Diapers Q&A

Are cloth diapers cheaper than disposable diapers?

The cloth diaper service in my area offers 54 cloth diapers for 19.00 flat rate and 3 dollars more for every extra dozen. Is it worth it? I won't have to wash any of them as they wash and drop off once a week.

Public Comments

1. Definately. They are more environmentally friendly. If they are offering a drop off too that's even better.
2. There's a lot of convenience in disposable that I was willing to pay for. 1, they don't leak. 2, you don't have to wait a week to have a clean one. We use Target brand & it's about $10 for a pack of 60 or so...now that he's over 2 we only use one pack a month. When he was tiny we probably went through about 2 (4-5 changes a day, now it's about 2 a day). I'm all for disposable.
3. An interesting question an on the face of it a simple one. I have been down both path with my kids and choose the nappy service which appeared to be cost effective, but having a bucket of crappy nappies around a week, really was vile. Plus fidlding with a cloth nappy at 2.00am and dropping it and getting another was a real pain. Add in the hidden cost of washing the nappy, sterilising and such and it is a rather expensive thing to do. It may appear to be cheaper but what price can be put on your sanity? Go the disposable and do not look back. I turned my nappy service from cloth to bulk disposable, much easier. enjoy your lack of sleep.
4. did you say "once a week" washing!!! imagine all that bacteria especially the kid's poo! And I'd reckon the same cloth is recycle with other kids? cost is an issue, convenience and hygiene too should be taken into consideration.
5. With the chemicals they need to use to wash the cloth diapers and the money you need to keep washing them, I wouldnt even think of using them. There was a study recently that they are not as environmentally friendly as people think due to the washing chemicals needed to keep them clean. I find disposable so much easier and they are better for preventing nappy rash.
6. Hello there sweetie, to me that sounds like a deal. Because diapers are very expensive. I was with my friend and saw how expensive they are. If i was you i would go with the cloth diapers. it sounds like a good deal for me.
7. Hi there! Just wanted to say, you do NOT need to use heaps of chemicals to wash cloth diapers! In fact, you don't need to use any chemicals at all. I just put diapers in a bucket of water to soak, and do a wash every couple of days, using a plant-based laundry liquid (no nasty chemicals.) After a wash the diapers smell great, and aren't stained at all. I would definately recommend using cloth diapers, and in my opinion just washing them yourself won't add as much work to your laundry as you would think! They are much cheaper in the long run, and soooo much better for the environment!
8. YES, YES, YES!!! They are so much cheaper, and far better for the environment. Although, if you'd like to pay even less for cloth diapers look into washing them yourself. It truly isn't that much work. Don't use harsh chemical washes, use non-bio soap and only a little soap, as too much REDUCES the absorbency of the cloth…..yikes Put a few drops of tea tree oil in the diaper pail, tree oil is a natural anti bacterial agent that will not damage the fabric like bleach (scary) or vinegar. You can also add a few drops of basically any essential oil you like to keep it smelling fresh, I like lavender oil personally. Wash the cloth diapers about every 4-7 days, depending on how fast you go through them, more washing in the first months, but it slows down as the child gets older. I love when I hear people choosing cloth. They are not any harder to use than disposables, they are not harmful to your baby, they will not cause diaper rash (especially if you use hemp cloth diapers which breather better than cotton and absorb more liquid, and are naturally anti bacterial). Also try placing a piece of flannel inside the cloth diaper, all the poop will land on it, and all you do it shake it into the toilet, it falls right off, and doesn't stain the diaper. Flannel also keeps baby dryer (diaper rash preventative). If you do get a few stains on the diapers just dry them in the sunshine, they will come out as white as new, and the sun will kill any bacteria in the material. Try hemp covers instead of plastic ones, breath better and don't leak. Double diaper at night. Find where your baby needs more protection (front for boys, back for girls) and adjust cloth diaper accordingly. Have fun! and good on you!
9. I don't know about the drop-off service, but generally I think now-a-days, cloth diapers are the way to go. They are a lot like disposable diapers, except they look cooler, and if you do wash them yourself, they are cheaper in the long run. I personally don't really like the cloth diaper services (even though they are great for a lot of people) cuz I like the thought of picking my childrens own diapers... not some company doing it.
10. I agree with the majority. Use cloth diapers, they are better for your baby, no diaper rashes, cheaper overall than disposables, easy to care for, don't use a diaper service, wash them yourself, environmentally safe over disposables. Anyone that uses disposables should have to wear them themselves for 6 months just to see how uncomfortable they are to their baby. Secondly, they should have to dispose of them in their own back yard so they can see what they are doing to the environment when they throw them into the trash and have them hauled to a dump. Let them see how big a pile they make and then have them multiply that by the number of babies in the world and see if it makes a difference to them or not. Congratulations on your little one. Congratulations on wanting to use cloth. Good luck.
11. They are definately cheaper and so much better for the enviroment and your baby!! There are sites out there that can help you calculate your savings such as www.diaperpin.com you can also talk to other parents that cloth diaper there and at www.diaperswappers.com to find out more about the pros and cons of a diaper service. Another great website that discusses the health benefits of cloth diapers is www.realdiaperassociation.org