Many new parents quickly come to realize that the humble baby wipe is actually their nursery’s MVP. In our house, you can find a pack of baby wipes in every room. We use them to wipe butts and faces and to clean up typical kid messes around the house and in the car. No one wants to be stuck with a wipe that doesn’t actually get that bottom clean, one that rips or clumps up at inopportune moments—or that seems to always be followed by a diaper rash. I’ve rounded up some of the best baby wipes, according to my own experience, doctors’ advice and feedback from other parents.
The best baby wipes clean blowouts and messes with ease, yet are gentle on newborn skin. Tissue Paper Wet
Because baby wipes, like diapers, are used directly on your child’s skin, many of the experts I spoke to suggested favoring more natural wipes, especially on newborns. If you want a wipe that’s fully water-based, the WaterWipes Original Baby Wipes are beloved by parents and experts alike. In fact, Samantha Eaker, a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in pediatric urology, recommends looking for water-based and plant-based wipe options, which may be gentler on your child’s skin and help to avoid diaper rash.
“As you will be using wipes a lot on your baby's sensitive skin, you want to look for wipes that are soft and thick enough to effectively clean without excessive rubbing, reducing friction on sensitive skin,” adds Christine Hernandez, a certified doula, early childhood and parenting expert, and the founder of Allo Saratoga.
Dr. Laura Purdy, MD, a family medicine physician warns against wipes that contain certain ingredients, too: “You want to look for wipes that do not contain any alcohol, perfume, dyes and are hypoallergenic, and free of parabens and phenoxyethanol.”
See our top picks for the best baby wipes in every situation below. After reading this story, you may want to peruse the best diapers according to testing or stock up on some of the best diaper rash creams.
Soft, hypoallergenic and skin-friendly, these baby wipes are a staple at many hospitals due to their gentle makeup, affordable cost and effectiveness. Pampers wipes are thick enough to handle most jobs; even if one isn’t enough, at only around 4 cents a wipe, you know you aren’t literally throwing away too much of your baby budget. They’re marked as hypoallergenic and fragrance free too—and do not contain the phenoxyethanol preservative.
Pamper’s one-wipe pop-top removes the frustration of one-handed use (after all, you can’t let go of the baby without risking a poop mess) and allows the easy dispense and release of each wipe so you aren’t stuck with a wad of wet ones with your hands already full.
WaterWipes come highly recommended by our experts, because they’re incredibly kind to children’s skin: They’re 99% water, with the last 1% being a cellulose-based material plus a drop of grapefruit extract.
Made by a father who was unhappy with his young daughter’s constant diaper rashes from less skin-sensitive wipes, WaterWipes were designed with a focus on minimalism and a dash of eco-friendliness. No plastic in the wipe, no fragrance, no alcohol, plus only water and fruit—means a gentle baby wipe. The grapefruit extract does contain a trace amount of benzalkonium chloride, according to the brand, which is often used as an antimicrobial disinfectant but can be a skin irritant.
“I loved these for the newborn months, because they’re extra gentle,” adds Rose Gordon Sala, senior baby and kids gear editor at Forbes Vetted. The only downside she experienced with these is that they’re very wet, which sometimes makes them hard to remove from the pack, so they often came out in a clump.
Worrying about all the diapers and wipes you’re putting in the landfills? Honest Company’s compostable wipes claim to disintegrate in 8 weeks. Made without plastics and alcohol, these aren’t washed in tough detergents like chlorine (which often leach out of landfills). And they’re only 1 cent more per wipe than many of the other wipes on this list.
Given these are almost completely water, useful, biodegradable and without the premium markup, these are clearly the best eco-friendly disposable baby wipe. They also carry the National Eczema Association Seal of approval and the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) verified stamp, meaning these are safe, gentle wipes free of toxins.
Much like the other water baby wipes, Pampers Aqua Pure wipes are made with a focus on sensitive skin, using purified water as the primary ingredient. They’re also made with cotton for even more of a gentle touch.
Caregivers give these wipes top reviews for how soft and thick they are. At 5 cents a wipe, these won’t break the bank or your little one’s sensitive skin, either. Plus, they’re durable: You can often get away with using just one, whereas other sensitive skin brands often require a handful of wipes to get the job done.
The overwhelming anecdotal caregiver support for these budget baby wipes, along with the 2 cents per-wipe price, make these our value pick. I’ve used these baby wipes with my kids for years with no complaints and no rashes. Some of my favorite benefits of these Costco-brand wipes: no fragrance, easy to dispense and the sheer volume of wipes you get in each box makes for a great value alternative for caregivers who don’t need the tip-top quality for their littles one’s skin.
Kirkland’s use of Tencel fibers in its wipes is also important: Tencel is made from biodegradable plant-based sources, like eucalyptus, which are softer on your baby’s skin. Tencel also doesn’t require a formaldehyde-based preservative to stay fresh, but these do contain phenoxyethanol per the label.
These wipes are generally available on both Amazon and Walmart—although they’re currently out of stock at both retailers—but you’ll need to pay a bit more of them if not shopping at Costco with your membership.
When it comes to cleaning up bigger messes, many parents prefer a thick baby wipe, which wipe kids clean better and keeps them feeling cleaner longer. Huggies wipes are on the thicker side in general, and these Natural Care Sensitive Baby Wipes from the brand are no different, with multiple reviews attesting to their thickness and sturdiness. Sala says she used these with her children, especially during the messy toddler years. “Because of the thickness, you often only need one or two wipes max to get them cleaned up,” she says. “I’ve always stashed a pack of these in the car, too, to clean up spills and sticky fingers.”
