Choosing the right diapering option for your baby can feel overwhelming, especially with so many products and opinions out there. While disposable diapers are the most common choice, many parents also consider cloth diapering for reasons like cost savings, fewer chemicals, and environmental impact.
Cloth diapering often gets a bad reputation for being messy or complicated, but many families develop simple routines that make it much more manageable than people expect. If you’re considering reusable diapers for your baby, here are some of the biggest pros and cons of cloth diapering to help you decide whether it’s the right fit for your family.
Key Takeaways
- Cloth diapering can save money over time despite higher upfront costs
- Reusable diapers contain fewer chemicals than many disposable diapers
- Cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly but require more laundry and maintenance
- Absorbency and cleanup can be more challenging with cloth diapers
- Finding the right cloth diapering system can make the process much easier
Pros of Cloth Diapers
There are some pretty great advantages to choosing to use cloth diapers for your baby, including:
1. Cloth Diapers Can Save You Money
Cloth diapering can save families hundreds of dollars over time.
So here’s the deal: you do spend much more upfront when it comes to cloth diapering. For example, expect to pay around $10-$20 per cloth diaper for your little one. Then figure out how many diapers your baby typically uses each day. Multiply that number by the cost, and you have an estimated estimated startup cost.
The good news is that you can save money by not buying the most expensive cloth diapers immediately and only buying what you need. However, you may run a few extra loads of laundry if you don’t get enough.
Related: Cloth Diapering Essentials: What You Need to Get Started
2. Cloth Diapers Contain Fewer Chemicals
Many parents choose cloth diapers to reduce exposure to unnecessary chemicals. Disposable diapers are known to contain some pretty questionable ingredients, like:
- Dioxin: A byproduct of the bleaching process used to create bright white diapers. The EPA warns against exposure because it is considered a cancer-causing agent.1
- Phthalates: Chemicals associated with negative effects on reproductive development.2
- Added Fragrances: Scent additives that may irritate sensitive skin or trigger allergies.
By choosing to cloth diaper, you can get the best of both worlds by avoiding these unnecessary, harmful chemicals while absorbing your baby’s messy eliminations.
3. They’re More Environmentally Friendly
Reusable diapers create far less landfill waste than disposables. One major benefit of cloth diapers is their lower environmental impact. Fortunately, cloth diapers use about 20 times fewer materials during manufacturing than disposables. Plus, an estimated 20 billion disposable diapers are taken to landfills each year, introducing waste and harmful pathogens into the environment, including water systems. Yuck!
4. Cloth Diapers Come In Adorable Patterns, Sizes, and Materials
If you thought Honest diapers were the only diapers that came in adorable patterns, don’t check cloth diapers entirely off your list yet! Cloth diapers come in a HUGE variety of designs, sizes, and materials, making it easy to find the best fit for your little one. For example, if you love animals, this reusable forest animal diaper set might be what you’re looking for! If vibrant colors are your jam, this adorable, vibrant fruit-patterned set is perfect!
5. Reusable Diapers Can Help With Potty Training
This doesn’t work for every child, but the idea is that young children usually don’t like the feeling of sitting on wet fabric or material against their skin. I mean, who would, right?
So with disposable diapers, that sensation of “hey, there’s a wetness on me” isn’t as obvious because diapers do an excellent job absorbing their urine and keeping their skin dry, unlike reusable diapers. While absorbent, they don’t keep the skin nearly as dry as disposable diapers. This may lead your baby to tell you they need to be changed or to go potty, preparing them for the potty-training adjustment.
Cons of Cloth Diapers
Now that you know the pros of cloth diapers, let’s discuss their cons and inconveniences.
1. They Can Be Messy
Cleaning up a blowout from a reusable diaper can be pretty gross. The work is easy if your baby is little and has liquid poops. If your baby has more thick, mushy, or solid poops, you’ll need to put in a little extra work to shake or scrape off the mess before tossing them into the wash.
Here’s a Simple System for Cleaning a Dirty Poopie Diaper:
- Remove any solid waste by shaking, wiping, or using a diaper sprayer.
- Place the dirty diaper into a soiled diaper bin until wash day.
- Wash diapers every 1–2 days using an extra rinse cycle to help remove odors and residue.
Related: 12 Types of Baby Poop and What They Mean
2. Cloth Diapers Require More Maintenance
Cloth diapering requires more laundry and daily maintenance. It’s true. You can’t just take the diaper off and toss it into a diaper pail. Instead, you have to go through a much longer process to ensure they’re ready to go into the soiled bin and then wash them every 1 to 2 days. If you wash your soiled diapers past the second day, you increase the chance of having a harder time getting the smell or mess entirely out. Plus, leaving moist diapers in a waste bin for too long can lead to mold. Nobody needs that.
3. Not Always as Absorbent as Disposable Diapers
It’s true. Cloth diapers aren’t always as absorbent as disposable diapers. You may need to pick up a few cloth diaper inserts to increase the absorbency. It’s not the biggest deal in the world, but it does factor into the upfront cost and adds a little more to your laundry pile.
4. They Require a Higher Upfront Cost
As mentioned earlier, cloth diapers do cost much more upfront. You can get set with some cloth diapers, inserts, and a few waste bin bags for approximately $275 – $300. In contrast, a large box of diapers might cost you $45 and last 1-2 months.
Remember, the upfront cost pays itself off and starts saving you money around the end of the first year. When you account for the recurring cost of diapers and wipes, that’s one recurring fee you get to avoid in the future.
Related: How Many Diapers Do I Need in the First Year?
5. Cloth Diapers Can Be Harder To Manage on the Go
Here’s another challenge with cloth diapering: the lack of absorbency and managing those messy blowouts when you’re out and about. This is where having a portable diaper washer comes in handy. You can wash off the diaper and place it in a little baggie until you get home. You can even use doggie waste bags, which can sometimes run a little cheaper per roll.
Cloth diapering often becomes much easier once families establish a routine. While reusable diapers may not be the right fit for every family, they can offer meaningful benefits when it comes to cost savings, environmental impact, and reducing exposure to certain chemicals. At the end of the day, the best diapering choice is the one that works best for your family.
