My wife and I discussed cloth and disposable diapers before we had our first child. We were both intrigued by the idea of using cloth diapers for several reasons – possible cost savings, environment, better for child, convenience of not having to run to the store a couple times per week. Of course, we had our doubts as well. How much would they cost? Would they leak? How much of a pain would it be to do laundry? etc.
So we did what we do for any other major purchase/decision. We researched it and talked to people we knew who had used cloth diapers. Let me tell you the first thing we found out: The cloth diapers manufactured today are not the kind of cloth diapers that were available when we were raised! We were concerned about having to fold the diapers around a squirming baby and fastening them with pins (not a fun sounding proposition). But cloth diapers made now may have many features that weren’t around just a few decades ago, they may have liners, plastic coverings, Velcro or button fasteners or a host of other features. In short, we were intrigued.
Benefits of using cloth diapers
Cloth diapers have the obvious advantage of being reusable. That is a great benefit for the environment, and saves you the hassle of going to the store in the middle of the night (though it doesn’t save you from the hassle of washing them, but more on that later). Cloth diapers can also be better for the baby because some disposable diapers have plastics or other chemicals which can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin.
Durability of cloth diapers
Cloth diapers can be used dozens if not hundreds of times before they wear out. Our friends have used their set of cloth diapers through three children and they are still holding up fine. And durability leads directly to long term cost savings. Obviously using them for three children will more than cover the cost of the diapers, but they should pay for themselves relatively quickly even if you only have one child.
How much do cloth diapers cost?
Prices for cloth diapers vary, from a couple dollars each, to more than $15 each. But the quality and features also vary. We currently use a one-size-fits-all model made by BumGenius, which run about $17 each at Amazon (though they can be found cheaper sometimes). We also tried a couple other brands but preferred the BumGenius brand (some companies will send you a free or discounted sample to try).
The beauty of cloth diapers is that while the upfront cost is much higher, the ongoing cost is much lower. Once you purchase them you are only paying for laundry detergent and the energy to wash/dry them. [Note: I've also known people who have passed along cloth diapers to other family members or bought/sold them on Craigslist, bot h of which could be a cheaper option if you are willing to do either].
The cost of disposable diapers
Contrast that to disposable diapers, which must be purchased for each use (raise your hand if you’ve ever used 3 diapers to complete one change because your baby decided changing time meant going time). Prices for disposable diapers also vary, ranging anywhere from roughly $.10 each to over $.25 each. Babies will use anywhere from 6-10 diapers per day, putting your average cost at roughly $.60-$2.50 per day, or about $20 to $75 per month (depending on brand and number of diapers used). Figure roughly 2 years or more of diapers and you are looking at $480 – $1800 literally thrown away.
Which is cheaper – cloth or disposable
Again, the upfront costs of cloth diapers are high enough to scare many people away.
$17 for a diaper?! Get out of here – I’ll buy a pack of 80 Huggies Ultra Elite Super Stopper Biodegradable disposables with a pretty print pattern, thank you very much.
And you’ll buy another pack next week. And another the week after that… and guess what, it’s 10pm and you just used your last diaper. Off to the grocery store you go.
Or, you can use this diaper calculator from DiaperPin.com and run some numbers. Enter the per unit cloth diaper cost, how many you will purchase, and the cost of your preferred brand of disposable diapers. Run the calculator and it will return how long it will take to recoup your initial expense, then show you cost savings over the following months. In most cases it should take only a couple months before you come out ahead and you should save well into the hundreds of dollars by the time you anticipate no longer needing diapers (this may not ring true if you pay for a diaper cleaning service).
Tip: if you are still concerned about cost, then be sure to add them to your baby registry for your baby shower.
Washing and caring for cloth diapers
OK, I know what you’re thinking… Cloth? Gross! Sure. But no more than any other diapers. The key is to deal with them quickly and not to let them pile up. There are several diapers bins designed specifically for cloth diapers, or you can just rinse them out immediately after use, hang them to dry over the side of the tub, then wash them in a batch of other diapers. Use a double rinse cycle if it makes you feel better, then dry them in your clothes dryer or hang them to dry. It’s not too much of a hassle, really. (tip: fasten the velcro on each diaper before washing – it will make washing/drying much easier!). More info about caring for cloth diapers.
Which diapers are better – cloth or disposable?
