As we’ve covered before, babies get through a lot of diapers.
With up to 3,000 diaper changes in the first year alone, it won’t be long at all before you use up everything you were given at your diaper party.
Every diaper change will also need one other other thing – a pack of baby wipes, so you might be tempted to bulk buy wipes or purchase huge packs.
In this case you’ll probably be wondering if they expire or go off?
The answer is baby wipes do not expire in the same way as food.
But this doesn’t mean they can be used indefinitely.
Loss of moisture, ineffectiveness and the accumulation of mold are all reasons why you might stop using a pack.
But are expired ones safe to use on your baby?
And is there anything you can do to increase the shelf life of a pack?
Let’s take a look.
Table of Contents
Do Baby Wipes Expire?
Baby wipes do not expire in the same way as formula milk or even car seat bases expire.
Most manufacturers state their products have a shelf life of between 2-3 years (when fully sealed and unopened) after the date of manufacture.
Much like stollers, although baby wipes do not have an expiration date, they don’t unfortunately last forever.
The biggest issue for parents is not the shelf life of a pack, it’s actually the issue of wipes drying out and becoming less effective.
So let’s take a look at why they expire and when to replace them.
Why Do Baby Wipes Expire?
They Dry Out
A lot of parents wonder if baby wipes dry out.
The answer is definitely yes, and this is in fact the number one reason why they expire.
Some of the purest and most sensitive products contain up to 99.9% water.
Even ones that aren’t designed for such sensitive skin are usually made with at least 95% water.
With such a high water content, these products are prone to drying out very quickly if they are left open (more on this later).
But even if you re-seal a pack, the water can still evaporate fairly quickly and drying out will become an issue over a few days or weeks.
This is especially true if they are exposed to hot, dry conditions or placed in direct sunlight.
They Become Less Effective
Another reason why baby wet wipes expire is because they lose their effectiveness.
Over time, and especially once opened, the ingredients (think moisturizing, cleaning and preserving agents) may degrade and stop doing the job they were designed to do.
Mold Develops In The Pack
Anyone with a basement will probably know that moist conditions are the ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and mold.
Given the very high amount of water content (see above), it’s no surprise that a pack is susceptible to the growth of mold.
More premium or expensive products that don’t contain preservatives or alcohol are more likely to become moldy over time given their lack of preservatives.
If you see any black or grey mold spots in a pack, or they start to small bad, it’s a sure sign to throw them in the trash immediately.
How To Keep Baby Wipes From Drying Out
As we saw above, the most common reason for a pack to expire and become unusable is because they dry out.
So here are a few tips and hacks to stop baby wet wipes from drying out and expiring:
- Shut The Lid Tightly. A simple way to stop things drying out too quickly is to ensure the lid of the pack is shut as tightly as possible after each use, so the contents are not exposed to air.
- Zip Lock Bag. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to prevent the product from drying out is to store them in an airtight zip lock bag.
- Travel Bag. Using a travel bag is another (and more elegant) way to stop air from getting into a pack of diapers, thereby preserving them for longer.
- Sealable Diaper Holder. As with the two solutions above, a sealable diaper holder or container is a very effective way to prevent air from getting into your pack of wipes and therefore stop them from drying out before you use the entire pack up.
- Open As Few Packs As Possible. It can be convenient to have several packs in different parts of your house or in different bags, but the more packs you have open, the longer they will take to use and the higher the chance of the wipes drying up.
- Store Away From Sunlight & Heat. Even in an airtight container a pack can quickly dry out if it’s in direct sunlight or in a hot cupboard. So if possible try and store your them in a cool, dry and dark place like the drawers of a diaper changing table.
Are Expired Baby Wipes Safe To Use?
Yes expired baby wipes are safe to use on your baby’s skin, but as we’ve seen they may have dried out and / or become less effective at cleaning.
The exception to this are ones that are moldy – if a pack has developed mold then you should dispose of them and not use them on your baby’s sensitive skin.
What To Do With Expired Baby Wipes?
If your wipes have dried up, but don’t show any signs of mold or mildew, then two great ways to re-use them are:
To Remove Make-Up
The great thing about baby wipes is that because they are designed for a baby’s sensitive skin, there should be no issues with using them on your own skin to remove make-up provided you use very gently wipes that don’t contain fragrances or preservatives.
If they have dried out, just add some water (preferably distilled) or coconut oil and you’re good to go.
To Clean Around Your House
Even without adding any water back to wipes that have dried out, you can still use expired baby wipes to clean dust or spillages around your house.
Many people who have tried this find that it’s a great hack because they are a lot stronger and more absorbent than paper towels.
How To Check The Expiration Date
The best place to look for an expiration date is on the underside of the pack.
If you turn the pack upside down you will likely see the date of production.
Most products have a shelf-life of 2-3 years from manufacture.
How Long Do Baby Wipes Last For?
The majority on the market have a shelf life of up to 3 years while sealed and unopened.
Once opened, most last for around 3-4 weeks if they are sealed properly between use and stored away from direct sunlight and heat.
In Conclusion
- Baby wipes don’t go off like food, so they do not have an expiry date.
- However, most manufacturers state their products last for 2-3 years after manufacture, provided they are unopened and stored in good conditions.
- Once opened, you should tightly reseal the pack and store them out of direct sunlight or heat.
- This is important because baby wet wipes can contain over 99% water, so they are prone to drying out easily if exposed to air.
- It’s safe to use expired baby wipes, provided they do not have any mold, mildew or other bacteria.
See Also: Deciding What Baby Gear You Really Need – The Complete Guide
