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On 22 February 2003 I went down to a local large supermarket and recorded the price of every size and brand of disposable nappies, baby wipes and Nappy Sacks on the shelf. These figures are based on the average price for 40 different brands or package sizes of disposables, 16 different brands or package sizes of baby wipes and two different brands/sizes of Nappy Sacks (little deodorised plastic bags with ties that fit one disposable nappy per bag).
If you were to use the most expensive name brand nappies and/or only purchase the smaller package sizes you can expect to pay significantly more than these average figures.
The average price for disposable nappies works out at $0.47 per nappy.
The average price for disposable baby wipes works at $0.06 per wipe.
The average price for disposable nappy sacks works out at $0.05 per sack.
The average price for the 12 most expensive disposable nappies was $0.60 cents each, excluding the over 18kg and pull up night-time nappies which range from $1.00 - $1.30 each.
The following calculations are based on seven nappy changes per day for the period of time babies normally wear nappies (listed in years)- your baby will require more changes during the first year, if you use the cheaper brands and during periods of illness/nappy rash. I have based these calaculations on seven changes per day to average the variation that occurs between newborns (10-16 changes per day) and toddlers (around six per day). Older babies may not need changing as frequently, however, if you look at changing your baby's nappy every three hours during the day and only use one nappy at night that will be five nappies in a 24 hour period - but please keep in mind that only five changes per day could be unhealthy for your baby. Another point to remember is that these figures are based on February 2003 prices which will increase over the period of time before your baby toilet trains.
Years
No. of Nappies
Average Cost
1
2,492
$1,171.24
2
4,984
$2,342.48
3
7,476
$3,513.72
3.5
8,722
$4,099.34
4
9,968
$4,684.96
The average cost of the twelve most expensive brands/package sizes will add approximately $323.96 per year.
Years
Average cost
1
$1,495.20
2
$2,666.44
3
$3,837.68
3.5
$4,423.30
4
$5,008.92
Baby Wipes.
I have used the figure of 1.5 wipes per change to take into account the times you need three or four, particularly of the smaller cheaper ones. The average price was $0.06 per wipe ($0.09 for 1.5 wipes) multiplied by the number of changes per year.
Years
Baby Wipe Cost
1
$224.28
2
$448.56
3
$672.84
3.5
$784.98
4
$897.12
Nappy Sacks work out at $0.05 each - I don't have any prices for the bags that go in the nappy storage containers that are called Diaper Genies in America, but I assume they would probably cost more. This calculation has been worked out one sack per disposable nappy.
Years
Nappy Sack cost
1
$124.60
2
$249.20
3
$373.80
3.5
$436.10
4
$498.40
Total Costs for using Disposable Nappies based on the average average price of disposable nappies
Years
Nappies
Nappies & Wipes
Nappies, Wipes & Sacks
1
$1,171.24
$1,425.13
$2,750.58
2
$2,342.48
$2,791.04
$3,040.24
3
$3,513.72
$4,186.56
$4,560.36
3.5
$4,099.34
$4,884.35
$5,320.45
4
$4,684.96
$5,611.69
$6,110.09
Wow! Its no wonder disposable nappy companies have millions of dollars to spend on advertising!
You should probably also figure in the cost of some petrol for when you forget to get your disposables with your other shopping and need to make a special trip to the shop
and here is and article on cloth
:
The following information will hopefully give you an idea of the water and energy costs related to washing cloth nappies. The costs are an average guide only because washing machines vary greatly in their energy and water consumption depending on whether they are top or front loading, the type and size of motor, whether they are belt driven, the size of the bowl and the age of the machine. Front loading machines use 1/3 less water which is why the Government is currently offering a $150.00 rebate on the most water efficient models of front loaders. If you want to calculate the exact cost of using your own machine, contact the manufacturer with the make, model and size and they will be able to tell you the information.
The energy and water usage figures and how to calculate them were obtained from four different retail washing machine stores in Perth (Feb 2003). Washing estimates are based on using 7 nappies per day and washing a maximum of 24 nappies per load, therefore washing every third day - or 121 times per year.
