How To Care For Your Cloth Sanitary Pads
It's been quite a while since I last updated my blog. So much has happened over the last year. We are now a family of 4 and just celebrated my daughters first birthday! So thought it was about time I did a how-to guide on here for anyone who wants to learn a bit more about cloth sanitary pads before diving in!
You've probably read loads of 'How to guides' on how to wash and care for your CSP (cloth sanitary pads) but still unsure on if it will fit into your lifestyle?
This guide is to help you understand the benefits of using CSP and how easy it is to wash and care for them!
Are Cloth Sanitary Pads Right For Me?
The first thing you need to know is that they are really easy to wash!
Now, there are a few different ways on how you can wash your pads. You can either keep soiled pads in a wet bag until your cycle is finished (which I tend to do as I only have a 4 day cycle, lucky me!) or you can rinse them after you've changed them in cold water to get the majority of the blood out. Either way it works out the same. I usually keep mine all in my wet bag and pop on a rinse cycle before doing a proper wash. Once you've chosen the step above all you have to do is pop them on a quick rinse cycle and then a longer wash at 30-40°c.
Please be aware that some washing powders do contain fabric softener, and it can affect the absorbency of your pads which will result in them not lasting as long.
How to care for your CSP:
Depending on the materials used will affect how long your pads will last. Cotton tops tend to not last along as Cotton jersey due to being more prone to wear and tear. But if they are washed at a lower temperature there's more chance they will last longer. Using fabric conditioner coats the absorbent layers which makes them less absorbent, if it does happen accidentally don't panic not all is lost! pop them on a couple of rinse cycles and this will get rid of the coating on the cores. It might take a while for this to happen.
Can you tumble dry CSP?
Yes you can, but this will have wear and tear on your pads, so its best to hang them out to dry rather than tumble drying. If your CSP contain PUL (waterproofing layer) then its not advisable to tumble dry as this can melt and make them less likely to work.
What are the benefits of using CSP?
There are loads of benefits on using CSP! One of the main ones is that it helps lessen period pains! "How" you ask? Lots of research has been done that have concluded that disposable pads contain harsh nasty chemicals that draw out the blood, which causes period pains.
The second highest benefit to me is that they are much better for the environment. Each pad should last you up to 10 years (depending on how you have washed and care for them!) One cloth pad will save approx 120 disposable pads going to landfill (based on 120 periods in 10 years) and thats just using one cloth per cycle! Now imagine if your whole period was in cloth! Thats a whole lot of waste you've saved going to landfill!
Some of the other benefits are that they are kinder on your skin, less irritation and more comfortable to wear. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be custom made to suit your period!
For more information come and visitor our guide to CSP here: https://seams2me.shop/pages/why-choose-to-reuse