First of all, well done for making the switch to reusable sanitary pads! The planet will thank you as will your wallet!
The best place to start using your new products is at home. Give yourself a few trial runs so that you feel more confident when you use your reusable pads when out and about.
Caring for pads at home
We strongly recommend that you rinse or soak your pads after use. This process will remove most of the menstrual blood making it a lot less likely to end up with stains.
Rinsing:
You can do this by simply rinsing your used pad under the tap after use. Wring the water out of the pad and store them in one of our mini wet bags or containers. This is called dry pailing. When you are ready to wash, unzip the bag and throw it into the machine with all the pads inside.
Soaking:
Otherwise, you can leave your used pads soaking in water in a small container. Avoid using hot water as this will set the stains. Place your pads used side down so that the blood ‘falls’ out of the fabric to the bottom of the container. This is called wet pailing. You can put some drops of tea tree essential oil as this has antifungal and anti-microbial qualities. When you are ready to wash, drain the water into a sink or toilet and pop the pads into the washing machine.
Washing:
Wash your period products at a maximum of 40 degrees with powder detergent and NO fabric softener (this will hinder absorption over time). If you rinse/soak effectively, very little bodily fluid will be left on the pads and you can wash with normal household laundry. Ideally pads need a long wash (over an hour) and a machine that is around ⅘ full so there is enough time and room to agitate the pads and properly clean them.
If you haven’t yet come round to the idea of washing sanitary pads with other laundry, you can wash them with towels or bed sheets.
Drying:
The best way is to hang and air dry ideally outside in the sunshine :) Avoid tumble drying to prolong the life of the waterproof layers.
Washing your incontinence pads
Caring for incontinence pads is no different so just follow the above procedure.
Using reusable sanitary pads when out and about
If you’re out for the day, at work or at school, just fold the used pads and popper them close and place them unrinsed into your wet bag. You can deal with the rest when you get home.
It is easy and discreet - no rustling wrappers or need for a bin! Just a pretty patterned bag.
Don’t worry if you make a mistake when caring for your reusable sanitary pads. Most mistakes are fine as long as they’re a one off (or two off)! And we hope that the pretty patterns of reusable sanitary pads will make you look forward to your next period!
