The price of cloth

I really enjoy reading the personal finance blog Money Ning and just this week there was a post on clothing diapering: How Much Do Cloth Diapers Really Cost? Of course any time I see writing on cloth diapering it piques my interest. In the end the writer did say there is a cost advantage to cloth diapers if you wash them yourself but it brings me here to share that there is a HUGE spending divide in the world of cloth diapering. One extreme is hilariously touched on in the article Why I will Never by a Good Mama Cloth Diaper and the depths one can go to however you can do cloth diapering super cheap by getting all your diapers secondhand or just getting 2 dozen flat diapers and a few covers with pins or snappis. As little as $50 to $500 setting yourself up given all the options. I think I've spent in the range of $350-500 primarily because I tried several things and bought about 18 pocket diapers (which is the most expensive style of cloth diapers with price ranges within that) because we use cloth 24/7 and I thought that would be easiest (and has proven to be best choice) for daycare and grandma, grandpapa and auntie to use. I have been able to sell off my stash as we outgrow things and retire ones I got as trial runs so that is new found savings as well. Also I now use the marketplace on Diaper Swappers to buy diapers gently used and had I known of this at the start I would have built my whole stash from the fluff there and bought handmade ones from one of the many WAHM (work at home mom) shops online.

When considering the price of cloth know that aside from being a means to significant reduction in new baby expenses it most importantly offers a tremendous savings of environmental resources.

If it’s dirty?…wash it.

I assure you we will move beyond the mountain that is cloth diapering but it has become (in some circles) such an unknown, a cause of fear and source of confusion that I want to address in small doses the common roadblocks it seems to present.  Diapering has such an impact on our environment and our little ones that it’s a worthy topic and (drumroll…it’s a genuine gush) I just can’t tell you enough how EASY it is.

                                                                                       

One of the biggest sources of horror and bumbling is the infamous wash routine.  There are website forums dedicated to this very topic.  It can become so complicated that in my own time of wandering I once had to reference a recommended chart just to make sure I had the “right” detergent.  When I received my first fluffy mail (diaper speak for new cloth diapers) I carefully read the laundering instructions and still found myself…confused.  I'll spare you the examples but trust me when I say there are so many variations and recommendations that you might find yourself literally wondering what to do when you’ve got your first pile of dirty dipes.

But let me help you.

Just wash them.

You take the pail liner to the washer (we have a hanging pail b/c again I try to avoid plastic) and dump the contents in until the bag is inside out then throw the bag in.

Wash on cold no soap.

Wash on hot…and (gasp...) I use mainstream sensitive skin free & clear laundry soap and the full amount recommended by the manufacturer (...I just heard glass breaking in diaper land).

Do an xtra rinse.

Dry.

It can and could get a heap more complicated.  Or not.  I’ll spare you the saga.  The point of all this is to relay that it can be done without fanfare.

Now some may have an issue with the idea of touching poopy diapers.  There is a way around this, you can use liners so that when the diaper is soiled you just take it to the toilet or trash bin and shake the liner into it and/or you can empty your diaper pail bag into the wash by pushing it inside out until the diapers have emptied out into the wash machine and your bag is inside out.  This prevents any contact with the poop.

We all have bridges to cross, I get it, but this one is not as rickety as you may think.

I know you're wondering...

What is that thing on the side of your toilet?  It's a diaper sprayer and I want to spotlight this as a luxury item that can be useful for those who cloth diaper.

Oddly enough I have yet to actually use mine for cloth diapering purposes but if you have a badly soiled diaper instead of the age old act of swishing the diaper in the toilet to rinse it you simply pull up the lever (this adjusts the pressure from low to high) that you see near the seat, remove your sprayer and hose the soiled matter (carefully...) away to your heart’s content. You can then put the diaper into your pail or washer or if you need this extra step, you can spray a stain fighter such as Bac-out then drop into your pail or launder.


