Thinking about making the switch to cloth diapers ? You’re not alone. More parents are choosing them to reduce waste, save money, and keep harsh chemicals away from their baby’s sensitive skin. But let’s be real—the idea of washing poopy diaperscan feel overwhelming at first.
I’ve been using cloth diapers for over a year now with both of my babies, and I’m here to tell you: it’s way easier than you think. In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know—choosing the best cloth diaper system, dealing with leaks, and building a wash routine that actually works. Whether you’re motivated by environmental concerns, budget savings, or chemical-free baby care, this step-by-step guide will help you make the transition smooth and stress-free.
Ready to ditch disposables? Let’s dive into the real, messy, money-saving truth about cloth diapering!
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Cloth Diapers 101: Complete Beginner’s Guide
First thing first, let’s go over the basic component of a reusable diaper.
Waterproof Diaper Covers: What to Look For
The waterproof cover is honestly the hero of the whole reusable diaper setup. It’s soft yet sturdy, with enough stretch to fit comfortably without leaving marks. I’ve been impressed at how well it holds everything in—no leaks, even during longer naps or car rides (up until about a year old, then transfer to disposable to avoid messes in car seat – those are a pain to wash). I also love the adjustable snaps: they make it easy to get a snug fit as baby grows, and they help keep the insert exactly where it should be. The waterproofing itself feels durable and hasn’t worn out after multiple washes (C has been wearing 40 of them for over a year), which gives me peace of mind that I’m investing in something that will last.
Best Cloth Diaper Inserts for Maximum Absorbency
The insert does the heavy lifting for absorbency, and I’ve found it works best when paired with the waterproof cover. It’s soft against baby’s skin, easy to fold, and dries surprisingly quickly after washing. They’re also simple to replace or upgrade if you find another material you prefer. Having the insert separate from the cover makes washing and drying more efficient, and it’s been easy to build a rotation so I’m never caught without a clean one.
Diaper Liners Explained: Disposable vs Reusable
It can either be reusable or disposable (I use disposable). Its job is to contained solid for easy throw away. Poop is not to be going in your washing machine. If you are using disposable, throw the liner in the trash with everything that’s on it. As per reusable ones, you need to scrape everything in the toilet before washing the liner.
Keep in mind it takes a few try before you really get the hang of assembling them leak free. You will experience leaks I guarantee it (but so will you with disposable diapers as well). Coming soon is a short video showing the technic I developed over time.
Our Cloth Diaper Journey: Real Mom Experience
C started wearing reusable diapers after he was done with the new born disposable ones. Reusable comes in one size so I felt they were too big for such a tinny baby. We made the switch when he was 1 month-old. We should have done it sooner as the NB stared to be small and the 1 would have fit better. But as a first mom, those things are hard to tell
I started up with a pack of 20 Kawaii Baby reusable diapers I bought on Amazon. I got the cheapest and I knew i would need at least 20 for a one-month-old baby. Then, my mother’s colleague gave me 40 used ones. I was so glad… for a little while. After a few weeks, I realized hers were the only ones that were leaking (so were the used inserts). I ended up throwing then all out and got a second batch of the ones I had previously bought. I then had 40 diapers. C would go throw 15 on an average day from the age of 1-5 months. The it slowly decreased every month. Now that he is 1 year old, he uses 8-10 per day plus a disposable one for the night.
I estimate I came equal in my cost between reusable and disposable after 11 weeks of using exclusively fabric diapers.
Cloth Diaper Tips: When to Use Disposables
Disposable ones are still your friends
Use disposable diapers until the umbilical cord has fallen and the belly button is quite healed. The newborn size have a purposely design wave to avoid rubbing against the wound. If it is still too big, you can easily flip the top on the inside to shorten the diaper. It is also important to track the amount of pee and poop that a newborn baby produce. Tracking poop is easy since you see it quite well in the diaper no matter what. As for the pee, it is very pale and does not smell. The disposable diapers have a line that passed all the way on the diaper that changes color when wet. This makes answering the nurse’s question way easier at baby’s follow up.
Keep a few disposable diapers in your diaper bag as well as in the car. Luckily you won’t need to use them, but man are they a life saver if you do. I also keep a new pack of wet wipes in the car, just in case.
