The 5 Best Baby Wipes

1

Best Overall Baby Wipe

Water Wipes

$41 at Amazon

Material: Polyester/Viscose | Dimensions: 6 3/4" x 6 3/4"

REASONS TO BUY

Only 2 ingredients

Fragrance-free

Durable

REASONS TO AVOID

Smaller

Not the softest

Water Wipes are precisely what they claim to be, a clean and straightforward wipe without added chemicals, and we couldn't love them more. This wipe is sturdy, stretchable, fragrance-free, and moist. They pull easily out of the packaging, which is easy to open and close, and the wipes are soft enough to please even the most delicate skin. This wipe is the only one in our review accepted by the National Eczema Association. We think parents concerned with the number of chemicals they use on their baby will appreciate the ingredient list on these wipes, with 99.9% being water and 0.1% being fruit extract.

These water-based wipes are more expensive than most disposable wipes. They are also one of the smallest wipes in the group by 1-3 inches in length, but we suspect most parents won't notice the size difference and will willingly accept the smaller size in exchange for what this wipe lacks. Water Wipes are one of a kind, and we think most parents will find the additional cost more than acceptable for a straightforward chemical-free product, especially for newborns or preemies. If your infant has sensitive skin or you want to avoid added chemicals whenever you can, we think Water Wipes are the best thing around.

2

Compostable Baby Wipes Contender

DYPER Bamboo Baby Wet Wipes

$25 at Amazon

Material: Bamboo viscose | Dimensions: 8 1/2" x 6 1/2"

REASONS TO BUY

Renewable resources

B Corporation

Fragrance-free

REASONS TO AVOID

More expensive

Dry

Harder to use dispenser

DYPER Bamboo Baby Wet Wipes is an interesting wipe from a B corporation (gotta love that). Each diaper is soft viscose bamboo and contains no alcohol, chlorine, latex, perfumes, PVC, lotions, TBT, parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. These wipes have no odor and are 99% water. During testing, we felt the wipe was on par with other leading contenders for durability, size, and softness but tore somewhat easier than most of the competition when put under stress. While they didn't have a problem with tushie-related business, they weren't as durable for cleaning grubby hands or high chair trays.

These wipes come in a harder-to-use dispenser with a sticky plastic top that we had trouble getting sealed properly after each use. The wipes don't predictably dispense one after another, and sometimes we ended up with more wipes than we wanted, and other times we had to fight to get the wipes we wanted for the job. They are also drier compared to the competition, and if you fail (like we did) to get the package closed, it can lead to dry and somewhat useless wipes. If you go with this brand, we recommend transferring them to a warmer or plastic container to ensure they stay ready for action. Overall, we like these wipes if you can handle the higher price, and we think they are great for those with the Earth and baby's health in mind.

3

Tight Budget Water Wipe

Mama Bear 99% Water Baby Wipes

$18 at Amazon

Material: Cellulose & Cotton | Dimensions: 6" x 9 1/4"

REASONS TO BUY

99% water

Fragrance-free

Durable and soft

REASONS TO AVOID

Contains phenoxyethanol

16 ingredients

The Mama Bear 99% Water Baby Wipes was somewhat of a pleasant surprise for us. This wipe is soft yet super durable, with no tears during testing. It has no smell and is free of elements we find concerning like alcohol, parabens, and phthalates. This simple, straightforward wipe is 99% purified water, and the material includes 15% cotton for that soft feel that stands out. The pack is easy to open and close, and the wipes come out one at a time without the dreaded follow-along wipe that leads to waste. The price is far better than the competing water wipe.

There isn't much to dislike about this wipe, but it does have significantly more ingredients than our top "water wipe" winner. These additives appear to be mostly preservative ingredients, and they are still far fewer than most of the competition. It does contain phenoxyethanol, which can be an irritant for some, so you may want to do a spot test before using it on your baby's sensitive bits or consider it as a potential contributor should your little one develop a rash after switching wipes. Overall, we think this is an excellent wipe at a wallet-friendly price, especially for parents looking to limit their little one's exposure to chemicals.

