Saving Money vs Laundry Costs

The question has been asked several times, "Am I really saving money by cloth diapering when I have to use more water and detergent than usual to wash the diapers?"

The answer to this question is not as straight forward as a yes or no. Indeed, it depends on many different variables such as the size of your stash, how often you do laundry, your laundry routine and even the settings you use on your washer or even what kind of washer you have.

True, you WILL be using more water and detergent than you normal would if you were not cloth diapering, that is kind of obvious, but how much you use and what it ultimately ends up costing you can be minimal compared to the cost of disposable diapers (not to mention the cost to the environment as they sit for hundreds of years in landfills).

Below, I have complied a few tips to help you get the most out of your water and detergent to keep the costs of cloth diapering as low as you would hope for them to be.

Stash:
People with small cloth diaper stashes must wash more often (sometimes once or twice a day). A good way to save some money on water and detergent is to build a decent stash that allows at least two days between washes. It may take some time to get to that point, but you'll see your water bill creep down once you are washing less frequently.

Routine:
Find a wash routine that is simple and effective, taking in account that you may have to adjust how much or little detergent you use. Washing diapers should not be more complicated than washing heavily soiled clothes. Multiple wash cycles, rinses, additives and routines should not be necessary and often can be the source of chemical irritation and excessive water and detergent waste. Keep it simple, save your time and money.

Water Settings:
Use the appropriate water level settings for your load. This may seem obvious but many people seem to forget that a majority of washing machines have adjustable load sizes that change the amount of water used. If you are washing a small or medium load of laundry (whether diapers or just clothing) use the appropriate water level and save on your next water bill.

Washing Machine:
Consider the age and energy efficiency of your washing machine. It's estimates that some older washing machines can use as much as forty gallons of water for a single load of laundry. That is a LOT of water. Consider trading in your old trusty for a newer water and energy efficient machine. Modern machines can also help you take the guess work out of evaluating the size of your load by automatically sensing how much water is needed cutting gallons of water from your wash.

Water Softener:
Consider having your water tested for hardness and purchasing a water softener for overly-hard water. Hard water leaves mineral deposits on clothes forcing you to use more detergent to have the same effect. Individuals with water softeners have reported using as little as one-forth the recommended amount of detergent and less water with the same, clean results. Imagine the money saved over time when you can stretch that bottle of detergent out for an additional two or three months.

Conserve Water Elsewhere:
If you are concerned about the cost of your water bill because of cloth diapering, consider ways to make up for the difference by conserving water elsewhere in your home. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your face. Have leaking faucets repaired or replaced. Use stale drinking water to flush the toilet or feed household plants, etc. Find ways to conserve water.

Pay Attention to Water Bills and Appliances:
When you get your water bill, study it, see how many gallons or units of water your household has used, call your provider and ask for estimates on averages and see if your household use is within range or unusually high. Do a thorough check for things like externally burst or leaking pipes, yard hoses that have been left running or even neighbors stealing water. Check sinks and toilets for drips and leaks, replace or repair any flaws that you find.

When my husband and I moved into our home I contacted our water provider and got averages on the cost of water and sewer for a family of three, per month. She informed me that it was about $75 a month on a two-month billing cycle so your average family-of-three bill was around $150. Two things were in need of addressing when we first moved in and that was the washing machine was ancient and did not clean well making me do as many as four washes to get a single load of towels clean, and we had one dripping faucet in the bathroom.

It took us a couple of weeks but eventually we replaced the washing machine with a new, energy efficient model and repaired the leaking sink. Even with those two issues, our first water bill was $190. Only $40 more than average. That comes out to $20 more a month on water and sewer, not a huge increase even with the problems that we had. I'm anxious to get our next bill after having replaced the washer and repaired the sink to see how much more we can save. Not to mention the fact that I have been selling some diapers making my stash small enough where I must do diaper laundry every day.

In conclusion, the increase is minimal and, more importantly, manageable and certainly still cheaper than disposables.