12 Best Baby Bibs to Keep Little Ones Clean
Spit-up, drooling and messy eating are all inevitable parts of babyhood (and parenthood). So if you don’t want bodily fluids and mushy food all over you, your child or your home, baby bibs are an absolute necessity. The best baby bibs all have a few things in common. First, they’re excellent at keeping dribble and spills off the wearer—and your kitchen floor. Second, they’re comfortable enough for said wearer not to throw a fit whenever you put one on them. And third, while adorableness isn’t totally essential, we find that cute baby bibs make messes a lot less miserable. Ready to shop? We’ve got you (literally) covered. Below, we’re sharing what to know before buying a baby or toddler bib, as well as all our favorite options.
Baby bibs can be an important tool in helping to protect your child’s clothes and even your floor. To help you choose wisely:
- We analyzed the market to find the most popular bibs on the market, narrowing the field based on elements like materials, closures, ease of cleaning and coverage.
- We read parent reviews from real parents to make sure we had the best sense of how these bibs perform for a range of families, and didn’t consider bibs with less than an average four-star rating.
- Since many of us are parents, we relied on our own experiences with young children.
Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read about how The Bump develops and reviews all articles, including product reviews.
Best drool bib
- Soft and absorbent
- Affordable option
- Recommended that bibs be washed in vinegar first
These baby bandana bibs have a five-star rating on Amazon with over 3,200 reviews. What makes them so great? The scarves do an excellent job of absorbing spit—which is ideal once teething time arrives—while the two closure snaps let you choose the neck size that best fits your little one. They also come in a bunch of stylish patterns that are bound to complete baby’s outfit of the day.
Material: 100% cotton (front); 100% polyester (back) | Age rating: 3 to 24 months | Care instructions: Set color in vinegar before first wash, then machine wash and dry flat
Best bib for newborns
- Bib is reversible
- Available in three colors
- Doesn’t have a waterproof liner
Newborns are prone to dribbling milk or formula down their chins, which inevitably gets trapped in all those adorable neck folds. Keep your little one from smelling sour with these clever newborn bibs from Tommee Tippee. They come with a padded collar that fits around the neck to absorb dribbles, spills and spit up, keeping baby clean and dry no matter what they’re up to.
Material: Cotton | Age rating: 0+ months | Care instructions: Machine wash
Best feeding bib
- Available in several colors
- Lighter weight than other silicone bibs
- Can get moldy if not properly cleaned
Mealtime can be a messy situation for everyone (and everything!) involved. A bib with a pocket at the bottom is a great way to catch spills and bits of food, which in turn will keep your little one at least somewhat clean. We love that these pocket bibs from OXO Tot can roll up and store neatly in a diaper bag or drawer when you’re not using them. The top half of the bib isn’t silicone, but in fact a softer material that’s flexible and more comfortable for baby. Fully dishwasher safe, they’re a great choice for mealtime.
Material: Silicone, polyester | Age rating: 6+ months | Care instructions: Dishwasher or wipe clean
Best silicone bib
- Dishwasher safe
- Three adjustable lengths at neck
- Trendy colors and patterns
- Pocket may bump high chair tray
We’re obsessed with silicone baby bibs that feature catch-all trays—not only are they effective at keeping messes off baby’s chest and out of their lap, but silicone options are a breeze to clean. These baby bibs from Mushie are a parent’s dream: The extra-wide silicone pocket is slightly stiffer than the rest of the bib, so it sticks out farther than most, and stays open throughout the entire meal. Once the feeding frenzy is over, pop it into the dishwasher for a quick, easy cleaning.
Material: Silicone | Age rating: 4+ months | Care instructions: Dishwasher or wipe clean
Best baby bibs to buy in bulk
- Soft, absorbent and waterproof materials
- Adorable colors
- Affordable
- May be too tight for chunkier babies
Consider this 10-piece set if you want to buy the best baby bibs in bulk. Each one has an absorbent terry outer layer plus a waterproof inner layer, which soak up messes without letting them leak through onto baby’s clothes. And for parents who love to match baby’s bib to their too-cute outfits, these come in versatile packs of solid colors.
Material: 80% cotton/20% polyester (front); polyurethane (back) | Age rating: 3 to 12 months | Care instructions: Machine washable
Best baby bandana bib
- Super soft
- Features adjustable snaps
- Adorable styles and patterns
- Not absorbent enough for some parents
One of our favorite baby products of the last several years is the bandana bib. Instead of covering baby’s cute little outfits, bandana bibs have a way of elevating infant fashion to the next level. Of course, they’re super functional too! Copper Pearl sells an assortment of baby bandana bibs in some of the sweetest patterns ever. (And if you’re in the market for coordinating burp cloths, they make those too.) The soft, absorbent scarf-style bibs promise to keep your kiddo dry and stylish.
Material: 100% cotton (front); 100% polyester (back) | Age rating: 0 to 36 months | Care instructions: Machine wash cold, dry flat
Best personalized bib
- Soft cotton material
- Cute design
- Great for shower gifts
- Some colors will take longer to arrive
If you’re a fan of custom baby items, we’re guessing you’ll be head over heels for these monogrammed baby bibs from Etsy. The pretty white bibs feature a sweet gingham trim in the color of your choice, and baby’s name, monogram or name over the first letter of their name in a coordinating color. Not only are they perfect for absorbing drool, but they make a great baby shower gift as well. The bibs coordinate with the brand's burp cloths and hooded towels, too. Either way, get ready for lots of compliments whenever baby wears it in public.
Material: 100% cotton | Age rating: N/A | Care instructions: N/A
Best long-sleeved baby bib
- Full coverage for feeding, arts and crafts
- Waterproof
- Packs easily
- May hold stains and odors
If you’ve got a seriously messy kid, you’ll want to stock up on the best baby bibs with sleeves, created to cover way more of their clothing than regular ol’ baby bibs. These smart smocks include crumb catchers and come in lots of trendy prints. Plus, the waterproof material is thin (read: not bulky) and super easy to wipe down.
Material: 100% polyester | Age rating: 6 to 24 months | Care instructions: Machine washable
Best toddler bib
- Easy to adjust
- Free of BPA, PVC, vinyl and phthalates
- Should be hung to dry
Bumkins also sells these ultra-popular waterproof baby bibs made from lightweight, wipeable and machine-washable fabric. They’re odor-resistant as well! And because these SuperBibs are slightly oversized, they make for great toddler bibs. Plus, they come in lots of cute prints, so there’s something to match every kiddo’s style.
Material: 100% polyester | Age rating: 6 to 24 months | Care instructions: Machine wash, line dry
Best 2-in-1 baby bib
- Incredibly versatile
- Snap closure for secure fit
- Machine-washable
- Not absorbent enough for some
Just about every parent raves about the super-soft, oversized muslin swaddle blankets from Aden + Anais. When it comes to the brand’s bib and burp cloth set, it has all our favorite features for mealtime and burping. When laid flat, the unique bean shape perfectly drapes over your shoulder to protect your clothes while you burp your babe. When you want to use it as a drool bib, that same clever shape contours around baby’s neck, and the handy snap keeps it in place. The soft fabric won’t irritate baby’s skin, and just like their beloved muslin swaddle blankets, only gets softer with every wash. These burp cloths-turned-bibs feature the brand’s characteristically adorable patterns and soft colors (which, by the way, also makes them a perfect gift!).
Material: 100% cotton | Age rating: 0 to 12 months | Care instructions: Machine wash
Best muslin baby bib
- Adjustable snaps on the neckline
- Materials are ethically sourced
- Small
- Not meant to be a feeding bib
Who knew baby bibs could be so cool? We love the beautiful patterns that decorate these muslin baby bibs, but that’s really just the icing on the cake: The super soft muslin fabric is the real draw. It gets softer with each wash and provides protection against wetness and odors for baby’s sensitive skin.
Material: 100% cotton | Age rating: N/A | Care instructions: Machine wash
Best magnetic baby bib
- Reversible
- Easy to close
- Fun designs
- Closure may be weaker on thicker fabric
We’re all for baby bibs with snaps, but there’s something to be said about these baby bandana bibs with innovative magnetic closures. If you hate struggling with more complicated fasteners, these are the best baby bibs for you—they open and close in an instant! They’re also available in adorable designs (we can’t get enough of this puffin bib!) and are super lightweight for your child’s comfort.
Material: Organic cotton | Age rating: N/A (up to 16 lbs.) | Care instructions: Machine wash
Bibs for babies are essential for catching both drool and food. While most bibs can accomplish both tasks, drool bibs—ideal for newborns and teething babies—tend to be smaller and made of soft, absorbent fabric, while feeding bibs—good for older babies and toddlers who are eating solids— are often made of dishwasher-friendly materials and tend to cover more surface area (for obvious reasons!); they also often sport wide-mouth pockets to catch drips, spills and falling morsels.
Below are some key differences between drool bibs and feeding bibs:
Still unsure of what you need in a baby bib? Consider these elements as you shop:
- Ease of cleaning. If you’re looking for feeding bibs to put on baby during mealtime, look for ones that can be wiped clean or be popped into the dishwasher, like plastic or silicone baby bibs. If you’re getting drool bibs, you’ll also want to be sure they can be cleaned easily—these typically are machine washable, although some may need to be line dried.
- Material. For younger babies, you’ll likely only be dealing with milk dribbles or drool and spit up, which means a smaller, more absorbent drool bib might be in order. Look for soft cotton or muslin material that won’t irritate baby’s tender skin.
- Adjustability. Babies come in all shapes and sizes, making it difficult to know if any given bib will fit your child. Your little one is also growing quickly, and you’ll want to ensure that your bib will adjust as your child gets bigger. Look for a bib with an adjustable neckline to get more mileage out of it, and to ensure a proper fit from the start.
- Coverage. A larger bib can make the difference between simply needing to wipe your child’s face and hands after a meal and needing to go to town on their clothes with a stain stick. Some bibs will have an extra-large front, while others will have sleeves for all-over protection.
- Closure. Bibs come with a range of potential fasteners, including Velcro, snaps and buttons. All can be helpful in keeping the bib secure. However, if your child tends to fight wearing a bib, it’s a good idea to consider choosing one with a more secure closure like a snap or button that’s harder for little hands to pull off.
Wondering how many baby bibs you should buy? When stocking up on baby essentials, we suggest starting with at least four to eight drool bibs and another four+ feeding bibs, but there’s no right or wrong answer here—it really comes down to how often you do laundry (and how drooly your baby proves to be). It’s a good idea to have a few extras on hand: You might want to toss a bib or two into your diaper bag, have some at the ready in baby’s nursery and of course stock a supply in the kitchen as well.
About the writer:
Christin Perry is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in pregnancy, parenting and health and wellness topics. As a mother of four, she’s gone through the paces and has used what seems like every product under the sun—and she’s used that experience to write dozens of product roundups for The Bump. Christin considers herself lucky to have worked for a long list of other large clients, including Forbes Advisor, Verywell Family, Parents, Parade, The Knot, Apartment Therapy and Dwell, to name a few.
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