Starting today, pharmacies Catalonia will distribute reusable menstrual products for free. This includes menstrual cup, cloth pads and reusable panties.. More and more people are starting to use these products, even paying for them, as it is the most sustainable way to maintain proper menstrual hygiene. However, although the proper use of the cup has been widely publicized, fabric products are still surrounded by great doubt as to how they should be used. wash fabric pads How often should you buy new period panties?
In fact, the best option will always be to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and, of course, don’t make your own pads and panties. We have already done this with masks, let’s not fall into this.
These products, although they look like a simple piece of fabric, are made from concrete textile materials and adequate structures to avoid causing irritation and to absorb as much menstrual fluid as possible. We only have the option to buy them, so we have to look at manufacturer’s instructions. But if they’re not quite shown or you want to know before you start using them, these are the basic tips for washing fabric pads and how to best care for them.
What are these products made of?
Before you wash cloth pads or menstrual panties, it’s important to know what they’re made of. This makes it easier to understand why a number of specific hygiene measures need to be followed.
Typically they are made from cotton. This is the tissue that comes into contact with skin and vulva, which avoids allergies, which are much more common in other fabrics. Inside they may have several layers of fabric, which depend on the degree of absorption of the product. Like disposable pads, they can sometimes have varying degrees of absorbency. But whatever this level is, they usually contain POOL. It is a polyester fabric with an internal laminate that makes it waterproof and breathable. This is why it is so useful for making cloth pads and menstrual panties.
Cloth pads should be washed as soon as possible.
The first tip to follow when washing fabric pads is to not leave them with the rest of your dirty clothes until you turn on the washing machine. The same goes for period panties, of course.
Dried blood is much more difficult to clean than fresh blood. Therefore we must do prewash earlier. This involves rinsing and immersing the pad or panties in cold water until as much blood as possible is removed. It is important that it is cold water, since hot is prone to staining. This happens because, when exposed to heat, blood proteins denature, or in other words, unfold their structures, forming aggregates that remain adhered to the tissue and are more difficult to separate. It’s true that some studies done in hospital laundries have come to the opposite conclusion: hot water is better. However, these are minority studies in which for cancel these additions.
In addition, PUL is more easily damaged when exposed to hot water, so this must also be taken into account when choosing the washing temperature. Actually, it is for this reason that it is better dry in the sun than in the dryer.
In short, everyone agrees that you should use cold water when washing cloth pads, as this is what gives the best results in removing this type of stain on the first wash.
By hand or by machine, but without fabric softener.
After performing this emergency pre-wash, the cloth pads can be washed completely using cold water again. For this we can do it manually or in the washing machine using our regular detergent, but never with fabric softener.
This is due to the operating principle of these products. They usually contain substances such as aminosilicones, which create waterproof jacket on fabric. This lubricated surface also prevents static electricity, so the fabric feels much softer to the touch.
The problem is that when washing fabric pads with fabric softener we don’t allow them to absorb blood because of this waterproofing layer. Therefore, over time they lose effectiveness.
What happens if we have to wash cloth pads with dried blood?
Dried blood is more difficult to remove. Pre-washing may not be enough. Therefore, if stains remain after washing, you should use some stain remover or directly with hydrogen peroxide.
How many washes can these items last?
Neither cloth pads nor menstrual panties last forever. There will come a time when the stains will be more difficult to remove or will not be able to absorb blood properly. At this point they will have to be abandoned. In any case, the manufacturer’s instructions are also important here.
Generally speaking about 100 washes, so over time it will depend on the frequency with which we use them. It is advisable to have enough units so that you can change them regularly and dry them in the sun for as long as necessary.
The period for which they can be worn will depend on each person’s flow, but it is more or less equivalent to the period for which they can be worn. disposable pads.
Which color is the best?
For both cloth pads and menstrual panties, the choice of color depends on the tastes of each woman. However, if they white or transparent The amount of accumulating blood is much better visible and it is easier to check whether you washed it correctly. In addition, the sight of blood helps us know if everything is normal with menstruation. We must end this taboo of wanting to hide it in any way possible. It’s blood, not acid.
Source: Hiper Textual
