Believer's Garb

Caring for cloth menstrual pads is similar to caring for cloth diapers. You can wash and dry the pads with your other laundry or with cloth diapers.

There are a couple of schools of thought on laundering just as there are for cloth diapers. You can soak your pads prior to washing (this helps cut down on stains) by soaking them in water. Many women keep a "moon pot" in their bathroom and soak their used pads in a covered container until wash day. The soak water needs to be changed daily. If soaking in plain water, the soak water can be used to water plants. You can also add a little hydrogen peroxide to the soak water to discourage stains. You can also elect not to soak them (they will probably stain some) or to simply rinse them out before putting in the pot. Do a soak or prewash on cold and then wash on warm or hot with other laundry. Using an oxygen-based laundry booster will also help avoid some of the staining. Avoid bleach, as it is harsh on the fabric, your skin, and the environment. Avoid fabric softeners, as they can cause buildup that may affect the absorbency of the fabric. Use the same types of detergents you would use on cloth diapers.