After 6 months of parenting, I can tell you this: Cloth diapers are great. We have only had one or two instances of leakage, which is about the same as what we have had with disposables. But we don’t use them exclusively. We typically use cloth diapers throughout the day, then use disposables at night, and anytime we plan on being away from the house for an extended period of time – especially overnight trips. We have no desire to carry dirty diapers with us, and asking friends or relatives to use their washing machine to wash dirty diapers probably isn’t the most polite thing in the world. Which is better? I think they are both great and I encourage you to try cloth if you have young children. The cost and environmental benefits will make it worth your while. Then use disposable diapers for what they were intended for: a convenience.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I used a diaper service – I bought the covers & ‘rented’ enough of the old style per week – which were delivered then picked up and laundered and returned. Primarily because I am not a good launderer – I’d rather go through every item in my wardrobe then spend a full day doing wash than tackle it as the week goes by. You CAN’T do that with cloth diapers… The service cost $50 per month, but again, I did no diaper laundry, so the water/energy/time savings I feel made it worthwhile. Just another option that might help the squeamish who couldn’t face piles of messy diapers…
Thanks for sharing, Michelle.
I definitely understand not wanting to wash the dirty diapers yourself! We end up doing the diaper laundry pretty frequently, but we don’t mind too much. We didn’t look into a diaper cleaning service, so I didn’t do a full comparison of the costs of DIY laundering, diaper service or disposables. I’m sure the service is worth it in many instances.
And though I’ve only the one child to compare, she was potty trained for daytime at just under 2 years – so we switched to night-time only diapering…I believe the adage that cloth diapering encourages earlier potty training, but ymmv.
We never had the courage to try cloth since we thought it would be more hassle and gross. In retrospect, that sort of thing is “gross” no matter what you do, so maybe we should have given it a go since it sounds like it is a lot cheaper.
Well said, Mike. There’s nothing pretty about it! It’s worked well for us, and many people we know, so it may work for you too.
Wow, nice hybrid solution! Talk about the best of both world!
You might want to make sure your washing machine hot water gets hot…hmmm, I’m not even going to finish this thought. Based on all of your posting, I’m sure you have throughly researched this option.
Kudos to you!
“Go Green”!
I’m all about making better choices for the environment. My friends have used cloth diapers for years, and reuse the same diapers for the second child as well. Sounds pretty smart to me.
It works well for us. We use the hybrid approach though, because sometimes convenience is more important. But they do make biodegradable disposable diapers, so all is not lost.
I used cloth diapers for both kids (they’re now teens), and my mom actually found velcro cloth diapers at a consignment shop for me – so no pins! Since I was a stay-at-home mom back then, it was super convenient for me to launder them and hang them out to air dry. Never had a problem with leaking or anything, and the times my kids did wear the disposable ones, they almost always had a rash. It’s a dirty job no matter which method is chosen!
Glad to hear it worked out well for you, Liane! I don’t know anyone who used cloth diapers who said they wish they would have used disposables. I guess that is testament enough!
We’ve used cloth for all 3 of our kids and are glad to have saved the money. Plus, we fit right in with everyone else in PNG who does the same. Once you get used to it, keeping up with the mess doesn’t seem so bad – just like anything you do. One of the best things about cloth diapers is that when they finally wear out, they make the very best cleaning rags!
As we get ready for the birth of our first baby this week or the next, this is a timely post.
Perhaps unfortunately, my perception of cloth diapers is that they are “gross.” This is, in part, due to stories from others, and to my blissfully ignorant understanding of how they work, etc.
But on your recommendation, I figured I had nothing to lose by reading this post and educating myself a little.
I think you did a fantastic job of covering the basics. It’s pretty obvious that cloth diapers win out on a cost-to-cost comparison, even if you decide to use a washing service.
I guess what remains to be seen are the actual logistics of caring for them. Like Michelle, we let our laundry linger a little too long.
The Bum Genius, by the way, looks kick-butt (no pun intended). If we go the cloth route, I’ll be all about that one.
Thanks again.
If you keep a fewer number of diapers, you force yourself to clean them more often, which doesn’t give them a chance to make the house smell. We typically rinse them after use, then hang them over the side of the tub until ready for a load of laundry. We’ve never had problems. I highly recommend trying both options (just purchase one or two cloth diapers to start). If you like them, buy more. If not, then you aren’t out much money.
