Flushable wipes are apparently not meant to be flushed. The problem was recognized worldwide when London sewer officials reportedly removed a 15-ton huge lump of wrongly flushed wet wipes from the sewers.

You always thought that baby wipes are safe for your little one's delicate skin, but what most parents do not realize is that these wipes contain a variety of chemicals including parabens and phthalates (added for fragrance). Other not-so-good chemicals include, cocamidopropyl betaine―a synthetic surfactant derived from coconut oil that is known to cause allergic contact dermatitis and skin irritation. Another ingredient to watch out for is phenoxyethanol―a preservative used in cosmetic products and also present in many baby wipes, that is known to cause skin, eye, and lung irritation. Some commonly used ingredients are water, glycerin, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extracts, aloe vera (aloe barbadensis) extract, lemon (citrus medica limonum) oil, lavender oil, and tea tree leaf oil, are considered relatively safe by the EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. This American environmental organization lists the ingredients and their relative toxicity on personal care products for the benefit of the consumers. If your baby has extremely sensitive skin, then you need wipes that are formulated to suit their skin type. These wipes are free of harmful chemicals such as alcohol and chlorine, which can irritate the baby's skin and aggravate diaper rashes. Fragrant baby wipes can also irritate the baby's sensitive skin. It is best to look for fragrance-free wipes containing all natural ingredients such as aloe and vitamin E. If you are potty training a toddler, then you may opt for flushable wipes. While choosing baby wipes, you will have to check the thickness and size of each wipe. While a cheaper wipe may be easier on your pocket, it may be extremely thin and small. Obviously, no one wants to end up with dirty hands after a diaper change, or use multiple wipes to clean up baby poop every time. So, opt for extra-thick, large variants that are better and more efficient at wiping the baby's bottom. Most baby wipes are available in flexible plastic bags with a rigid flip-up lid or a sticker-type top. You can open the lid and pull out the wipe with one hand while changing the baby's diaper. The rigid flip-up top ensures that the wet wipes stay moist. One of the problems with these wipes is that they tend to get all bunched up in the plastic package. The ones with the sticker-type top tend to lose moisture faster. An alternative to these are the hard baby wipe containers with flip-up lids. These boxes retain the moisture of the wipes. Once the wipes are over, instead of getting a new packet, you can simply buy refills. Since we use baby wipes regularly, the price matters as well. Instead of cheap and bad-quality variants, choose wipes that may be a little expensive but are made of natural ingredients. Obviously, buying in bulk saves extra bucks as well. Availability can be a cause for concern. Most of the wet wipes we see in department stores are from popular brands, which may or may not suit the baby. If you find it a pain to take a trip to the baby store to get a specific wet wipe brand, just order it online. Choosing a biodegradable baby wipe option helps in reducing the burden that the baby's bottom leaves on the planet during the diapering stage. Not all parents like the idea of reusable baby wipes which are more eco-friendly than the one-time-use variants. However, choosing a baby wipe that is made of natural and renewable materials, and is 100 percent compostable, helps in reducing the damage done to the environment by disposable baby wipes and diapers.