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Make Your Own Wipe Solution By Amy Nogar

Wipe solutions are so easy to make and can save you money too! Use them for cleaning sticky hands and messy faces as well as dirty bottoms. Unlike commercial wipes, these recipes don't contain alcohol or chemicals, and they smell good. Use these recipes on cloth wipes or make your own disposable wipes and save even more money! To make disposable wipes, cut high quality paper towels in half, or leave whole for full-size wipes.

Common Cloth Wipe Solution Ingredients:

Many wipe solution recipes contain similar main ingredients, which are used for the same reason in each recipe. These are the common ingredients and why they're included:

• Oil: Helps the wipe glide across baby's skin and keeps skin soft
• Soap: Cleanses by removing all traces of urine and feces
• EO: (Essential Oil) Added for antibacterial and/or aromatherapy purposes.
• Water: The main ingredient in each recipe, cleanses the diaper area and dilutes the other ingredients

The type and amounts of oil, soap, EO and water that goes into a recipe is what gives each cloth wipe solution it's own distinct "personality". Have fun trying different recipes until you find the ones that you like best!

How to Use Cloth Wipe Solutions

When mixing solutions it works best to start with oil and end with water. The oil will coat your measuring tools so the soap slips right off. Be sure to add the water slowly or you'll end up with a ton of bubbles! Most of the time it's easiest to gently mix the wipe solution in a bottle with a cover, then pour it into the storage container.

There are many different ways to store and apply wipe solutions to your wipes, try a few of the following ideas to find the one that works best for your family. You may discover that one system works great at home and another works great away from home. Here's some ideas to get you started:

• Use a spray bottle to spritz baby's bottom or the wipes. (For baby's comfort we prefer spraying the wipes)
• Use a bottle with a pull-up spout (like on bottled-water bottles) to dribble solution onto the wipes.
• Warm solution and place in an insulated container to provide warm wipes for baby.
• Place the solution into a commercial baby wipes container and dip wipes into the solution.
• Place cloth wipes in a commercial baby wipes container and pour wipes solution over wipes.
• A commercial baby wipes container can be placed in a wipes warmer to provide cozy warm wipes for baby.

Don't store solution or wet wipes for a long time because they can become musty and the wet wipes may even grow mildew - ewww! Check your solution and wet wipes daily, and mix smaller batches of solution frequently instead of large batches less often to avoid mustiness. We mix fresh solution once a week, store it in a bottled-water bottle, and have not had any problems with mustiness.

Cloth Wipe Solution Recipes

Almond 'n' Chamomile

Steep the tea bags in the hot water then add the oil.

2 chamomile tea bags

2 teaspoons almond oil

2 cups hot water


Anti-Fungal

Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon calendula oil

A few drops lavender oil

A few drops tea tree oil

1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel

1 cup water


Anti-Fungal Too

Similar to the other anti-fungal recipe, but less vinegar and water.

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon calendula oil

A few drops lavender oil

A few drops tea tree oil

1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel

1/2 cup water


Basic Wipe Solution

This basic recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil.

1/2 cup baby oil

1/2 cup baby wash

2 cups water


Castile Solution

Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap comes in several yummy scents!

1 tablespoon almond, apricot, or other oil

1 tablespoon Dr Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap

2 drops tea tree oil

1 drop lavender oil

1 cup water


Chamomile 'n' Honey

Brew the tea, add the honey, and drink any leftovers!

1 chamomile tea bag

1 teaspoon honey

1 cup boiling water


Easy Peasy

Just three simple ingredients...

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons baby wash

1 1/2 cups water


Eight is Great

Similar ingredients as other recipes, but in different amounts.
1/8 cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup baby wash

8 drops lavender oil

4 drops tea tree oil

2 cups water


Fruit 'n' Veggie

Dr Bronner's soaps can often be found in organic markets.

1 teaspoon fruit or vegetable-based oil (apricot, olive, grapeseed, etc)

1 tablespoon vegetable-based soap (like Dr. Bronner's liquid castile)
1 teaspoon 100% aloe vera gel

1 cup water


Just One

Just one "something" of each ingredient for this recipe.

1 chamomile tea bag

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon baby bath or shampoo

1 drop lavendar oil

1 cup hot water


Lavender 'n' Tea Tree

Lavender and Tea Tree are popular EO choices for wipe solutions.

1/8 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon baby shampoo

4 drops tea tree oil

8 drops lavender oil

3 cups water


Lanolin & Glycerine

Lanolin and glycerine moisturize without oil.

1 tablespoon liquid glycerine

1/4 teaspoon liquid lanolin (100% pure)

1 tablespoon baby wash

1-3 drops EO

4 cups water


Lotion Potion

Baby lotion adds more softening power to this solution.

1 tablespoon baby oil

1 tablespoon baby soap

1 tablespoon baby lotion

1 cup water


Magic Baby

Baby Magic products are usually easy to find in local stores.

1/2 cup Baby Magic oil

1/2 cup Baby Magic wash

2 cups water


No Measuring

Don't measure for this one, just estimate amounts.

2 squirts baby oil

2 squirts baby wash

1 drop EO

1 cup water (about)


Olive 'n' Tea Tree

A great natural wipes solution.

1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin not necessary)

1/8 cup gentle baby bath

A few drops tea tree oil

4 cups water


Shampoo Style

Baby shampoo works as well as baby wash.

