To wonder why more people don't use cloth sanitary pads?

[Bex107]

They have changed my life, and I'm so sad I didn't discover them sooner! When my periods came waltzing back just three months after DS arrived I couldn't bear the thought of tampons or plasticky towels, but I couldn't find anyone I knew who'd used cloth. They are bloody (!) wonderful, if you're considering it give them a go - I wish I'd had someone to tell me that!

Re: hot and cold washes.

Yes, I do know that a hot wash will set any protein based stain and that's why you need a cool pre rinse. But cold washes don't kill bacteria or fungi. So do you need to pre wash in cold first then in hot to sanitise? That's a lot of faff and water. I'd be wary of repeatedly using a cold wash on a sanitary product. They need to be cleaned properly.

Not for me, but each to their own - surely a variety of options is best?

I'm using compostable pads. best if bith worlds, they are as easy to use as didpisable ones but go in the council compost/food waste bin.

I wear tampons, but I've got the world's most unreliable flow - either they are bone dry after 4 hours or I overflow them within 1. (Thanks polyp or fibroid not sure which yet hurry up NHS appointment.)

So I wear a pad as backup, but they irritate my skin. I switched to cloth.

Not so much blood involved that carrying around a soiled pad is a problem, but definite peace of mind.

(And I have some huge pads to wear at night which means I don't have to wear a tampon at night and get up to change it.)

Yabu. My heavy periods required several changes of pad or tampon a day. I absolutely wouldn't have wanted to cart used clothbpads around with me

I agree Anatide, that is a lot of wasted water and washing, and also electricity. Not everyone has access to washing facilities either, or can afford extra expense.

I'm too squeamish for it. :P
I use tampons, they are nice and "hidden" so I don't have to look at them all the time, haha.
I hate periods.

I bought some. The night time ones. I'm going to give them a go. I do really hate the disposable ones but have been wary of the reusables. but will try and see.

The washing factor is an issue for me but I assume I will get over it (or not). I don't think I will be a full convert as I think disposables will be more practical for holidays etc. But for nighttime at home, if it cuts down the money spent on disposables why not.

With over 40 years of wearing knickers washed at 40° I'm amazed my nethers haven't festered away.

But your knickers aren't a thick wad of material with a huge internal surface area soaked in blood. Washed at 30 degrees.

use them by all means, but think about sanitising them properly...

I think sanitary towels are grim full
Stop and only use tampons. Keeps everything clean and fresh. Periods are bad enough without feeling dirty

I just don't get the practical side, how do you carry them? First pad-change mid-morning at work, put blood soaked pad in plastic wrap. Add several more, store them in my briefcase at work. Room temperature, naturally. Or maybe blistering August heat. Carry all day, get home. Do I now have to immediately handwash? I won't start a daily washing machine for 5 pads. Or do I dry them to prevent further festering? It's like carrying a piece of liver 12 hours and then collecting several of them over a few days.

You don't put them in a plastic wrap like you would plastic towels

You Fold it up on itself like knickers and put them in a wash bag type object

But that bag goes into a waterproof bag or wrap, ie plastic-lined?

There're is no plastic lining for reusables

There*

Unless you mean the wash bag is plastic lined?

Is that what you mean?

Yes, I'm taking about the transport. I would have several blood soaked pads in a plastic wrap or bag in my briefcase, festering away at room temperature or hotter all day. Then come home and what? Take them out to dry? Put in the fridge? Wash straight away?

I would probably say wash straight away and then the bag inside out for airing.

Long as it stays sealed, I can't see it being too much of a trouble in the day

Sorry for being so dense there. I've been taking strong medication for two weeks and just come off it. Found my thinking and reactions are bit skewed since

I do a wash after 2 or 3 days (cold rinse plus 40 degrees wash).
They aren't as soaked as one might think. I think that the disposables draw out any moisture while with clothes some of the flow is stopped until you use the toilets.
I use a mix of both, clothes at beginning and end of period and at home and disposable for heavier flow. Clothes are much more comfy.

I am learning so much from this thread.

Found this www.seventeen.com/health/sex-health/a39337/i-free-bled-into-period-panties-and-this-is-what-happened/

I read about free bleeding also www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11793848/Free-bleeding-This-woman-ran-the-London-Marathon-on-her-period-without-a-tampon.html

Has anyone any experience with the concept of free bleeding, how does it work?

Also can somebody tell me if moon cups are suitable for people who have clots when bleeding?

I used to free bleed when I had light periods. This sounds very weird I know, but on a light period I could always tell when the flow was about to come. If I was home I would often just nip to the toilet when I knew it was coming. Other times I just free bled into my pants. This can really only be done if you have ridiculously light periods, otherwise the clean up just isn't worth it - but I never minded free bleeding.
As mentioned up thread, I am allergic to regular pads. Before I discovered cloth pads tanpons were my only option, and back then I wasn't bleeding enough to feel it was worth the hassle.
I won't go back to free bleeding now that I have long heavy periods. I also think if they did go back to being light I would probably stick to cloth pads now anyway. I may well have lost the knack of knowing when the flow was about to go.

"free bleeding " I have heard it all now.

BratFarrarsPony "free bleeding" I have heard it all now.

But...but it's so empowering to go around with bodily waste products flowing into our clothes and down our legs and sticking it to Patriarchy-owned Big Sanitary Protection companies who've conditioned us into buying their superfluous hygiene products
Of course, it also sticks it to the little Etsy cloth pad makers who are mostly women but hey, collateral damage.

I read about this at the time, seems some (male) jokers on 4 Chan started the concept as a joke and some very gullible and a few gullible bit too right-on women fell for it, took it seriously and started doing it - you can't make this shit up.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing - in the same way some people mix washable and disposable nappies according to what suits at the time, you can mix washable pads with other methods. I never felt comfortable with them at work on heavy days so wouldn't wear them then - but on home days, or 'end of period' light days they're great.

I don't like tampons (and used to bleed heavily which frequently led to bleeding down the string so needing a pad anyway) and tried a moon cup but just didn't like it. I have fairly light bleeding now and think cloth pads are fab.

Surfer babe, I have found the cup works fine with clots but you do have to empty it more than other people do. So where someone else may empty three times a day, I empty much more because of the clots. I use cloth pads as back up, but sometimes I'm a change everything once an hour , and never sit down in public kind of person. It's not the fault of the sanpro, it's me!