Here’s a peek behind the scenes at our home: cloth diapers drying on a sunny windowsill and an eccentric little chihuahua who insists on making himself comfortable right on top of them.
He’ll pause for a bit of birdwatching…
…then stretch out and lounge on the laundry. He’s a funny little weirdo, but we love him.
We get a lot of questions about cloth diapering—especially now that Clara is eating solid food—so here’s a clear, practical update: how the diapers are holding up, how solids affected diaper care, and what routines still work for us.
First: we still use cloth diapers almost exclusively at home. We take disposables only when we travel because we don’t always have easy access to laundry. For over a year we’ve been using the original 12 Bum Genius Elemental one-size all-in-ones we purchased, and they still look great. There’s no lingering odor and no persistent staining, partly because we rinse with a diaper sprayer when needed and often lay the diapers out in the sun to naturally bleach and freshen them.
Using cloth diapers has saved us a significant amount of money compared to buying disposables. We did that math in an earlier post, but the basics are simple: the upfront cost is higher, but reusables pay off quickly. Our Energy Star front-load washer costs only about $12–$15 a year to run (assuming regular household laundry loads), so the incremental cost of washing diapers is minimal—roughly a dollar a month when averaged into our overall laundry routine.
Cloth diapering today is far easier than the old safety-pin days. We expected it to be fiddly or time-consuming, but in practice it became second nature. The system we use is straightforward, and we’ve even shown grandparents how to use them. Clara also seems to tolerate cloth very well—fewer blowouts and less diaper rash than when we use disposables while traveling—so comfort and skin health have been additional benefits.
Transitioning to solid foods did bring an adjustment. Solid stools are smellier and sometimes messier than liquid infant stools, so changes now require a little more nose-holding and attention—just like with disposables. In some ways cloth has actually become easier: solid waste can often be shaken or rolled off into the toilet, reducing the need for heavy spraying. We still give the diaper a rinse afterward and continue to sun-dry them occasionally to keep them looking fresh.
We chose all-in-one diapers with snaps rather than pocket-style diapers or those with velcro. Snaps hold up very well in the wash compared with velcro, and after many cycles ours remain fully functional. The all-in-one design also eliminates a stuffing step we preferred to avoid—simplicity was a big factor for us. Because the diapers are one-size, we simply adjust snaps as Clara grows and haven’t had leaking problems.
For detergent we typically use Charlie’s Soap and sometimes Seventh Generation Free & Clear when we run low. Both work well in our front-load washer and are compatible with cloth diaper care. Clara now sleeps 12–13 hours in a single diaper overnight without leaks or skin issues—no extra inserts, no timed wake-ups—so overnight protection has been great for us.
Cloth diapering is a personal choice and it won’t be the right fit for every family. We’re not against disposables—many friends and relatives prefer them and that’s perfectly valid. We use disposables when it’s practical, but for everyday home use cloth diapers have saved money, simplified our routine, and worked well for our baby’s comfort and skin health.
That’s our cloth diaper update. If you have specific questions about washing, snapping, or adjusting one-size diapers, ask away and we’ll share more of what we’ve learned.
Note: For a detailed guide on how we chose, wash, and care for our cloth diapers, check the original cloth diaper post from our archives for in-depth tips and troubleshooting.