Your Baby Wipes Could Contain Toxic Chemicals — Try These PFAS-Free Brands Instead

Do you know exactly what you're wiping your baby's bottom with? A recent report found several popular baby wipes — including some plant-based ones like Coterie and WaterWipes — contained high levels of PFAS. These notorious "forever chemicals" don't readily break down in the environment and can contribute to developmental delays, early puberty, thyroid dysfunction, cancer, and more.

The findings have led to a class action lawsuit against another popular baby wipe brand, Kirkland, and encouraged parents to switch to PFAS-free baby wipes, most of which are also largely plant-based, biodegradable, zero-waste, and/or fragrance-free.

Best Overall: Caboo Tree Free Baby Wipes, 6-pack ($28)

Best Anti-Odor: DYPER Charcoal Enhanced Baby Wipes, 4-pack ($20)

Best Multipurpose: Doctor Butler’s Soothing Wipes, 3-pack ($36, was $40)

Best Award-Winning: Mustela Compostable Fragrance-Free Wipes, 3-pack ($23)

Best with Recyclable Packaging: Pura Baby Wipes, 3-pack ($8)

Are you ready to make the switch too? The five brands below leave out a laundry list of toxic chemicals commonly found in personal hygiene products — scary stuff like formaldehyde, chlorine, and alcohol, to name a few — as well as PFAs. We selected brands that have been vetted by major regulating organizations like the Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Working Group. Feel good about stocking your diaper bag with these all-natural picks.

A renewable baby wipe option is this well-priced one by Caboo, made of responsibly sourced bamboo (meaning it's not a food source for pandas). They gentle wipes are free of PFAs, formaldehyde, chlorine, and all the harsh chemicals, and they're manufactured in facilities so immaculate they've earned multiple certifications, including from the Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the FDA.

Open the package and you'll notice there's something different about Dyper's unscented, PFA-free baby wipes: they're black. That's because they're infused with activated charcoal, a natural antimicrobial that repels odors. These wipes are 98 percent water and made of renewable bamboo viscose while being free of every toxin you can think of.

Doctor Butler's baby wipes are just what the doctor ordered, not just for your baby but for the entire family. These PFAS-free wipes are a great all-purpose choice to keep in the house, with soothing essential oils like chamomile and calendula infused into biodegradable bamboo sheets. They're made in a SGS-Certified Facility, where their quality is held to stringent standards. Keep one pack in the nursery, another in your purse, and the third in the bathroom for makeup removal.

Mustela makes these compostable, fragrance-free baby wipes using 99 percent natural ingredients, including FSC-certified (sustainably harvested) wood pulp. The wipes are designed to decompose in a home compost environment within about six months. You don't have to worry about PFAS, plastic, fragrances, or any other harsh chemicals — just a gentle touch on delicate baby skin that's even earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Pura Baby Wipes are great vegan, cruelty-free option. Their baby wipes are 100 percent PFAS-free, plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable, made from FSC-certified plant fibers and contain 99 percent water and organic aloe vera, which is perfect for sensitive, newborn, and eczema-prone skin. Free from fragrances, alcohol, parabens, and chlorine, these wipes are made in the UK, where they've earned Allergy UK Certification, and they're endorsed by the British Skin Foundation. Even the packaging is fully recyclable.