The short answer to how much does it cost (including electricity, water and detergent costs) to wash cloth nappies is around $86.12 if you line dry and $114.12 if you tumble dry PER YEAR. I don't know about you, but I think that is quite amazing. I have to admit that I did believe the disposable nappy companies advertising about it being expensive to wash cloth nappies because I would not have been surprised if it had worked out to cost three or four times that amount.
The following three tables show Water Usage and Costs, Energy Usage and Costs and Total costs per year of washing cloth nappies. The remainder of this article explains how I arrived at these figures so that you can work them out yourself if you want to.
Water Usage Table
for 121 washes for nappies and 121 washes for covers at approximately half the water usage as nappies per wash.
Machine Type
Water/ year - nappies (litres)
Water/ year - covers (litres)
Total water/ year (litres)
Cost/ year - nappies
Cost/ year - covers
Total Water Cost
5-5.5kg Top Loader
15,730
7,865
23,595
$13.88
$7.00
$20.85
6.5kg Top Loader
18,150
9,075
27,225
$15.99
$8.00
$23.99
7.5kg Top Loader
21,780
10,890
32,670
$19.18
$9.60
$28.78
Av. front Loader
7,260
3,630
10,890
$6.39
$3.20
$9.60
Average Water Cost per year: $20.80
Total water costs for washing cloth nappies per year ranges from around $9.60 for a water efficient front loader to around $28.78 for a large top loading machine. The average cost per year is around $20.80.
Energy Usage Table for 121 washes for nappies and 121 washes for covers.
Machine Type
Cost per wash
Cost per year - nappies
Cost per year - covers
Total Cost per year
560KW Top Loader
$0.153
$18.88
$15.88
$34.76
644KW Top Loader
$0.175
$21.18
$18.18
$39.36
198KW Front Loader
$0.05
$6.05
$4.05
$10.10
330KW Front Loader
$0.09
$10.89
$8.89
$19.78
Average Energy Cost per Year: $26.00
Average Total costs of washing cloth nappies per # of years
# washing years
Energy
Water
Washing Detergent
Total Cost - Line Dried
Total Cost - Tumble Dried
1
$26.00
$20.80
$39.32
$86.12
$114.12
2
$52.00
$41.60
$78.64
$172.24
$200.24
2.5*
$65.00
$52.00
$98.30
$215.30
$243.30
3
$78.00
$62.40
$117.96
$258.36
$286.36
3.5
$91.00
$72.80
$137.62
$301.42
$329.42
4
$104.00
$83.20
$157.28
$344.48
$372.48
*Most babies who wear cloth nappies toilet train between six months and a year earlier than babies who wear disposables. The average age is between 2 and 3 years which means the average cost of washing cloth nappies for the period of time your baby is in nappies will range from $172.24 to $286.36.
Water Usage
Top Loading Machines (average usage based on a high or full load)
5-5.5kg
65 litres fill
65 litres rinse
130 litres total per load
6.5-7.5kg
75-90 litre fill
75-90 litre rinse
150-180 litres total per load
130L x 121 washes per year for 5-5.5kg machines is 15,730 litres (15.73KL) per year
150L x 121 washes per year for 6.5kg machines is 18,150 litres (18.15KL) per year
180 L x 121 washes per year for 7.5kg machines is 21,780 litres (21.78KL) per year
Front Loading Machines
(These type of machines automatically adjust the water level according to the weight of the load. The average water consumption is 60 litres per load)
60L x 121 washes per year is 7,260 litres (7.26KL) per year
To calculate the cost of water consumption, I contacted the Water Corporation (WA) and was given the following residential tariff rates (effective July 2002) per kilolitre which are calculated for use per 12 month period:
First 150 KL
$0.403/kl
Next 200KL
$0.652/kl
Next 200KL
$0.881/kl
Next 200KL
$1.070/kl
Next 400KL
$1.071/kl
Next 800KL
$1.193/kl
This means that if you use 350KL per 12 month period, you will be charged at the following rate:
150KL x $0.403 =
$60.45
200KL x $0.652 =
$130.40
Total
$190.85
The Water Authority advised me that the average residential usage was 350KL per 12 month period for a family of four, a family of six would use around 540KL for the same period.
