generally use one or two wipes per change.
- Washing every other day: 20 to 30 wipes for nappy changes.
- Washing three times a week: 30 to 40 wipes.
- Face and hands: around ten more, kept separately.
- Changing bag: 4 to 6 pre-moistened wipes in a watertight box.
It's best to start with a small batch and add more after two weeks. Your real needs depend a lot on your child's bowel movements and on the laundry you're already doing anyway.
How to use washable wipes at nappy changes
The simplest method is to wet the wipe with lukewarm tap water at changing time. To save time, some parents prepare a box of damp wipes in the morning for the whole day.
Be careful with homemade solutions. The recipes going around add essential oils or soaps to the water. Essential oils are not recommended on babies' skin, and soap that isn't rinsed off stays on the bottom. Plain water is enough for the vast majority of changes.
A damp wipe forgotten for several days in a closed box can start to smell and grow mould. Change the water every day and leave the box open to dry.
How should you wash washable wipes?
Washing is the real constraint of this choice. A clear routine prevents odours and stains.
- Remove poo over the toilet when it is solid.
- Store them dry in a lidded bucket or a coated fabric bag, without prolonged soaking.
- Pre-wash cold or rinse to avoid setting stains.
- Wash at 40 or 60 °C according to the label, with your baby's usual detergent and no fabric softener.
- Air-dry, ideally in the sun, which fades stains.
Fabric softener reduces the fabric's absorbency, so it's best to do without. Choosing detergent and temperature is covered in our article on washing baby clothes. Families already using cloth nappies simply wash wipes and nappies together.
Washable or disposable wipes: how to decide?
There is no single right answer. The decision depends on your home, your washing machine and your childcare arrangements.
- Washable wipes suit you if you already run a wash every other day and have a tap near the changing table.
- Disposables remain handy when travelling, at relatives' homes or at nursery, which often sets its own rules.
- The usual compromise: washables at home, a few fragrance-free disposables in the bag for the unexpected.
Never flush a disposable wipe down the toilet, even if the packaging says it's biodegradable. Since 2021, EU rules on single-use plastics have required a marking on wet wipes that contain plastic. It flags the presence of plastic and its impact on the environment.
Washable wipes during potty training
Wipes aren't just for changing babies' nappies. When your child starts using the potty, a damp wipe is a useful addition to toilet paper. Keep them near the convertible potty, in a separate box set aside for this purpose.
They're also handy for a quick wash without a bath. Our article on washing your baby without a bathtub describes this flannel wash, one area at a time.
How much do washable wipes cost?
A batch of twenty to thirty wipes is a modest initial purchase, especially as you can cut them yourself from an old terry fitted sheet or a towel. The real cost lies elsewhere: water, electricity and washing time. It's low if the wipes go in with a wash you were running anyway.
They can then be used for a second child, and later as cleaning cloths. They have their place on a minimalist baby list, alongside the few nappy-changing essentials.
In short
- Terry towelling for nappy changes, muslin or fleece for the face.
- Twenty to thirty wipes if you wash every other day.
- Plain water is enough, with no essential oils and no leave-on soap.
- Wash at 40 or 60 °C, no fabric softener, air-dry.
- A few fragrance-free disposable wipes remain useful as a backup, but never down the toilet.
Sources
- ANSM, “Les produits cosmétiques non rincés contenant du phénoxyéthanol ne doivent pas être utilisés sur les fesses des enfants de 3 ans ou moins”, published 20/03/2019, updated 14/03/2021.
- ANSM, “Concentration de phénoxyéthanol dans les produits cosmétiques : information actualisée”, update of 14/03/2021.
- Directive (EU) 2019/904 of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151 on the marking of the products concerned.
