How To Wash Cloth Menstrual Pads

Whether you are new to the world of reusable cloth pads or an old pro, how to wash them is a major question.  Every user has their own preferences for how to store, wash, and dry their pads. This post is a detailed collection of suggestions, for those of you who like details! A short, visual infographic will be coming soon for the rest of you. 

There 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. 
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Pre-Wash – The first step is the most time-consuming, though it shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes of active time.
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Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Remove pads from storage - Your pads should have been stored in a bag or bucket WITHOUT WATER since their use. If you use a wet bag to store your pads, you can place that directly into the washing machine at this time.
   
   
2. Prepare your container - You can use a small bucket, a bathroom sink, a top-loading washing machine, or some other type of basin. Be sure the container is clean, then add enough cold water to just cover your stack of pads once it is unfolded. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of stain-treatment product (I suggest Oxiclean)  to the water and agitate to dissolve.
   
   
3. Sort your pads - Open each pad and determine if it requires soaking. Any pads that do not have any surface staining can skip straight to the wash step! Any pads that have visible blood on their surface should be placed into your bucket/sink/basin, soiled side down.
   
   **BONUS TIP: I like having a load of towels waiting in the washing machine when I start this step. I add the non-surface-stained pads from step 2, then wait for the initial soak and add the pads that came clean in step 4, then go ahead and run this load while the final, longer soak is happening.**
   
   
4. Soak pads - I suggest a soak for 2-4 hours. Set a timer so you don’t forget!
   
   
5. Squish out liquids - Drain water and gently squeeze excess water out of pads by pushing them on the side of your container.
   
   
6. Rinse - Rinse pads in clean, cold water, gently squeezing to remove excess water. Do not twist or wring.
   
   
7. Sort your pads again - Pads that appear clean can move on to the wash step at this time. 
   
   
8. Extra stain treatment, if needed - If any surface markings remain, treat by rubbing firmly with a stain remover (I recommend Fels-Naptha). You may also rub the two sides of the pad together to help remove surface marks. Any stained pads should then go through the soaking process again, soaking with Oxiclean for at least 4 hours, but as long as overnight.
   
   
9. Drain and rinse - At this time the surfaces of the pads should be completely stain-free!
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10. Pat yourself on the back - The tricky part is over! The rest of the process is literally just regular laundry!!

 

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Wash - Once pads are free of surface markings, they are ready to be washed. They may be washed in any load of laundry using your laundry routine, without fabric softener.  

I recommend a warm water wash and cold rinse, with regular Tide powder as my 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.

**BONUS TIP: Do not wash a small load of pads alone – your machine likely will not agitate them enough to complete the cleaning process. As mentioned above, 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.**

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Dry – You can choose your own adventure when it comes to drying your pads. Pads may be dried in the dryer on medium heat or hung to dry. Drying in the dryer leads to softer pads. Avoid high heat as it can damage waterproof materials. You may add wool dryer balls for extra softening. Do not use 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. 
 
Note: This post is specific to the care of pads used for menstrual flow. See this post if your pads are primarily used for urinary incontinence.