I went ahead and purchased one for our cloth diaper arsenal so that we could fly out of the starting gates with the best in our defense.  Alas, in this house, it has so far not been needed.  Primarily because Winnie is exclusively on breast milk which is water soluble and as of now I've had no issues with smelly diaper pails or diaper laundry drama (diapers smelling b/c of detergent build-up etc).  Even though I'm not using it for my diapers I do use it as a way to turn my toilet into a utility sink so now I'm able to rinse out the cat litter box after it's emptied and then scrubbed, I also use it to rinse the tub and shower down or to fill pails when doing the floors etc.


So again, this is a luxury item, but one available to make things easier when diapering our little ones in all the cute cotton fluff!

Cloth baby wipes...why not?

Cloth wipes can be just as convenient as any disposable baby wipe.  You can add these soft wipes to your stash by simply cutting up old receiving blankets, using a stack of baby washcloths or buying them from a WAHM shop (work at home mom) or sewing boutique (Etsy.com and the various shops at Hyena Cart are great resources for cute wipes) and several of the brand name cloth diaper makers also have wipes in their accessories section.  As with cloth diapering, wipes can be as spartan or elaborate as you want your stash to be.  If you cloth diaper you throw the whole lot into your pail once you finish a change otherwise just add them to your regular laundry.


We use cloth wipes 24/7 at home, daycare, grandmama and grandpapa's house, in our diaper bag, for trips etc.  In later posts I can share the simple ways we store them depending on the purpose etc.


Here is a peek at a few of the wipes from our own stash:

Eco tip: Easy Cloth Wipe Solution

You can cut out purchasing diaper wipes all together by making your own wipe solution and using cloth wipes.  There are tons of recipes all over the internet so here is a basic one to get you started:


Mild baby soap
Baby Oil
Tea tree oil
2 cups water


Fill a pot or teakettle with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Once water cools measure out 2 cups and pour into a storage container (I use canning jars to eliminate using plastic).
Add 1Tbs baby oil, 1Tbs baby soap and a few drops of tea tree oil.
Shake and pour into a spray bottle.


I store the excess in the fridge and make a large batch to last the month then refill all my spray bottles as needed.  I prefer to have dry wipes which means I spray the solution onto a dry wipe once ready to use one as opposed to keeping my wipes pre-moistened. You can use this at home or in your diaper bag (small spray bottle).  I've found it has a nice gentle smell and in the morning I can spray it on a wipe and use it to clean her face, neck etc. as well as for regular wipe use in the diaper area.

Hello…My name is Lisa and I’m a fluffaholic.

I entered the world of cloth diapers a novice and eager fool, struggling with all the sites, sources, choices and complicated washing instructions.  And then once I got it, I ran with that knowledge like a flock of gulls on speed into action.  Alas, I am now a recovering fluffaholic.

I recognize that I have a heightened level of excitement for diaper changes that does not seem to be the norm.  At the sound or sense of each new err…output, I did and continue to hop up eager to “check” and break out the onslaught of cloth wipes, spray bottle and a new fresh diaper. 

I admit I consider reading the chatter over at Diaper Swappers' cloth diaper forum a good read.  There was also a point when I thought a quiet evening in consisted of sitting nestled in bed propped in front of my lap top ‘browsing’ the various fluff on sale a Nicki’s Diapers and other sites. 

I’ve learned to restrain my excitement when asked about our cloth routine, its genuine rush of you can do this too, it’s SO easy speech that erupts as soon as I’m asked.

It occurred to me that perhaps I had earned a seat at Cloth Diaper Anonymous when I heard myself say that I was almost sad I would have a limited time to diaper Winnie before she potty trained, I was enjoying it that much.  I can’t recall who was the recipient of that bizarre admission but I’ve since learned to embrace both the moment and change.  I love cloth diapering my little one but I cherish her ability to grow even if it makes me sad to know she will only be so little for so little a time.

So never mind that I do not own a conventional washer and dryer, our home is equipped with a portable washer that I roll up to the sink and mini dryer but never the less I stay committed to the declaration that doing the diaper laundry is an enjoyable meditative outlet. 

In the words of my sister who holds her weekly pasta ritual as a dear treat to self for the end of an exhausting week, alas the same is true for me when it comes to our cloth routine…I really need this.