4

Economic Choice with Better Eco-health

Babyganics Unscented Diaper Wipes

$40 at Amazon

Material: Cotton Fiber | Dimensions: 7 1/2" x 5 3/4"

REASONS TO BUY

Fragrance-free

Budget-friendly

REASONS TO AVOID

Confusing ingredient claims

Includes potential irritants

Non-interlocking wipes

Babyganics Unscented Diaper Wipes is a budget-friendly, basic baby wipe. They come in plastic containers with a stiff but thin plastic "lid"/opening that pulls the wipes through one at a time. The lid resealed easily and didn't give us trouble, but given that the wipes sit on one another and don't interlock, it could be a problem if you transfer them to a wipe warmer. It has no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic dyes, or fragrances. The wipe is durable and soft, and while fragrance-free, it has a very light scent. The wipes are thick and moist enough for almost any mess, poop, or food. Ours didn't tear until we tried to pull and stretch them multiple times and never during regular use.

This wipe has 17 ingredients, including avocado oil, calendula, and aloe. While these ingredients (and some others) are "natural," they can still be a potential irritant for little ones' sensitive skin. It also boasts no synthetic dyes, which implies other dyes might be involved in this diaper. Any dye, natural or otherwise, can be a potential irritant, so it isn't our favorite. Last, despite claiming cotton fiber in some places, it also claims the material is polyester and viscose. We aren't sure what to make of this. Overall, we generally like Babyganics products. If your budget is small, we see the appeal, but if limiting ingredients are more your jam, we think the Mama Bear Water Wipes are a better deal.

5

Eco-healthier but Expensive

Eco by Naty Unscented Baby Wipes

$9 at Amazon

Material: Viscose from 100% wood pulp | Dimensions: 8 1/2" x 5 3/4"

REASONS TO BUY

100% compostable

Unscented

Vegan

REASONS TO AVOID

Expensive

Disappointing dispenser

The Eco by Naty Unscented Baby Wipes is a more environmentally friendly disposable wipe than we traditionally see. These wipes are 98.4% water, use organic plant-based materials (100% wood pulp viscose), and chamomile. They are free from plastic, chlorine, and perfume. The container we tested was plastic and had a thin plastic opening you pull back and reseal between uses. The wipes pulled out like tissues in an interlocking style but didn't keep pulling wastefully. We feel the wipes are durable enough but did tear when pushed to their limits. Naty is a company concerned with the environment and also offers a best disposable diapers we love.

These wipes have nine ingredients listed, which is below average for the group. If you are looking for fewer ingredients, this roundup offers better options, though they might not be compostable (so a trade-off might be in order). Most of the ingredients are preservatives meant to prevent the wipes from going bad, but given that others offer wipes with less, it still feels like a lot. These wipes also have a disappointing dispenser that doesn't close well and can lead to wipes drying before you have a chance to finish the pack. We recommend using a separate container or wipe warmer to keep them moist. Overall, there is much to love about these wipes from a company doing its best to contribute positively to climate change improvement. If you can afford them (they are spendy) and don't mind the extra ingredients, they are worthy of consideration.

Material: Wood pulp/Polyethylene/Polypropylene | Dimensions: 6 1/2" x 7/12"

The Seventh Generation Free and Clear is one of the few selections in our lineup that is entirely scent-free, which means fewer chemicals and no odor. We prefer a baby who smells like a baby, with no fragrances, to mask the scent of the contents you typically find in a dirty diaper. This wipe is ultra-soft, larger than some competitors, and has an adorable duck pattern. With fewer ingredients, it is hard not to love this eco-friendlier option.

Unfortunately, this wipe is not the most durable choice. While it should clean a poopy tushie without a problem, dried poop might result in tearing and a bigger mess than you want. However, ideally, you'll clean messes before they dry. Overall, there is much to love about this wipe, which is free from fragrances, alcohol, and parabens.

Material: Plant-based | Dimensions: 6 3/4" x 9"

Honest Baby Wipes is a high-end wipe that comes in various package designs. These wipes are durable, thick, and work well. We like that they are free of many concerning things, including alcohol, parabens, phthalates, quaternary ammonium compounds, and fragrances. They use chlorine-free processing (which is good for babies and the Earth). Chlorine-free processing is relatively unique for this type of product, making them one of the most Earth-friendly disposable wipes around.