If you are seriously concerned about the water usage in either regards to the financial or environmental costs, I think its reasonable to say that your water usage would be close to or under the residential average of 350KL, but I am going to calculate the water useage costs at the next tariff level of $0.881 (if you are frugal with your water use it will obviously cost you less).
7.26 kilolitres x $0.881 = $6.39
Front Loading machine
15.730 kilolitres x $0.881 = $13.85
Top loading machine
18.150 kilolitres x $0.881 = $15.99
Top loading machine
21.780 kilolitres x $0.881 = $19.18
Top loading machine
Machine washing nappy covers at the same rate (using four covers per day and washing every 3rd day) would cost you around half these figures as you do not need to fill the washing machine as high for 12 covers as with 24 nappies.
Washing Detergent
Based on using half the recommended amount per load (half a scoop), a one kilogram box of concentrated laundry detergent will wash 27.7 loads of nappies. At an average price of $4.50 per box, this equates to $0.1625 per load or $19.66 per year for 121 nappy washes ($39.32 for nappies and covers).
Energy Consumption
Energy consumption for washing machines is calculated in kilowatts per year based on one wash per day and is only calculated for hot washes. For some reason the Government doesn't include the energy for cold water washing in the energy consumption ratings, and the ratings are only based on electricity useage, so I am assuming, (and will try to confirm this) that energy consumption would be less if you have a gas or solar hot system. In addition, the energy rating for washing machines apparently also includes the water used (as water is also an energy source), so the cost of electricity is probably a bit less than my calculations.
According to the retail stores I contacted, the average top loading washing machine uses 560-644 kilowatts based on one wash per day over a year, for a dollar value of $56-64 per year or $0.153-$0.175 per wash. Based on these estimates, a top loading washing machine would cost you between $18.88 and $21.18 per year to wash cloth nappies 121 times. Washing cloth nappy covers the same number of times would cost you slightly less as a shorter wash cycle should be used for covers, so I have estimated that it would cost about $3.00 less per year, therefore between $15.88 and $18.18 per year.
Front loading machines range from 198KW per year to around 330KW per year, which equates to approximately $19.80 to $33.00 per year or $0.05 to $0.09 per wash. Based on these estimates, a front loading washing machine would cost you between $6.05 and $10.89 per year to wash cloth nappies 121 times. Washing cloth nappy covers the same number of times would cost you slightly less as a shorter wash cycle should be used for covers, so I have estimated that it would cost about $2.00 less per year, therefore between $4.05 and $8.89 per year.
Line or Air Drying Nappies and Covers
The only cost associated with this is your time.
Tumble Drying
Tumble drying will add to your energy consumption costs for cloth nappies, and may shorten their life expectancy. This is an expense that you could avoid, or at least minimise by only tumble drying in winter. Nappy covers should be line/air dried only - if you do one quickly, ten minutes in the drier on warm is sufficient for most types of covers.
As with washing machines, the energy consumption of driers will vary according to make and model, however my understanding is that the energy rating of clothes driers is not as accurate as for washing machines as driers are used seasonally while washing machines are used all year round. To try and clarify the energy useage for tumble dryers I contacted one of the large manufacturing companies who confirmed this information and advised that clothes driers ranged from 198KW useage per year for a 3kg drier to 228KW for a large 5kg drier, although I was also told that other brands may go up to 280KW. The manufacturers work on $0.10 per kilowatt to determine that on average using a dryer will cost you $19.80 to $28.00 per year. Due to the normal seasonal use of clothes driers it is impossible to work out a per use cost, therefore to keep this from getting even more complicated, I have taken the higher figure of $28.00 as the cost of tumble drying cloth nappies per year.
An interesting point that one salesman I spoke to made was that many appliances in the home may use more electricity over the year than a tumble drier because they are on 24 hours a day - items such as alarm clocks, microwaves and ovens that have timers and tv's and stereo's that are left on standby
