Let’s talk about washing cloth menstrual pads. We wanted to make washing cloth pads simple and easy. Why? We didn’t want it to be complicated for us!
We always wondered why other companies make washing their pads so complicated or messy. There are inserts to be taken out before they are washed, there is pre-soaking to be done or even pre-washing to be done, etc. We’ve literally seen pads come with pages of instructions and it blows our minds.
Here are our instructions:
- Place used pads in a wet bag (or other dry container)
- Dump in a washing machine and wash in warm or cold water
- Dry in the dryer at standard temperatures
We knew that most people would be hesitant to switch to cloth if there was pre-washing or any kind of get-your-hands-dirty process involved.
Note: If you have some difficulty getting over the “ik” factor of putting them in the washing machine, some people prefer to rinse and stomp them in the shower before the washing machine but this is a personal choice. We certainly welcome whatever choice makes you most comfortable.
We designed our pads to be stored in a wet bag (learn about wet bags here) used (stored dry, not in a wet pail where they can get moldy) then be poured into a standard washing machine on a standard setting when you want them washed. And our pads can be dried in the dryer at standard drying temperatures.
We pre-shrink any fabrics that are prone to shrinking prior to sewing our pads. The snaps on our pads are durable at standard washer and dryer temperatures.
The system of pouring the pads from the wet bag into the washer and then transferring to the dryer is so easy and non-messy that even a spouse or trusted family member could get in the habit of doing the pad laundry for you as they aren’t having to do any dirty work for you. It’s as simple as dumping a laundry basket into the machine.
You don’t have to wait until a full load of pads is ready for you to wash them. There is no reason you can’t toss some pads in with a regular load of laundry. For those who may have an immediate hesitant reaction to adding pads to regular laundry (some do), it’s no different than a kid who had a bloody nose or scrapped their elbow and got some blood on their clothes. You wouldn’t be afraid to toss their clothes in the wash as it’s just some blood.
We said it’s all easy but there are certain fabric tops available (read here about fabric top choices and their pros and cons) that are more prone to staining and you may, from time to time, want to do some stain care on those. We sell stain bars (here) or watch this video about using peroxide. But, again, refer to (this article) about fabric top choices as our popular minky-topped paps are highly stain-resistant if you want to avoid treating stains.
A VERY IMPORTANT RULE when washing cloth pads is to NEVER use fabric softener in the washer or dryer. Sometimes it’s a hidden ingredient (read labels!). Fabric softener coats the fabric and repels liquids which is the exact opposite of how you want your cloth pad to act. If you ever find that your cloth pad isn’t acting as it usually does, look to see if you changed your detergent to one that has fabric softener included or if someone put in a dryer sheet. Vinegar is a great alternative that works as a fabric softener.
If you’re ever been hesitant about trying our cloth pads because you’ve been intimidated by the washing process, please know we have made our pads for people exactly like you! We suggest purchasing a (starter set) of a few of our minky-topped pads as they are stain-resistant, can be added to your regular clothes wash loads, and they wash and dry like a dream.