Use a Diaper Service or Wash Cloth Diapers Yourself?

Photo by @jasminstadlhofer

Are you facing the decision of how you want to approach your baby's diapering period? Choosing the right diapers and how to handle them plays a major role in everyday family life. Many parents wonder whether a diaper service is the right solution or if washing cloth diapers yourself might be the better alternative. Both approaches have their merits, and it's important to find the option that best fits your life. Here, we explore the pros and cons to help you make an informed choice.

What is a diaper service and how does it work?

A diaper service, often also called a cloth diaper service or diaper cleaning service, takes the task of washing used cloth diapers off your hands. But how exactly does it work and what can you expect? Let's take a closer look.

Definition and Process of a Diaper Service

A diaper service is a company that picks up used cloth diapers from your home, professionally cleans them, and returns fresh, clean diapers to you. Imagine collecting the used diapers in a provided container, and then—on a regular schedule, often weekly or every two weeks—they are picked up and replaced with clean ones. The service handles the entire washing process, from pretreatment to hygienic cleaning and drying.

Advantages of a Diaper Service

Using a diaper service can offer several attractive benefits:

• Time savings and convenience: Saving time can be a major advantage because you don't have to worry about washing, drying, and folding the diapers yourself. This can be especially helpful during the hectic early days with a baby.

• Environmentally friendly washing methods: Many diaper services advertise with eco-friendly washing processes. They often use energy-efficient machines, ecological detergents, and are mindful of low water usage.

• Low barrier to starting with cloth diapers: If you're curious about cloth diapers but feel that washing them yourself seems overwhelming at first, a diaper service can be a great way to try cloth diapers without a big upfront investment or commitment.

Disadvantages and Possible Challenges

In addition to the advantages, there are also aspects you should consider:

• Higher ongoing costs: A diaper service is generally more expensive than washing the diapers yourself. The service fees add up over the entire diapering period.

• Not available everywhere: Diaper services are not available in every region. Especially in rural areas, the offering can be limited.

• Lack of direct control: You give up control over the washing process. This means you have no direct influence on which detergents are used or how gently the diapers are handled. For parents who care about certain ingredients or washing temperatures, this can be a disadvantage.

Washing Cloth Diapers Yourself – An Alternative to Diaper Services

Washing cloth diapers yourself is the traditional and still very common method. Many parents make a conscious choice for it. But what are the arguments in its favor and what challenges might there be?

Advantages of Washing Yourself

Washing cloth diapers on your own offers you clear advantages:

• Long-term cost savings: Even though purchasing a good cloth diaper system and possibly special detergent is initially an investment, you save a significant amount of money in the long run compared to disposable diapers and often also compared to the ongoing costs of a diaper service. For example, with Judes cloth diapers you can save up to €3,000 per child .

• Full control over detergents and washing methods: You decide which detergents you use—ideally gentle, ecological products without unnecessary fragrances or additives to protect your baby's delicate skin. You can also adjust the washing temperature and the wash cycle to suit your diapers’ and your baby’s needs.

• Flexible schedule: You are not bound to set pickup and delivery dates. You wash the diapers when it fits into your routine.

• Sustainability in your own hands: You can actively contribute to greater sustainability by using organic detergents and energy-efficient programs. Did you know that Judes cloth diapers are much more sustainable than disposables, even with washing included? They save around one ton of plastic waste per child and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions as well as water and energy consumption.

• Health for your baby: By choosing natural materials like organic cotton (as with Judes) and gentle detergents, you avoid exposing your baby’s skin to chemicals. This promotes healthy skin and can help prevent diaper rash.

• Earlier potty training: An often underestimated advantage: children who are diapered with cloth diapers become diaper-free almost a year earlier on average. This is due to the natural bio-feedback the diaper provides. This not only saves you effort, but also money.

 

Challenges of Washing Yourself

Of course, there are also aspects to consider when washing diapers yourself:

• Additional time investment and learning curve: Washing diapers takes time—even though with modern systems like Judes it's surprisingly easy and quick (often just about 15 minutes per week). At first, there might be a small learning curve before you find the optimal washing routine for you. But don’t worry, it’s usually less complicated than most people think!

• Need for an appropriate washing machine and space to dry: A functioning washing machine is required. Additionally, you’ll need space to dry the diapers, in case you don’t want to or cannot use a dryer (Judes are dryer-safe!).

• Mistakes while washing can damage cloth diapers: Incorrect detergents, temperatures that are too high, or unsuitable washing programs can damage the materials of cloth diapers in the long term. Therefore, it’s important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

But this is exactly where we come in: At Judes Family, our mission is to make cloth diapers as easy as possible to use—including washing them!

Washing Cloth Diapers Easily Yourself with Judes Universal Detergent

Photo by @antonia_natascha

We want to show you that washing cloth diapers yourself doesn't have to be complicated science. With the right products and a few tips, it really is simple and straightforward. Our Judes organic cotton cloth diapers are designed to not only be super easy to use, but also very easy to care for.

What is Judes Detergent?

