Staining On Reusable Menstrual Pads
What Causes Staining On My Reusable Sanitary Pads?
Staining can happen if you let the menstrual blood dry on your cloth pads or if you wash your pads on a high heat.
Although staining can look unsightly, it doesnt effect the way your reusable sanitary pad works and it doesn't mean that you havn't properly cleaned your cloth pads either. If your stains look like bleach stains, not menstrual blood then take a look at our article about bleach staining on period pads and pants.
What can help prevent stains?
The easiest way to minise blood stains on your menstrual pads is to rinse them with cold water when you remove them. Rinse your cloth pads out till the water runs clear before you store them ready for wash day.
Natural fabrics are more prone to staining so if you want to help prevent it then you could look at fleece or polyester topped reusable period pads. You might find that blood stains from specific parts of your period can stain more, for example the old brown blood at the end of your period is more likely to cause staining.
Avoid washing your reusable period pads in hot water, try and wash reusable sanitary pads at 40degrees, this helps to prevent set the stains in the reusable sanitary pads.
If you are not able to rinse your used pads after you have removed them then try not to store reusable pads for more than 48hours before you wash them. You can also soak cloth sanitary pads in cold water prior to washing.
Can I use bleach on my pads?
If you really do not like the look of the stains on your reusable pads then there are some gentle stain remover bars or gall soap that you can use to help lift the stain out. Some manufacturers suggest using a small amount of stain remover while soaking your pads however all companies advise against the use of bleach.
If you would like to soak your pads the Mini Strucket is a very popular and easy to use soaking container. Before using any stain remover on your pads it is important to check what is recommended by the pad manufacturer to ensure you are following their washing guidelines so you don't damage your pads. If your pads are made of natural fibers the you might cause some damage. If your pads are some of our bright handmade cloth pads then you may cause fading to the patterned side.
What can I soak my pads in?
You can soak reusable menstural pads in a number of solutions:
- salt - this is a great way to remove dark stains
- stain remover - check with the manufacturer of your brand. NO BLEACH
- large spoonful of washing detergent
How To Remove Stains
If you have a particularly stubborn stain that hasn't washed out Eco Femme recommend using a small amount of baking soda (not baking powder) and soaking the pads in cold water to lift old stains.
Top Tip-
Preventing stains is better than removing stains so try and follow these tips above to keep your Cloth Sanitary Pads looking fresh for as long as possible