Cloth pads and menstrual underwear

Cloth pads and menstrual underwear are fantastic reusable products. The same principles for clean nappies apply to cloth pads: adequate detergent, warm or hot water, good agitation, and a long wash cycle.

Washing cloth pads

We recommend washing in warm/ hot water with detergent to remove soiling, and prevent stains and smells. While it is commonly said that hot water sets blood stains, we have not experienced this.

Menstrual blood has a different make-up to vascular blood as it has other substances mixed into it (for example, cervical mucus and endometrial tissue).

If you use cloth nappies you can include your pads in both your nappy first wash and main wash. Otherwise, wash them with your general laundry.

Rinse after use

Rinse your pads in water until they run clear. This can be done immediately after use, or at the end of the day. You can do this in the shower if you prefer.

If you add to the nappy first wash there is no need to rinse them.

Pre-treat for stains

You may or may not need to pre-treat your pads, depending on if you are experiencing stains. We recommend using Sard or Sunlight bar soaps to remove excess soiling – these have proven very effective on cloth nappies.

If you can’t remove stains using this method, you could try these alternative ways:

• Soak in laundry booster for 1-2 hours (max 4 hours). Some cloth pads contain PUL, these should be soaked for minimal time so the PUL doesn’t degrade.
• For persistent stains, try an initial warm/hot 30-60 minute wash cycle with detergent and laundry booster.

Minky is very stain-resistant. Cotton or flannel may be more prone to staining.

Keep them dry

As with cloth nappies, keep them dry until wash day. There is no need to soak them, and doing so can damage them.

Main wash

The same principles for clean nappies apply to cloth pads:

• Use an adequate amount of a good strong detergent since these are heavily soiled items.
• Use warm-hot (40-60°C) water.
• Ensure you have good agitation.
• Use a long cycle.

You can wash your cloth pads with your main nappy wash or general laundry.

Dry

Dry using your preferred method – hanging or in the dryer.

New pads

New cloth pads only require one wash with detergent before use, this can be with your nappies or normal laundry. No matter what fabric they are made from, they don’t absorb the same amount of liquid as nappies, so one wash is more than enough.

There is no need to soak pads to build absorbency.

Sanitising second-hand pads

Sanitise secondhand pads as you would for second-hand nappies. If they are cotton or flannel topped, they will run the risk of fading in the bleach sanitise – but this is the easiest, cheapest and most effective method.

Sanitsing during/ after a yeast infection (thrush)

Visit your Doctor or Pharmacist to confirm you have a yeast infection and get treatment.

If you have a yeast infection before or during your period, you’ll need to sanitise your cloth pads to kill the Candida fungus and prevent reinfection. Use our bleach sanitise instructions.

You may want to switch to disposable pads/tampons for the rest of your cycle. If you continue to use reusable cloth pads during your infection you’ll need to add bleach to your main wash.