How to Use Cloth Diapers (A Mom of 4’s Simple Approach)

Are you wondering how to use cloth diapers? Curious why some families choose them? Or trying to figure out whether cloth diapers really save money?

As a mom of four, I’ve cloth diapered all my kids from the beginning, crunched the numbers, and found a simple system that actually works.

Cloth diapering can feel confusing at first! This is a SIMPLE version of how to use cloth diapers and make them work for you. You can think of it as “the basics.”

In this post, I’ll walk you through why we chose cloth diapers, how to use them day-to-day, and whether they really save money.

I’ve also shared more about our experience in a YouTube video, so if you’d rather watch than read, you can check that out here:

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I make a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Why Use Cloth Diapers?

Most people choose to use cloth diapers for one of four reasons. All four reasons have played into our decision to cloth diaper our kids:

• Cost Effectiveness: Cloth diapers are usually cheaper than disposables if you commit to them and use them consistently throughout your child’s diapering years. The savings grow even more when you reuse the same cloth diapers for multiple children.
  
• Minimal Storage: Individually, cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables. But because you don’t need to buy disposables in bulk to get the best price, and because you can simply wash, dry, and reuse what you already have, cloth diapers can actually make sense for families living in small spaces with minimal storage.
  
• Environmental Reasons: Disposable diapers end up in landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to break down. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are reused again and again. Over time, choosing cloth means less rubbish and less waste leaving your home.
  
• Health and Toxicity Load: Disposable diapers contain chemicals that sit against a baby’s skin 24 hours a day. Cloth diapers give parents more control, with the option to minimize or even eliminate chemicals and toxins in contact with their child’s skin.

For my husband, Gabe, and myself, these four reasons together made cloth diapering the obvious choice: affordable, practical, better for the planet, and gentler on our babies.

How to Use Cloth Diapers (The Basics)

At its core, how to use cloth diapers comes down to three steps: putting the diaper on, storing it once it’s used, and then washing it. Here’s the simple version of how to cloth diaper day-to-day.

1. What a Cloth Diaper Includes
Every cloth diaper system needs two things:

• Absorbency (the inner layer that soaks up liquid)
• A water barrier (either built in, like an all-in-one diaper, or separate, like a diaper plus a waterproof cover)

There are lots of styles and brands, but don’t overthink it — the job of a cloth diaper is simply to absorb and contain. And if you want to know what I use, keep reading! I’ve listed my hard-working brands below.

2. Putting a Cloth Diaper On
Cloth diapers go on much like disposables. They should:

• Sit just above the top of the bum crease on the back
• Wrap under the legs
• Come up to about the belly button on the front
• Be snug enough to prevent leaks, but not so tight they leave deep marks

Each system has its own fastening style (snaps, Velcro, or pins), and I suggest choosing what feels intuitive to you, but once you’ve tried it a few times, it becomes second nature.

3. Storing Used Cloth Diapers
Until wash day, you’ll need a place to keep dirty diapers:

• At home: A bucket with a lid (with or without a pail liner) works well to seal in smells.
• On the go: A waterproof wet bag keeps everything contained until you get home.

4. Washing Cloth Diapers
The washing routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Mine looks like this:

1. Rinse the diapers to remove residue (if exclusively breastmilk poos, just a rinse cycle in the washing machine. If formula or solids are also in the baby’s system, you’ll want to rinse the poos off the diaper before storing, then also run a rinse cycle in the machine once you’ve accumulated a load)
2. Wash on a hot cycle (about 60°C / 140°F) with your regular detergent
3. Finish with a final rinse (I add a splash of vinegar here to help with freshness)

That’s it. Wash, dry, reuse. Once you get into the rhythm, how to use cloth diapers becomes just another part of your household routine.

Do Cloth Diapers Really Save Money? (The Financial Side)

Lots of parents wonder: Do cloth diapers really save money?