According to many users, Honest recently changed the formulation of their wipes, and the newer version seems less sensitive than the previous version causing skin irritation. While we didn't experience this, we recommend the Water Wipes as a truly chemical-free option if your baby is super sensitive. Honest is on the spendy side for wipes, so it may not be the right fit for tighter budgets. For parents concerned about the use of chlorine in production or finding a wipe free of certain things, Honest does an excellent job of avoiding the top irritants and concerns. However, there are more environmentally conscious wipes and companies in this list you might want to consider first.

Material: Regenerated Cellulose/Polyester | Dimensions: 6 1/2" x 8 3/4"

Pampers Sensitive is a well-known brand name wipe you can easily find in most stores. This wipe comes in a flip-top pack you can open with one hand, and the wipe itself is soft and thick. The Sensitive wipe is free of alcohol, perfume, parabens, phenoxyethanol, and dyes.

This wipe is not stretchy and will tear if you push it too far. While the pack is easy to pull from, the follow-on wipe comes out far too much, leaving you with the decision to use two wipes when you only need one or push it and fold it back into the pack to close the lid. It also has a scent that can be troubling to those expecting a scent-free product. While not overpowering, it is there, and we worry parents will confuse "fragrance-free" with scent-free, but this only means there is no added scent. The wipes in this pack are not the most durable and one of the few in the review to tear if stretched. Overall, we like the limited ingredients of this wipe and feel some parents will appreciate the lack of additional chemicals with a light smell.

Material: ? | Dimensions: 6 3/4" x 7 1/2"

The Mama Bear Gentle Fragrance-Free is an Amazon brand wipe marketed under their Mama Bear brand. This wipe is thin and has embossed lambs on the surface for a cute overall look. It feels soft to the touch and is average in size. This wipe is free of fragrance, phenoxyethanol, ethyl alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, phthalates, dyes, sulfates, and formaldehyde donors, making it better for sensitive skin than some of the competition.

Unfortunately, these wipes are very easy to tear, and if you pull them from the pack quickly to get one instead of two or more, they will tear as you pull them out. In our tests, they were the easiest to tear in the group. While we like the idea of a sensitive wipe with fewer ingredients and traditionally like the Amazon offerings, this wipe isn't as good as the competition. We prefer the Mama Bear Water Wipes if you want an Amazon Mama Bear option.

Material: Regenerated Cellulose/Polyester/Cotton | Dimensions: 6 1/4" x 7"

Pampers Aqua Pure boasts limited ingredients and organic cotton construction with this high-end wipe. This wipe is sturdy and stretchy, with no tearing in our tests (believe us, we tried!). The Pampers Aqua Pure has more moisture than much of the competition, which can be useful for some messes or an after-sleep diaper with some crusty poo. We like that the Pampers Aqua Pure lacks dyes, parabens, fragrances, and some alcohols (they specify "drying" alcohols).

We do not like the marketing hype of this wipe and feel that greenwashing and misleading claims are happening. While branded as "Aqua-Pure," this wipe contains more than water. Also, it boasts "organic cotton," implying the wipe is only cotton when the fine print states "a touch" of cotton or, specifically, only 15%. While not a deal-breaker, we don't like the misleading language that we believe is designed to make parents feel this wipe is organic and contains only water, neither of which is true. It contains 1% cleansers and Ph balancers from six ingredients other than water. This wipe is slightly more expensive than most, probably due to the organic claim and green marketing hype. However, it does have fewer ingredients than most of the competition. It is more readily found in more local stores than our top choice of Water Wipes, making it a potential option for parents who value fewer chemicals and easy accessibility and are willing to ignore the greenwashing ethics.

Material:? | Dimensions: 6 1/4" x 7 1/2"

Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes is an easy-to-find, popular-brand name baby wipe with a cute bear embossed pattern and super soft texture. These super moist wipes come in an easy-to-use plastic package with a film opening that works well but can be tricky to operate with one. The wipes are ultra-soft and work well on small messes.

The Natural Care wipes are not very natural, with an overpowering fragrance that may smell "fresh" and plant-like to some, but it is too strong and hard to get past for others. The scent lingers for hours when used on surfaces in a room. They also have a list of ingredients that is 12 strong with fragrance included (which typically means a chemical concoction they don't need to identify by law). These wipes are some of the flimsiest in the group and tear as easily as wet paper without much force required (Huggies does not list the makeup of their wipes), so you may need more wipes to get the job done than you would with a more durable option. While we think parents will want a well-known name and the promise of "natural," we do not believe these are as natural as some of the competition, nor should they be anyone's top choice. Perhaps if they were fragrance-free or sturdier, they might be more impressive. If you must have the Huggies brand, they make a fragrance-free version, but the durability is still likely a problem.

