A nappy wash costs us between 8 and 10 Swedish kronor. That is electricity, water and detergent. With cloth nappies full time we wash every third day, which comes to 80 to 96 kronor a month. Here is the calculation, item by item, with sources.
From Emelie: Electricity and water have moved a great deal in recent years, so old figures age quickly. This is the 2026 calculation, with a source for every item.
This text is about what the washing costs. What the whole nappy period comes to, with the nappies included, we work out in Cloth nappies: save money and make a difference. The figures are Swedish prices in Swedish kronor; the method works wherever you live.
What does one wash cost?
We run an ordinary cotton programme at 60 degrees. Our machine is an Electrolux EW7F6448W4, and the manufacturer's own programme table says the programme uses 1.95 kilowatt hours and 95 litres of water with a full load. The detergent in this calculation is ICA Skona Kulörtvätt powder, dosed according to the packet.
| Item | How we work it out | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 1.95 kWh × SEK 2.40 | SEK 4.68 |
| Water | 95 litres, that is 0.095 cubic metres | SEK 2.07 to 3.75 |
| Detergent | One dose per the packet, SEK 94.90 for 79 doses | SEK 1.20 |
| Total | SEK 7.95 to 9.63 |
If you wash every third day, a full load covers three days, which is roughly twenty nappy changes. Spread out, that is just under SEK 0.50 per change.
The electricity price is Statistics Sweden's most recently published average for Swedish households, SEK 2.3984 per kilowatt hour, second half of 2025. That is the whole price: energy, network, tax and VAT.
The 95 litres in the table are for a full load, eight kilos. A nappy wash is bulky but light and rarely weighs that much, so the machine uses less. The extras further down pull the other way.
We have our own well. So that the figure can be compared, we still price the water at municipal rates, Stockholm at one end of the range and Varberg at the other.
On top of this we run a prewash and an extra rinse. The extras are not in the programme table, so we cannot put a sourced figure on them. Our estimate is a couple of kronor more. It stands as an estimate, nothing else.
Why does it differ between municipalities?
Because water is priced locally. Each municipality sets its rate according to what pipes and treatment plants cost there, and the differences are large. This is how it looks in 2026 in two municipalities where many of our customers live, plus our own:
| Municipality | Variable charge per cubic metre | 95 litres costs |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | SEK 21.75 | SEK 2.07 |
| Gothenburg | SEK 30.13 | SEK 2.86 |
| Varberg | SEK 39.50 | SEK 3.75 |
Electricity is simpler. There is a national average, and that is what we use.
How much is it a month?
With cloth nappies full time we wash every third day, which is ten times a month. 80 to 96 kronor a month, depending on the municipality. That is what it costs to keep the nappies clean, counted on electricity, water and detergent.
What does drying cost?
If you hang the laundry, drying costs nothing. We hang most of it and tumble the inserts now and then on low heat, especially in winter.
If you want a figure: our dryer is an Electrolux EDI621W95W, and the energy label states 1.03 kilowatt hours per cycle. At the same electricity price as above that comes to around 2.50 kronor. The figure is for the machine's standard programme, so a few inserts on low heat cost less. Your own machine's consumption is in its manual.
Frequently asked questions
What does a wash cost at my house?
Take your machine's consumption from the manual, your electricity price per kilowatt hour and your municipality's variable water charge. Kilowatt hours times the electricity price, plus litres divided by a thousand times the price per cubic metre, plus one dose of detergent. The calculation above can be filled in with your own figures.
Which programme suits nappy laundry?
An ordinary cotton programme at 60 degrees. It washes through properly, and that is exactly what highly absorbent inserts need. Switching on the prewash works well, and many run the prewash with just the nappies and load in the rest of the laundry afterwards.
How do I work it out if water is included in my rent?
Then you pay for it through the rent instead, and the water item does not appear as a line of its own for you. Count electricity and detergent, and you have your running cost.
Is an eco programme cheaper?
The eco programme uses less electricity, that is true. On our machine it uses 0.72 kilowatt hours against the cotton programme's 1.95. At the same time it is a longer and cooler programme, and nappy laundry wants a thorough wash. We run cotton 60 and think it is worth the difference.
Where do the figures come from?
From the manufacturer's programme table, Statistics Sweden, the municipalities' own rates and the price label in our shop. The whole basis is saved with dates, and you are welcome to it if you ask.
Read on
How we do the washing itself: washing and storing cloth nappies. How to keep the machine fresh: cloth nappies and the washing machine. What the whole nappy period costs: save money and make a difference and cloth nappies vs disposables.
The figures come from sources you can check yourself, and we recalculate them every year.
By Emelie, founder of Time Ahead Sweden, mum of three and curious about how we as parents can make thoughtful choices in everyday life.