How To Wash Cloth Incontinence Pads

​Caring for reusable incontinence/bladder pads is quite similar to caring for menstrual pads, but may require a slightly different approach – which is why I’m writing a separate post to address some particularities. 
 
With all cloth pads, are three steps in a solid cloth pad care routine that can help you take good care of your reusable investment: pre-wash, wash, dry. 

​Pre-Wash – Here is where you might really save time when compared to pads used for menstrual flow! There’s no need to sort your pads or do multiple soaks! YAY – it’s not every that we get to celebrate the joys of bladder leakage management!
 
You have a whole menu of options for pre-washing your pads - see the graphic below for all the options!  You may choose to perform any of these steps as needed with your pads – there’s. no one-size-fits-all strategy. What you choose to do for your pre-washing depends on many factors – your water, your pads, your body, how long you store your pads before washing. 

​Wash - Once you have soaked and rinsed your pads, they are ready to be washed. They may be washed in any load of laundry using your laundry routine, without fabric softener.  Do not wash a small load of pads alone – your machine likely will not agitate them enough to complete the cleaning process. I like washing pads with my towels, but at this point the pads are clean enough to go in any load of laundry you like.
I recommend a warm water wash and cold rinse, with regular Tide powder as your detergent. (I’ll be writing a post soon that dives deep into cleaning product options!).  However, if you follow the pre-washing steps above, your routine of choice should be absolutely fine…as long as you do NOT use fabric softener.

 
Dry – I recommend hang drying for cloth incontinence pads. A drying strap can make this easier! 
 
Because incontinence pads usually use PUL fabric to make them truly waterproof, it is particularly important that you avoid high heat! If you choose to use a dryer for your cloth pads, choose a low/medium heat setting and avoid dryer sheets.
 
I hope that is EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about washing cloth menstrual pads. Although it seems like a lot of information, actual time you will spend on this monthly should be quite low.  If you have lingering questions, please leave them below our use the “Message Us” feature of the website to reach out. ​

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More information:

How to Wash Your Cloth Menstrual Pads

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