Why You Should Trust Us

After testing various gear since 2012, we know what it takes to test each product hands-on in the real world. Baby Wipes are no exception to our "buy and use" testing process. We provide all the details you'll need to find the best wipe for your little one with our unbiased analysis. Each wipe is put through a myriad of tests to assess its materials, durability, softness, ingredients, and more. We favor soft and durable wipes with few ingredients and no fragrance to help avoid possible skin irritation. Baby wipes are considered necessary, and we think they should add to the clean-up process without creating problems.

Real moms used each wipe in our roundup in the trenches of motherhood, including Wendy Schmitz, mom of two boys, and a Senior Review Editor at BabyGearLab since 2014. The wipes were used in various clean-up situations and assessed for durability, wipe ability (ease of use), and eco-health.

Analysis and Test Results

We performed tests for ease of use, durability, and health, ranking each baby wipe compared to the other wipes in this review. Our results give you the information you need to make the best choice for your family.

Ease of Use

How hard could a wipe be to use? Utilizing the wipe isn't challenging, but opening and getting wipes out of the package can be. Depending not the style of the package and how the wipes are dispensed, your experience can vary. Many wipes come in hard plastic tubs or refills in plastic bag-style containers; some have flip-top lids that open easily, and others have a thin recloseable film. While most wipes come out of their packaging like tissues, pulling one interlocking wipe causes the next to appear ready for picking; not all of them work well, and some work so well that the second wipe pulls out almost entirely and prevents the lid from fully closing. This issue can result in wasted or dried-out wipes.

The Honest container plastic flip lid is so great at staying closed it is nearly impossible to open with one hand. And given that your second hand might be holding a wiggly baby on a public restroom changing table, it needs to open with one hand. Once open, pulling the wipe is easy enough, but the follow-up wipe will come almost halfway out with the first wipe, so if you don't need it, you'll have to stuff it back in or fold it up to get the lid closed (again, all with potentially one hand).

Both Pampers options also have a hard plastic flip lid. The lids are more comfortable opening and closing than the Honest cover, but they also suffer from the follow-up wipe coming out with the first. It makes us wonder if you might end up using/wasting wipes you wouldn't ordinarily use because you can't get them back in the package. It is a minor hiccup but worth noting if you end up going through your wipes twice as fast as necessary. On the other hand, the Mama Bear wipes also have hard plastic flip lids, but the second follow-up wipes only peek out of the top when you pull the first, making it super easy to reclose without fiddling with the follow-on wipe. Mama Bear proves it is possible to create an easy-to-use dispenser and operate a wipes package with one hand. Both the Water Wipes (on the go format) and the Huggies have a film cover that presses in place, which means less plastic in the landfill, but you'll almost certainly need two hands to get them open or closed. The Water Wipes are the only option in our review that does not dispense like tissue, and pulling one from the package does not cause the second to be more readily available. However, they are still easy to remove and access, and this design means the film closure is easier to press back in place than the competition that allows the next wipe to pull through.

The Dyper Wipes have a film cover that doesn't always cling to the package firmly without wrinkles in the opening, resulting in some air gaps that could dry the wipes prematurely. The Babyganics packaging has a firmer plastic film lid, but it is really stiff, and the sticky part is so sticky it can be hard to open with one hand.

Durability

This modern-day marvel of convenience is probably one you haven't given much thought to, but the first time your hand slips through a torn wipe while cleaning up a messy blowout, you'll be wishing you'd paid more attention to choosing a quality wipe. Whether or not a wipe can be torn or stretched and how well it withstands the rigors of wiping up filthy messes separates the pups from the big dogs of disposable cleaning wipes. While any wipe can tackle a quick swipe on a bum after a urine-soaked diaper change, you'll need something more substantial to tackle a sticky mess of meconium during the first week or a severe prune explosion later in life.