The short answer is yes — they can save a lot, if you’re sensible about how you invest in them and commit to using them consistently throughout your child’s diapering years.

Upfront Costs vs. Disposables
Getting started with cloth diapers does mean an upfront cost. For our family, it was about $200 USD to build a solid stash for my first child 8 years ago.

As time has gone on, I’ve replaced some things and upgraded specific items I liked after more experience with cloth diapers. This has added another $300-$400 USD to my cloth diaper investment.

That $500-$600 USD investment has covered 80–90% of our diapering needs for all four of our kids.

By comparison, estimates for disposable diapers range from $500–$900 per year, per child — which really adds up over time.

Ongoing Costs
Of course, cloth diapering isn’t completely free once you’ve bought your stash. You’ll spend a little on:

• Laundry detergent and white vinegar
• Water and electricity for running the washing machine (and dryer, if you use one)

Even factoring those in, the overall cost has been far less than what we would have spent on disposables. (We’ve had kids in diapers for about 6.5 years total over the last 8 years, which would mean an approximate cost output of somewhere between $3250-$5850 for disposables.)

Where the Savings Really Add Up

• Multiple kids: Reusing the same diapers for more than one child compounds the savings.
• Buying secondhand: Many parents sell cloth diapers in great condition, making the upfront cost even lower.
• Earlier potty training: For us, cloth has been a motivator for our kids to daytime potty trained by age two, which meant fewer months in diapers overall.

For our family, the financial side of cloth diapering has been a solid win.

My Best Tips for Using Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapering can feel overwhelming at first, but a few practical choices can make how to use cloth diapers smoother (and more enjoyable!). These are the things that have made the biggest difference for our family.

1. Start with a conversation
Before diving in, make sure you and your spouse are on the same page! Diapering is such a daily part of life that agreement here makes everything easier.

2. Invest where it matters most
Good waterproof covers (or all-in-ones) with gussets are worth every penny. Once your baby starts solids, a diaper sprayer (or bidet sprayer) for the toilet is also a game-changer.

3. Save money creatively
You don’t have to buy every accessory marketed for cloth diapering. We’ve made do with:

• Used or budget-friendly inserts for extra absorbency
• Baby washcloths as wipes
• A foam change pad on the floor or on top of a dresser instead of a fancy changing table
• A simple 5-gallon bucket with a tight lid as a diaper pail

These swaps cut costs without sacrificing functionality.

4. Try a hybrid system
Cloth diapering doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We use disposables at night, on trips, at church, or if we’re dealing with a diaper rash. That flexibility has made cloth much more sustainable long-term.

5. Be realistic about your lifestyle
Cloth is easiest if at least one parent is home and you have easy access to a washing machine. It’s still possible with two working parents, daycare, or laundromat use, but those situations add extra hurdles. If that’s you, just know it will take more planning and commitment.

At the end of the day, cloth diapering works best when it fits your family’s rhythm. A little strategy and flexibility can make it a positive, money-saving, and even satisfying part of everyday parenting.

How to Use Cloth Diapers: FAQ’s

How do you start cloth diapering?
It’s simpler than it sounds! The basic steps of how to use cloth diapers are:

• purchase your cloth diapers
• put them on your baby
• remove them when they’re wet or soiled
• wash and dry the diapers
• store them until you need them again
• and then repeat.

Start with a small stash, learn the routine, and adjust as you go. It quickly becomes second nature!

How many cloth diapers do I need?
I use a two-part system because I believe it is more budget-conscious: absorbent diapers with waterproof covers. For our family, I have 18 one-size-fits-most diapers (fits roughly 8–30 lbs) and 20 waterproof covers in 2 different sizes.

You could probably get by with fewer covers — maybe 6-8 in each size — but I wouldn’t want fewer than 18 diapers; that number works perfectly for our laundry rhythm.

For reference, I have 8 size 1 waterproof covers for 6–15 lbs and 12 size 2 covers for 15–35 lbs.