1 tablespoon baby oil

2 teaspoons baby shampoo

2 1/2 cups water

Soapless

This recipe relies on the EO to cleanse, instead of using soap.

1-2 drops tea tree oil

1-2 drops lavender oil

1 cup water


Zany Apricot Solution

One of our favorites, the apricot oil smells heavenly!

1 tablespoon apricot oil

1 tablespoon unscented baby wash

3 cups water


Zany Lavender Solution

Our other favorite, the lavender is calming for us and our son.

1 tablespoon baby oil

1 tablespoon lavender scented baby wash

2-3 drops lavender oil

3 cups water

CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy For New Lead Limits In Children’s Products Effective February 10

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Starting on February 10, 2009, consumer products intended for children 12 and under cannot have more than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part. This new safety requirement is a key component of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) aimed at further reducing children’s exposure to lead.

In an effort to provide clear and reasonable guidance to those impacted by this important law, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is announcing its enforcement policy (pdf) on the lead limits established by the CPSIA.

Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers should also be aware that CPSC will:

• Not impose penalties against anyone for making, importing, distributing, or selling
  
  
  • a children’s product to the extent that it is made of certain natural materials (pdf), such as wood, cotton, wool, or certain metals and alloys which the Commission has recognized rarely, if ever, contain lead;
  • an ordinary children’s book printed after 1985; or
  • dyed or undyed textiles (not including leather, vinyl or PVC) and non-metallic thread and trim used in children’s apparel and other fabric products, such as baby blankets.
    
    (The Commission generally will not prosecute someone for making, selling or distributing items in these categories even if it turns out that such an item actually contains more than 600 ppm lead.)

  Sellers will not be immune from prosecution if CPSC’s Office of Compliance finds that someone had actual knowledge that one of these children’s products contained more than 600 ppm lead or continued to make, import, distribute or sell such a product after being put on notice. Agency staff will seek recalls of violative children’s products or other corrective actions, where appropriate.

• Issue an interim final rule (pdf) effective February 10, 2009, which establishes alternative lead limits for certain electronic devices, in order to prevent unnecessary removal of certain children’s products from store shelves.
• Accept a manufacturer’s determination that a lead-containing part on their product is inaccessible to a child and not subject to the new lead limits, if it is consistent with the Commission’s proposed guidance or is based on a reasonable reading of the inaccessibility requirement. Paint and other coatings or electroplating are not considered barriers that make a component inaccessible.

This enforcement policy will remain in effect until superseded by action of the Commission.

CPSC still expects companies to meet their reporting obligation under federal law and immediately tell the Commission if they learn of a children’s product that exceeds the new lead limits starting on February 10, 2009. Companies also should know that the CPSIA generally prohibits the export for sale of children’s products that exceed the new lead limits.

As announced on January 30, 2009, the Commission approved a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers. Significant to makers of children’s products, the ‘stay’ provides limited relief from the testing and certification for total lead content limits, phthalates limits for certain products and mandatory toy standards. Manufacturers and importers – large and small – of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will still need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements. Certification based on testing by an accredited laboratory is still required for painted children’s products and soon will be required for children’s metal jewelry, as well as certain other products for non-lead issues.

Home-made Alternatives

To remove some finishes, excess dyes or conventional detergents and fabric softeners, several times, or soak overnight a tub of water with ONE of the following:

1/2 to 1 cup vinegar.
1/2 – 1 cup pickling salt. Do not soak in an enameled tub, as salt will cause tub to rust over time.
1/4 – l cup baking soda. If using baking soda, rewash several times to remove residue

Note: Many chemical treatments are designed not to wash out. Scented detergents and fabric softeners never completely wash out, but the above washing methods will decrease chemical residues and smells.

Starting Out Right

Is this the truth..

By The Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia

From the time we start preparing a room for a new baby, we are making choices about the child's environment. Many people get ready for a new child by painting, papering, and carpeting a baby's room with conventional products. They don’t realize that by doing so they may be creating an environment high in toxic chemicals. Most of us take it for granted that babies should be soothed with petroleum jelly and mineral oil, washed and shampooed with chemical-based cleansers, fed from plastic bottles, swaddled in disposable diapers, surrounded by scented products and put to sleep in pajamas treated with fire-retardant chemicals. But although parents act out of love, they are often unaware that the choices they make may be harmful to their child. There are baby care products by the hundred. How can a parent identify healthy alternatives?

It is very important to try to limit a baby's exposure to harmful chemicals. Children are more vulnerable to the effects of toxic chemicals than adults. Their immune systems and central nervous system are immature and still developing, which means their bodies are generally less capable of eliminating toxins. As well, children have roughly double the skin surface of adults per unit of body weight, so a child can absorb proportionally more chemicals. Babies and children breathe more air per body weight than adults do, which increases their exposure by inhalation. Decreasing a child's exposure to chemicals from day one, and even in the womb, could mean a lower risk of allergies and chemical sensitivities, and lower risk of cancers and other illnesses.

Right now, we are trying to finish the website for Hyper baby store. I can't tell you how much fun this was. Now it's on to the hard part- advertising. So if you green Parents out there can spread the word about hyper baby store, that would be great. Don't be shy to tell me what you think about the products or one that you like for your own children. Tell me, What to you think about all the chemicals in our baby products? Like the lead from China. What was up with that? What are you doing for your children?