Made from 99% purified water, the wipes are free of fragrances, parabens and alcohol, proving safe and gentle for babies’ skin, and they’re also infused with aloe and vitamin E to help keep skin moisturized. These Huggies wipes also carry the National Eczema Association’s seal of approval.
Although these are not as widely used as they were a couple of generations ago, cloth baby wipes are still an incredibly good option for wiping kids down without filling up the local landfill. You can stow them in a wipes warmer to keep them ready to go—and toss them in a wet bag until laundry day. GroVia wipes are made using a particular type of cotton weave called terry cloth, which absorbs well. Plus, these wipes won’t break down—even after years of undergoing constant washer/dryer cycles. Several reviewers note that they’ve kept using their GroVia wipes for messes (and cleaning the house) even after their kids grow up.
At just over a dollar per wipe, this is a big jump over even the most expensive disposable wipes. That said, over the life of each individual wipe, that jump scales down significantly. Just plan to have your washer and dryer running more frequently.
The Forbes Vetted’s team has deep experience in testing and reviewing baby and kids gear—and includes a number of parents with years of experience in the category. We’re focused on sharing safe and useful products that make this parenting journey a bit easier and more enjoyable.
For this story, writer Jenni Gritters tapped into the expertise of physicians and nurses, childcare providers and and others. She spoke with Christine Hernandez, a certified doula, early childhood and parenting expert, and the founder of Allo Saratoga; Dr. Laura Purdy, MD, a family medicine physician; and Samantha Eaker, a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in pediatric urology. Eaker is also a new mom herself and a medical advisor at Aeroflow Urology.
Gritters is also a journalist with a decade of experience reviewing kids products, outdoor gear and apparel. You can find her bylines on Wirecutter, Forbes, Slate and elsewhere. Most recently, she tested baby carriers and diapers for Forbes Vetted. She also has two kids, ages 1 and 3.5, and reports that “I’ve been wiping butts for nearly four years and have a lot of opinions about baby wipes; we use them for everything in our house.”
I spent a lot of time researching the best baby wipes. I read online reviews and consulted the parents in my community, but I also interviewed several experts, including those quoted in this story. Ultimately, I narrowed my list down to the options in this guide based on the materials used (including the presence—or lack thereof—of dyes, perfumes and other additives), price, their thickness and how well they clean up messes based on customer reviews and firsthand feedback.
I’ve used Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes for years as well as the Pampers Sensitive wipes, and fully stand by their gentle, good-enough materials and feel. Both of my children have rarely experienced diaper rash, and both have sensitive skin. However, if you’re looking for a better option for sensitive skin, you might like WaterWipes Original Baby Wipes, because the Kirkland baby wipes do contain phenoxyethanol, which can irritate the skin, or the Pampers Aqua Pure Wipes, which are also water-based. And if you’re interested in trying a compostable, gentle option, Honest Company Clean Conscious Wipes may be for you. It may take some trial and error to find which wipe works best on your child’s skin, so I’ve tried to include a variety of top options here.
In short: The best baby wipes are the ones that meet the needs of your child and your family, and most align with your value system.
Our experts all recommended using water-based wipes, especially those free of fragrances and dyes. Pampers Aqua Pure Wipes, the WaterWipes Original Baby Wipes and the Honest Company Clean Conscious Wipes all have minimal ingredients, which will help your newborn’s sensitive skin stay irritation and rash-free.
GroVia Reusable Cloth Diapering Wipes or another cloth wipe might serve your child’s skin best, because they truly contain no additives, but the Honest Company Clean Conscious Wipes are also EWG Verified to ensure nontoxic ingredients, and carry the National Eczema Association’s seal of approval.
Yes! Leaving urine or fecal matter on your baby’s skin can cause diaper rashes and discomfort; wet wipes help to remove all traces of these materials to keep your child’s skin healthy and dry. Look for options that don’t contain fragrances and dyes, which can irritate your child’s skin. Our experts all recommended using water-based wipes.
I am a staff writer on the vices beat, covering cannabis, gambling and more. I believe in the many virtues of vices. Previously at Forbes, I covered the world’s richest people as a member of the wealth team. I have been a staff writer at Inc. magazine where I wrote about entrepreneurs doing business in the legal fringes of society. Before that, I reported stories that took me to the West Bank, Moscow and Brooklyn.
I am a staff writer on the vices beat, covering cannabis, gambling and more. I believe in the many virtues of vices. Previously at Forbes, I covered the world’s richest people as a member of the wealth team. I have been a staff writer at Inc. magazine where I wrote about entrepreneurs doing business in the legal fringes of society. Before that, I reported stories that took me to the West Bank, Moscow and Brooklyn.
I'm the executive strategy editor at Forbes Vetted, a functional nutritionist and a certified sleep science coach. In between geeking out over SEO and obsessing over products, from mattresses to treadmills to every kitchen gadget I can get my hands on, I've written more than a dozen books and cookbooks and created over 1,000 original recipes.
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Drew Zieff is a Tahoe-based, globe-trotting freelance journalist, lifelong snowboarder, part-time vanlifer, and self-proclaimed powderhound. He's Backcountry Magazine's Rider In Chief, where he directs their annual splitboard test. He's a regular contributor at Outside, where he directs their annual snowboard test in the winters and covers shell jackets and car camping gear in the summers. He also covers gear, culture, and travel for publications like Whitelines Snowboarding, REI, Gear Junkie, Snowboarder's Journal, Popular Mechanics, and more. When he's not chasing winter—or writing about it—you can find him mountain biking on the trails behind his house or cruising the coast in his custom-built 2006 Chevy Express, hunting for waves.
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