Can you use cloth diapers at night?
Absolutely! Depending on how heavily your child wets, nighttime may require some extra absorbency “booster” or “doubler” pads.

We used cloth diapers day and night almost exclusively with our first child and for much of our second. With our third and fourth kids, we’ve mostly used disposables at night. It’s easier for us and let us downsize our cloth diaper stash while still using them during the day.

Quick Tip: Cloth diapering doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even if you mix cloth and disposables, every cloth diaper you use saves money, reduces waste, and helps your child get used to the feel of real fabric against their skin.

I plan to use disposables for the first few weeks of a new baby’s life (postpartum recovery is complex enough without adding additional laundry to the mix), and then I use them for overnight as well.

My Cloth Diapering Recommendations:

Over the years, I’ve tried several systems, and here’s what has worked best for our family:

TotsBots Bamboozle Nappies, Size 2 (x18)
I have an older version purchased secondhand, but the style is very similar to what’s currently sold. TotsBots is a Scottish brand, available in New Zealand, the USA, Canada, and other countries.

Before these, I used flat diapers purchased secondhand with Snappi fasteners, folded in various ways (my favorite was the Origami Fold) with duowrap covers on top. Flat diapers line-dried quickly and were perfect when we didn’t have a dryer, but over time, the stash wore out. Once we had a dryer, I switched to TotsBots for a slightly easier routine with less folding.

Thirsties DuoWrap Waterproof Covers, Size 1 (x8)
I bought six of these duowrap styles secondhand before my first baby, later replacing two and adding two more. I use these wraps over Size 2 TotsBots nappies for the first 4–6 months of diapering. Their leg gussets are absolutely fantastic at holding in mess, and they adjust down in several intervals. I like to watch for Black Friday Sales or Clearance Sales at www.greenmountaindiaper.com or thirstiesbaby.com.

Thirsties DuoWrap Waterproof Covers, Size 2 (x12)
I also bought five of these used before our first baby. Over the years, I replaced all five originals and added more as needed, often spotting sales or receiving them as gifts. These wraps fit over Size 2 TotsBots nappies from about month 4–6 through the end of cloth diapering (around 20–22 months).

MicroFleece Diaper Liners (x20)
Once my kids start solids, I line diapers with microfleece liners to make poo cleanup easier. I love the New Zealand brand Fudgey Pants for their size, but similar liners are available on Amazon for those outside New Zealand.

These brands and systems have worked well across multiple kids and years, balancing durability, ease of washing, and comfort for our babies as we figured out how to use cloth diapers. Starting with a solid core system (absorbent nappies plus waterproof covers) has made cloth diapering manageable and even enjoyable.

Wrapping Up This Overview of How to Use Cloth Diapers:

Cloth diapering can feel intimidating at first, but with a simple system, a few practical tips, and some flexibility, it’s entirely doable… and even enjoyable! From saving money to reducing waste and giving your baby a soft, chemical-free experience, there are so many benefits to giving it a try.

If you’re navigating life with a new baby, you might also find these posts helpful:

• How to Make a Baby Nursery in a Tiny Space
• 3 Guiding Principles for a Minimalist Baby Setup
• Simple Make-Do Toddler Room for Minimalist Family Living
• Early Breastfeeding: 7 Tips for the First 6 Weeks
• Breastfeeding Lifestyle: Helpful Gear and Systems to Support Life with Baby

Every family finds their own rhythm for how to use cloth diapers, just like with feeding, sleeping, and setting up your home for a new baby. Give yourself grace, start small, and adjust as you go. Over time, how to use cloth diapers can become just another smooth, sustainable part of your everyday routine, and a choice you’ll feel good about.

I’d love to hear from you if you have or plan to use cloth diapers! Drop me a comment and tell me about it! And, of course, if you’ve found this post helpful, please save it on Pinterest and share it on your social media platforms or with friends that you think would also benefit from it!