Don’t resist the urge to use disposable ones at night time. When C was 4 months-old, I started putting him in a disposable diaper right before bedtime. The chemicals in those are made so the diaper does not stay wet, letting baby sleep even if he peed. As opposed to reusable ones that stay wet until you take them off, sometimes waking baby. It allowed me to stop changing his diaper when he would wake up in the middle of the night. Since they are made to last many hours, C did not wake up as much. When I would need to fed him, he stayed calmer since he did not need a change.
Update September ’25 : I have never put L in a reusable diaper for night time and I feel it helps her sleep longer stretches.
Get a kit that works together
Diapers and inserts come in all kind a a little off sizes. This means you could get an insert that is too small for your diaper. Not good for leakage. As I mentioned, I was lucky enough to have found great diapers from the first buy. I was not so lucky when it came to find the inserts. I tried a few brands that were not working at all. Finally I ended up buying these amazing ALVA BABY insert that are just the best (so are their nursing pads). They fit perfectly in my diapers, they don’t shrink in the dryer and they are super absorbant! I shopped for the cheapest diaper liner (100% natural) I could find. It turned out the were great for the diaper and also for the wipes. Win-win!
Cloth Diaper Wash Routine: Storage and Cleaning
At home
I have a soapy water bucket in my laundry room in which I keep the dirty diapers. Only diapers and liner are washed together – no extra cloths. I use about 20-40 ml of dish soap for 6-7 L of water. My laundry room does not smell like dirty diaper at all as long as the water covers them. When it’s time to wash them, I pour everything in my washer for a normal cycle. Once a month, around the 15th, I wash every single one at heavy duty mode. I do it in 2 batch so I don’t have all the diapers out of order at the same time
October 2025 update: I have changed the way I deep clean them, I do 2 regular washing cycle, the first one with 1-2 cup of vinegar directly with the cloths (no soap), then a second wash cycle as i would normally do. I always do them with tap/cold water
The clean ones are stored in the living room, where I change C most of the time.
When going out
When I went away for the night with a newborn, I would bring a lid bucket. I’d put my soap in and fill it up accordingly to the amount of time i went away. That way I avoided unwanted smell and the hard work was done on the spot.
As he is growing up, he is using less diapers per day. I got those extraordinary waterproof bags and they turned out to be one of my favorite baby items. I picked up three in a large size, and I honestly I don’t know how I’d manage without them. They’re colorful, lightweight, and easy to throw in the diaper bag. They’re perfect for holding used diapers when we’re out of the house, but I’ve also discovered they’re lifesavers for dirty clothes—especially with a newborn who spits up or when we go to the pool and need to keep wet swimsuits separate. Each bag has a little handle with a clip, which means I can attach it to the outside of the diaper bag instead of using up precious space inside. Sure, a second-use disposable plastic bag could technically do the job, but since the reusable ones are already in my bag (and look so much nicer!), it’s a no-brainer. They’ve become one of those small items that make outings smoother and less stressful.
How to Prevent Cloth Diaper Leaks (Proven Methods)
When the diapers are coming out of the dryer, get them all ready to be used. That way you are not rush when assembling the inserts. If you let baby play with them , remember you have to start over everyone baby throw around. I usually let C play with the basket and not more then 1 assembled diaper. That way I only have one to redo before adding the diaper liner. I used to let him play with the liner roll, but he realized he could rip pieces with his teeth… So that was the end of that.
Why I’ll Never Go Back to Disposables
At the end of the day, switching to homemade wipes and reusable diapers has been one of the best choices I’ve made as a parent. I’ll be honest—it felt a little intimidating at first. But once I got into the routine, it became so much easier than I expected. I even took a month-long vacation where we switched to disposables for convenience, and I was so happy to come home to our reusable stash. At this point, I honestly like them better than disposables—and Dad does too (he can’t stand the other ones now!). I love knowing exactly what’s in the wipes I use on my baby’s skin, and seeing how much less waste we’re creating feels great, too. If you’re thinking about making the switch, go at your own pace. Even small steps make a big difference, and you might end up loving it as much as we do.
Same diapers, same insert, same liner