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Because they both have perks and drawbacks, deciding between cloth diapers vs disposable diapers can be tough. While certain mothers are attracted to the convenience of disposable diapers, others are drawn to the sustainability of cloth diapers.
If unsure whether cloth or disposable diapers are best for your baby, you should consider some key factors in the decision-making process. These include:
- Overall cost
- Child health
- The environment
As can be seen, choosing between cloth diapers and disposable diapers is not easy. Namely, you must compromise between essential topics such as finances and sustainability.
Pricing Cloth Diapers & Disposable Diapers
No matter how large your family might be, there is no denying that diapers are expensive.
While disposable diapers don’t cost as much upfront, you must continue purchasing them the entire time your child is in diapers. Conversely, cloth diapers require a significant initial investment, but you don’t have to buy new diapers each week. However, cloth diapers require regular cleaning, which uses electricity, water, and laundry detergent.
According to The Bump, “a typical family can spend between $2,000 and $3,000 per baby for two years on disposable diapers while cloth diapers and accessories run about $800 to $1,000 if you wash them yourself.” You also need to factor in electricity cost and the labor required to get cloth diapers clean when weighing your options.
Consider Your Baby’s Health
For most mothers out there, your baby’s health is the most important factor to consider when choosing between disposable diapers and cloth diapers. Yet, several variables affect whether a diaper is good or bad for your baby’s health.
The most common health issue related to diapers is diaper rash. While simply changing your baby’s diaper in a timely fashion is the best way to prevent diaper rash, the New York Times reports that “disposable diapers have the edge in preventing diaper rash.” This is mainly due to the “superabsorbent polymers” of which they are made.
While disposable diapers might be better for controlling diaper rash, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are better for your baby’s health. Most disposable diapers include chemical additives like fragrances and glues that can cause allergic reactions to the skin.
What About the Environment?
As environmentalism becomes increasingly important in society, more people are looking for ways to live more sustainable lives.
There are several reasons why disposable diapers are bad for the environment. Not only are they made from limited petroleum sources, but they don’t biodegrade once they enter a landfill. Beyond plastics of which they are made, glues, fragrances, and dyes in diapers also seep into the ground once buried.
While cloth diapers certainly create less waste than disposables, washing and drying disposable diapers uses water and electricity. As such, it’s recommended that you air dry cloth diapers for the maximum environmental benefit.
Weighing Your Options: Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers
As can be seen, deciding between cloth diapers and disposable diapers is not easy. However, in considering product pricing, child health, and the environment, it becomes apparent that cloth diapers are the better overall choice.
Regarding pricing, cloth diapers are the clear winner, with nearly $1,000 per year in savings. However, you have to put labor into getting cloth diapers clean while also spending money on water, electricity, and detergent.
Looking at your baby’s health, cloth diapers are a great choice if you change them regularly to avoid diaper rash. Even better, cloth diapers aren’t made with chemical additives that might irritate your baby’s skin.
Finally, while cloth diapers do require more electricity and water consumption than disposables, this consumption doesn’t nearly measure up to the amount of unnecessary waste created by disposable diapers.
Use Charlie’s Soap for Cleaning Cloth Diapers
At Charlie’s Soap, we are strong proponents of protecting the environment, as well as using products that are good for your health. Not to mention, we enjoy helping customers save a few dollars if we can! All things considered, Charlie’s Soap recommends cloth diapers over disposable diapers if you can make them work for your family.
Charlie’s Soap Natural Laundry Detergent is the perfect way to get cloth diapers clean. Not only is our detergent free of chemicals and additives that might irritate your baby’s skin, but it is also good for the environment.
Please Contact Us with additional questions about cleaning diapers.
