Here’s a peek behind the scenes at our house. Cloth diapers are often laid out on a sunny windowsill to dry, and our unpredictable little chihuahua sometimes decides to prance along, do a bit of birdwatching, then lounge right on top of the diapers. He’s a weird little companion, but he’s our weird little companion.
We get a lot of questions about our experience with cloth diapers, so here’s an updated, practical look at how things are going. If you’re new to cloth diapering, check our original cloth-diapering post for the basics and detailed instructions—this update assumes you’re already familiar with the fundamentals.
In short: we still love using cloth diapers and use them almost all the time. The main exception is traveling, when we don’t have easy access to a place to wash them. For the past year we’ve used the same 12 Bum Genius Elemental one-size all-in-ones we bought originally, and they’ve held up remarkably well. After many washes they still look great, show no lingering odors, and resist staining. Part of that is our diaper sprayer, which makes rinsing easier, and part is simply occasional sun-drying—sticking diapers out in the sun naturally whitens them and helps remove stains.
One question we hear a lot is whether cloth diapering actually saves money. We did some math when we first started cloth diapering, and sticking with the same set of diapers for a year has saved us a noticeable amount compared to buying disposables. The cost to run our efficient front-loading washer is minimal—Energy Star front loaders are inexpensive to operate, and since laundry is part of our regular routine the incremental cost for diapers is small. In practice that’s translated to only a few dollars per month for washing, which helps make cloth diapering a cost-effective choice for our family.
Cloth diapers today are not the same as the fussy, pinned-up diapers of decades ago. They’re far easier and more convenient than we expected. What once seemed like an intimidating daily chore became routine quickly; diapering with cloth now feels second nature, and we’ve even shown family members how to use them. We’ve also noticed fewer blowouts and less diaper rash when using cloth versus disposables, which is a real practical benefit beyond the cost and environmental advantages. The fabric construction is softer and typically more breathable than plastic-backed disposables, which likely contributes to the skin benefits.
Starting solids definitely brings an adjustment period for any parent—stinky diapers are part of the process whether you use cloth or disposables. But cloth has some practical upsides at this stage: solid waste can often be shaken or rolled off into the toilet before rinsing, which can be easier than dealing with runnier newborn stools. We still use a quick spray to rinse each diaper after solids, then wash as normal. Generous rinsing and sun-drying seem to help keep our diapers looking fresh and stain-free.
We purposely chose all-in-one diapers with snaps rather than models that require separate inserts or use Velcro. Snaps hold up well in repeated washing and resist the wear that Velcro can experience over time. We like the simplicity of an all-in-one: no stuffing, no extra pieces to track, and easy adjustments as our baby grows. The snap system lets us resize the diaper as needed, and so far we’ve had no leakage problems or loss of absorbency.
For detergent we currently prefer a gentle soap designed for cloth—Charlie’s Soap is our regular choice, with a fragrance-free brand as a backup when we run out. Both work well in our front-loading machine and clean diapers effectively without leaving residue that would reduce absorbency. As a bonus, our baby now sleeps 12–13 hours through the night in a single diaper without waking for a change or using additional inserts, and we haven’t had issues with leaks or rashes overnight.
We know every family’s needs are different. Cloth diapering fits our lifestyle and priorities, but it isn’t the only right choice—many friends and family use disposables successfully, especially when it’s more convenient for their situation. We keep disposables on hand for travel and other times when laundering isn’t practical. This update is just our experience: simple, cost-conscious, and surprisingly low-fuss after the initial learning curve.
If you have more cloth diaper questions, look through our original cloth-diapering post for lots of details on how we chose, wash, care for, and adjusted to using cloth diapers. And if you hear of any circus acts involving walking across a pile of diapers, our dog Burger would absolutely be up for it.