Our Judes universal detergent especially for cloth diapers has been developed with a lot of love and expertise. It is perfectly tailored to the needs of cloth diapers and your baby’s sensitive skin:

• Gentle on the skin: It is free from fragrances, unnecessary enzymes, and optical brighteners that could irritate baby skin.

• Strong against stains and odors: Despite its gentleness, it reliably removes stains and prevents odors from forming.

• Gentle on the materials: It cares for the fibers of your cloth diapers, so they stay soft and absorbent for a long time.

Developing our own detergent was a logical step for us. It wasn’t that other organic detergents are inherently problematic, but rather about the advantages that a specially designed product offers. We know exactly what’s in our detergent and can ensure that it’s completely odorless and especially gentle on baby skin. A common feedback from parents concerns the often tiring chemical smells of other detergents—a point we avoided with our product, without compromising on stain removal.

"Many parents report the chemical smells of other detergents, which can be really bothersome when washing. That’s simply not the case with our detergent, and yet all stains come out perfectly." – Tamara from Judes Family

Instructions for Washing with Judes Detergent

Washing your Judes is really child's play. Many parents tell us that it's even easier than using disposable diapers when you consider the overall effort (shopping, waste disposal, etc.).

1. Collect: Store used inner diapers and covers in the breathable Judes diaper bag. Simply dispose of the Poo Paper with the stool in the regular trash. This way, no stool ends up in your washing machine.

2. Wash: Every 2–3 days, you can place the Judes diaper bag directly in the washing machine. Simply open the zipper at the bottom of the bag so the diapers can fall out during washing. The bag itself is washed at the same time. No pre-rinsing or soaking of the diapers is necessary!

3. Washing program: Choose a 60°C program for cotton.

4. Dosage: Measure Judes universal detergent according to the instructions on the packaging and the hardness of your water.

5. Drying: After washing, you can dry the inner diapers and covers in the dryer (gentle cycle) or on the line.

You can find more detailed tips in our guide: How to wash cloth diapers gently and hygienically.

You see: With Judes, washing cloth diapers is truly easy and takes only minimal time.

Pros and Cons: Diaper Service vs. Washing Yourself

Photo by @kerstinbrigitteposch

To make your decision easier, we have compared the most important aspects of diaper service and washing yourself (especially with Judes):

Many parents wonder if there's a certain point at which washing yourself becomes more economical than using a diaper service. Experience shows: washing yourself is actually the more cost-effective choice right from the beginning. A diaper service comes with ongoing costs and often requires a larger number of diapers, as they are unavailable during cleaning. When you wash at home, you avoid these ongoing service fees, you are more flexible in your washing schedule, and you may need fewer diapers overall.

Conclusion – Which Option Is Right for You?

The decision between a diaper service and washing cloth diapers yourself is highly personal and depends on your individual needs, your daily routine, and your priorities.

A diaper service can be a good option if:

• you absolutely have no time or opportunity to do the washing.

• you can afford and are willing to pay the higher cost.

• you have a reliable service nearby.

• you value the convenience of having the washing completely taken off your hands above all else.

Washing cloth diapers yourself is often the better choice for you if:

• you want to save money in the long term.

• you want to maintain control over the detergent and washing process to be sure about what happens to your baby's diapers.

• you value flexibility to wash according to your own rhythm and needs.

• sustainability is an important factor for you and you want to actively shape it through your own choices (for example, green energy, choice of detergent).

Additional advantages of washing yourself with Judes:

If you choose to wash yourself, Judes cloth diapers also offer you several additional decisive advantages:

• Simplicity: Judes are designed so that using and washing them is child’s play—comparable to disposables. Many parents even report that they are easier in everyday life.

• Health: The skin-friendly organic cotton and absence of chemicals protect delicate baby skin.

• Earlier potty training: Children who use Judes are typically out of diapers almost a year earlier on average.

• Leak-proof: Judes are especially reliable at containing leaks, even with liquid milk stool.

• Less overall time spent: Thanks to earlier potty training and minimal washing effort, you save time overall compared to disposables (no constant shopping, no overflowing trash cans).

• Hygienic: The breathable storage in the Judes diaper bag prevents odors, and thanks to the Poo Paper, no stool ends up in the washing machine.

• Sustainability in the system: Judes are designed for sustainability not just in washing, but across their entire product cycle (1 ton less plastic waste per child, resource-saving materials, and European production).

When parents are torn between a diaper service and washing with Judes themselves, in our experience, full control over the detergent used is often a convincing argument. Knowing exactly what happens to the diapers that come into direct contact with your baby’s skin gives many parents peace of mind—especially when it comes to potential allergies or skin sensitivities. This transparency and control, together with the aforementioned flexibility, the simplicity of Judes, and the lower costs, makes self-washing with Judes the more attractive option for many families.

At Judes Family, we believe that using cloth diapers can be easy, sustainable, and healthy. Our mission is to offer the world’s simplest cloth diaper. If you’re still unsure, take a closer look at our Judes cloth diapers or read the experiences of other parents. Many were skeptical at first and are now enthusiastic Judes users!

Do you already have experience with a diaper service or do you wash your cloth diapers yourself? Feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments!