Wondering about the science, of course
What is it in baby wipes that makes them so effective? Is it the ingredients? The ones that caught my eye, and are usually major ingredients are ethanol, glycerin, propylene glycol, and caprilyl glycol. Glycols are chemically similar to alcohols, just two -OH groups instead of one (glycerin has three).
Other than ethanol, those ingredients are primarily moisturizers. I wonder if they're responsible for the cleaning action.
Or maybe it's mostly the convenience. No need to wet a paper towel with whatever, no worries about skin contact, no need to rinse with water afterward, etc.