Flushable Wipes vs. Baby Wipes: Pros and Cons to Consider
Picture this: you're at the grocery store, shopping for dinner with your toddler in the shopping cart. Suddenly, you smell it. Poop. You park your cart by the bathroom and put your child on the changing table. It’s a five-alarm blowout. What do you do next?
Most of us pull out the baby wipes and go to town. You're finished. Now what?
If you're using standard baby wipes, you throw it all in the trash.
However, if you're using flushable wipes, you can flush them down the toilet, knowing water will help break the wipes apart and start the degradation process.
In this article, we’ll compare flushable wipes to baby wipes and how they compare from a product usage, flushability, and sustainability standpoint.
Product Usage
Flushable wipes are designed to remove solid waste from our bottoms more effectively than toilet paper alone. Because the wipes are moistened and often scented, they can leave you feeling cleaner and more refreshed. They can also be used for cooling off on hot days, freshening up after a workout, serving as a shower substitute, and wiping chocolate off your toddler's face. By the way, they’re also great for potty training!
ALSO READ: Potty Training Tips: Step-by-Step Guide for Teaching Kids to Wipe Properly and Safely
Baby wipes are a staple item for parents and caregivers who take care of babies and toddlers. They’re designed to clean up urine and feces during diaper changes. A package of baby wipes should always be within arm’s reach at home or when you’re out and about if you have a child in diapers. Baby wipes aren't only for babies though. They can come in handy for other purposes, such as removing makeup, wiping off surfaces, and even dusting furniture!
LEARN MORE: 40 Surprising and Unexpected Ways to Use Baby Wipes (for Adults!)
Flushability
A frequently asked question is: Are baby wipes flushable? The short answer is no. Baby wipes are NOT flushable unless explicitly stated on the package. That’s because many brands of baby wipes contain plastic. If you’re looking for a sustainably sourced plastic-free baby wipe made with only plant-based fibers, consider Nice ’N CLEAN® Baby Wipes.
For a truly flushable [1] wipe, turn to Nice ’N CLEAN® SecureFLUSH™ Technology Flushable Wipes. This revolutionary wet wipe is made from 100% biodegradable [2] fibers that break apart in water 5 times faster than the leading toilet paper does. While standard flushable wipes can only be flushed one or two at a time, our wipes can be flushed up to 5 at a time. This helps save time since you’re able to flush more wipes in a single flush. Moreover, using Nice ’N CLEAN® SecureFLUSH™ Technology Flushable Wipes can help conserve water as toilets can use anywhere from 1.6 to 7 gallons of water per flush. The average person uses the restroom five times a day so the flushes can really add up!
LEARN MORE: Why Using Moist Toilet Tissue is Healthier than Using Toilet Paper
Sustainability
When it comes to sustainability, using biodegradable flushable wipes is superior to baby wipes.
This is especially true if you’re using a baby wipe that contains plastic (typically labeled as polypropylene), such as Pampers. Traditional baby wipes contain up to 0.75% plastic. These wipes can take decades to degrade. Even when they degrade, they turn into micro plastics and enter our oceans. Fish and other sea life ingest these micro plastics, which are then introduced into our food supply via seafood.
As parents, we often think of ourselves as our children's protectors. We should also consider protecting the earth that they will grow up in, the one our grandchildren will inherit. That’s why it’s important to use plastic-free wet wipes made with fibers sourced from trees in environmentally managed forests, such as Nice ’N CLEAN® Wipes.
Our entire line of wet wipes -- from disinfecting to hand to flushable -- are all made from renewable plant-based fibers. And our revolutionary new Nice ’N CLEAN® SecureFLUSH™ Technology Flushable Wipes are made with 100% biodegradable fibers that immediately start disintegrating when they contact water.
In the event of a grocery store diaper blowout, both flushable wipes and baby wipes can come to the rescue. But for a more earth-friendly clean-up solution, using flushable wipes, especially biodegradable ones, are a better option.
Whichever option you choose, there’s a wipe for that in the Nice ’N CLEAN® family of wet wipes. Our comprehensive line of wipes are here to help keep your family nice and clean.
[1] Safe for well-maintained sewer and septic systems. Not recommended for use with motorhomes or basement pump systems.
[2] When disposed of in the toilet
References:
- https://www.watercalculator.org/posts/toilet/
- https://www.sfweekly.com/sponsored/5-key-benefits-of-using-flushable-wipes/
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3911606/Wet-wipes-100-years-break-Products-contain-plastic-virtually-indestructible.html
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/many-gallons-water-flush-toilet-88812.html