The Pampers Sensitive and the HUGGIES Natural Care both tear easily and without much effort, leading to dirty fingers or poop under your nails. While both are soft, this extra softness brings the ability to break under pressure. The Huggies wipe tends to split in two, while the Pampers Sensitive has more of a stretch spread rather than becoming two separate parts. The Mama Bear Water Wipes are very durable, and we couldn't tear them even when we tried. However, the Mama Bear Sensitive is the exception and tore easily in our tests; some tore when removing them from the package! The Pampers Aqua Pure is softer and impossible to tear even when we tried very hard to do so. Honest Wipes and Water Wipes are similar in durability to the Pampers Aqua Pure. The Seventh Generation is one of the softest and is durable enough to tackle most jobs if you don't try to stretch it. The Eco by Naty and Dyper Wipes are both pretty sturdy and can get almost any job done.

Health

Given that you'll be using these quick clean-up wipes multiple times a day, it can impact your baby's skin, especially if they tend to have sensitive skin or allergies. The last thing you need is a wipe creating or contributing to a rash or irritation in a sensitive, already overworked area of your baby's body. For this reason, we recommend using the wipes that work the best for you with the least amount of additives or chemicals. Ingredient lists can include lotions and fragrances that may not suit sensitive new baby skin.

Many of the wipes in this review have some scent when you open the package (even those that say fragrance-free), but only the Huggies brand knocked us off our feet. While many testers felt it was the softest, and the little embossed bears are super cute, it has a strong cleaner odor that most testers didn't like. At best, it is fresh and invigorating. At worst, it is annoying and pungent. It depends on how much you enjoy artificial scents, but the smell's strength concerns us and makes us think it could irritate some babies. The Huggies ingredient list is ten items as long. It includes "parfum," which is a fancy way of saying "a bunch of chemicals we don't have to identify" because, legally, it is a proprietary blend, and they can keep it a secret. This ingredient list would be even longer if they were required to list all of the fragrance's ingredients, and the additive makes it one we don't prefer.

The Mama Bear Water Wipes say they are 99% purified water, similar to the Water Wipes; however, the label lists 15 ingredients, which means 1% of each wipe is filled with these other chemicals, unlike the Water Wipes. While this means the amount of any chemical is low, it still isn't as "free" from additives as its competitor. We feel confident that the xanthum gum in the Pampers Sensitive isn't necessary for a clean finish. Even the Honest wipe, which professes to be 99% water on the package, still has 12 ingredients, though it is free of alcohol, parabens, fragrance, and chlorine processing (woohoo!). Pampers Pure Aqua has seven ingredients, which is better but not exactly "pure water," as the name implies, and related marketing. However, it is free of alcohol and fragrances, which we like.

If you want limited ingredients, hoping to avoid as many chemicals and additives as possible, it simply must be the Water Wipes. As the name implies, Water Wipes are almost entirely water (precisely 99.9%) with 0.1% of grapefruit seed extract. These durable wipes have no odor, are soft, and leave no residue. The Water Wipes are the smallest in the group and relatively thin, but they stretch to over 14 inches long without tearing, and they get the job done without added chemicals. The Seventh Generation Wipes are similar to Pampers Aqua Pure with fewer than seven ingredients, with most being plant extracts and the first being water. These scent-free wipes are gentle and less likely to irritate sensitive skin. Eco by Naty Unscented Baby Wipes lists nine ingredients, with most being preservatives to avoid mold and other issues related to keeping wipes fresh.

Seventh Generation also takes steps to be more environmentally friendly and is a Certified B Corporation. These corporations are certified as better for employees, communities, and the environment, making Seventh Generation wipes an excellent choice for anyone concerned about eco-health. Dyper is also a Certified B Corporation and offers a compost service for their wipes and diapers.

Conclusion

You might think all baby wipes are the same with a simple design of a disposable moist towelette. This initial belief could lead to confusion on which wipe might be the right option for you and your baby. We believe the best wipes are capable of cleaning the messiest of blowouts while keeping their shape, not tearing, and avoiding unnecessary chemicals to get the job done. Wipes should be gentle on the baby's skin, leaving no residue and causing no irritation. We favor products with fewer ingredients that are soft and gentle on the tushie and retain their shape and integrity. We believe this review has a potential wipe for every family looking for a disposable wipe, no matter your wipe needs and goals. We've also tested cloth wipes if you want to learn more or think they might be the right fit for your family goals.