Thanks so much for this post. I didn’t cloth diaper with my daughter because I didn’t even know anyone that used them. It’s great to have this information laid out for me!
Nicki, My wife and I may not have done it either if we hadn’t known anyone else who did it and explained it to us. I’m glad we started cloth diapers with our first child, as we didn’t really have a prejudice coming into it.
We looked into cloth but couldn’t psych ourselves to do it. A major issue was the yuck factor. I suppose if you’re rinsing them out then it’s really not much worse then when you have a diaper blowout leading to an up the back leak. This could be something we still look into. Thanks for telling us your experience!
How does the once size fit all diaper actually fit your baby? Our little one is a little chub and went up the sizes pretty quickly (6 mos old and size 3). We’ve found that there are times when the sizes just don’t fit quite right leading to leaks.
The one size fits all has never been an issue with us. She has been using the same diapers since she was a newborn (she is currently 6 months and in a size 2), and she still has quite a bit of room to grow. The diapers have buttons on the outside, which you can use to adjust them for length. The legs have elastic that stretches to fit all sizes (from the reviews I read they don’t leave marks, even when the baby gets to the larger sizes). Overall, I’m very happy with the decision to use cloth diapers, though as I mentioned, we still use disposable for travel, and other occasions. Best of luck if you go with them!
We use a similar hybrid solution. Cloth during the day and disposables at night and while out for long periods. We used to use a diaper service, but it went out of business. They left us with a goodly number of prefolds, so now I just have to wash them myself. One of the things I like about using cloth is that all the waste gets treated appropriately instead of just sitting wrapped in a bunch of plastic and gel. My first child potty trained at around 18 months and I just don’t know if that would have been likely if he’d been in disposables. Thanks for a good description of how you came to your choices!
Another good tip that’s overlooked– use CLOTH WIPES. Just cut a receiving blanket or soft old t-shirt into squares and wet it before use. Benefits:
- Enviro-friendly
- Cheaper
- Better for baby (no chemicals)
- Helps getting ‘critical mass’ for filling a laundry load (of wipes and cloth diapers)
You may want to go hybrid here as well — disposable wipes for the big messes.
Great tip, Dave. We use a few old washcloths sometimes, but also use the hybrid approach – big messes and travel.
We are on our 2nd baby with the same batch of cloth diapers. They are kind of getting pretty worn out by now (2nd child is now 19 months old, the first one used them until almost 3 yo).
We have a diaper system made in two parts: one is the diaper itself, made out of cotton, with velcro strap to attach them, and elastics around the legs, to keep whatever is inside, inside (…); and an vinyl “cover” to go cover the cotton diaper, and make it leak proof. This has tight elastics around the legs and belly. With this system, i’d say we had around maybe less than 10 leakage issues, in almost 4 years of constant use…. Also, we have a very thin disposable liner that goes inside the diaper, and that catches anything “solid”., when we change a dirty diaper, that part does into the toilet, leaving us we more or less a simply wet piece of cotton that we dispose of in a small closed bin until its full enough for laudry. Sure it smells a little when we do laudry, but it’s that bad. We do not need to rinse them. We let our washing machine do that….
At first we were doing it even at night, but at some point we switch to paper diapers at night because taking care of a dirty diaper at 2am isn’t our thing…. Also we use paper when going out overnight or to places we know will not be convenient to carry a dirty diaper.
We also always use baby washcloths instead of disposable wipes. We find it really cleans A LOT better the little messes than disposable wipes…
Thanks for sharing, Philippe. We use disposable diapers at night for the same reason – it’s no fun dealing with them at 2am!
Before having my son I went through this entire debate of cloth vs disposable and in the end the savings really won the debate for me. We tried out several different cloth diapers and found FuzziBunz to be the best for us. Now a year later I absolutely love using cloth and have started to sell them locally as well.
My wife and I used disposables for our daughter and we spent about CAD $1400 over two years. I shared my own data at http://moms4mom.com/questions/3329/what-can-i-expect-to-spend-monthly-on-disposable-diapers-and-what-do-did-you-spe … I just updated my answer there to link back to your post. This is some good data and will help other parents to decide what’s right for them. Thanks!
Chris, Thanks for sharing your data and my article with others. The more information, the easier it is to make an informed decision.