Baby Articles

Wet wipes... some use them to clean their baby; others to cleanse their face; others for a quick body wash at festivals.

They certainly can be useful especially whilst traveling, but the problem is many available in the supermarkets and pharmacies contain chemicals, preservatives and synthetics ingredients that aren't all together good for you.

In order to keep a pack of open wipes as germ free as possible, many brands add preservatives and antibacterials. Chemical cleaning solvents like alcohol can lead to dry, cracked or irritated skin.

Methylparaben and butylparaben are the particular preservatives to watch as they mimic oestrogen. According to the Ecologist, when absorbed into the bloodstream (remember up to 60% what's applied to the skin is absorbed) they can affect foetal development and trigger cancers of the breast, ovary, uterus and testicles.

You can't flush conventional wipes down the toilet as they clog the sewage system and are not biodegradable thus take hundreds of years to decompose.

But there are brands of wipes available that contain natural ingredients that do not damage your skin and are biodegradable.

Organic baby wipes are best as they shouldn't contain paraben preservatives, are hypoallergenic and alcohol free.

Article written by Sarah. Updated July 2010.