How to Make Biodegradable Baby Wipes

Determine how many baby wipes you would like to make. The general ratio of ingredients is a tablespoon of baby oil and a tablespoon of baby shampoo to each 1 1/8-cup of water for half a roll of biodegradable paper towels. For ease of use, and to make enough wipes for several days to a week, depending on the child, use a whole role of paper towels and 2 1/4-cups of water with 2 tablespoons each of baby oil and baby shampoo.

Add water to a medium size stockpot, place it on the stove and bring it to a boil. This helps to clear any impurities out of the water, and will help the additional ingredients dissolve into the solution, making sure they do not separate when the biodegradable baby wipes are stored.

Take the pot off the stove after it has reached a boil and turn the stove off. Add the baby oil and baby wash to the pot and gently stir it, being careful not to splash the hot water. Make sure the oil and shampoo completely dissolve in the hot water.

Add a drop of essential oil if desired. This can give you the scented product you would get from a store, but is not necessary. If using essential oils, make sure to use only cosmetic grade products. The oils you would typically use in fragrance burners or potpourri can significantly harm your child's skin. In many cases, it is best to avoid using scented products on very young babies, as it can increase the chances of your child developing a rash.

Pour the mixture into a heat safe, cool bowl. Let the solution cool down until it is at least lukewarm, typically 15 to 30 minutes. You can leave the mixture in the pot to limit the amount of dishes dirtied, but it will take longer to cool in many cases.

Tear each individual towel from your roll of biodegradable paper towels. Stack the towels and place them in a plastic or glass container that has tight-sealing lid. If the towels do not fit as is, you can fold each one so they are snug in the container.

Pour the cooled mixture over the paper towels carefully, making sure to use the entire solution, even if there is excess liquid on the sides. The towels will eventually soak up all of the solution.

Tightly seal the container with its lid and let the baby wipes sit overnight so the solution fully absorbs. If you are in a pinch, you can use some of the top wipes immediately, although in this case it can be helpful to pour the solution on the side of the container over the biodegradable wipes after you have used the top wipes.