Period pants moan/advice needed

[gas1]

I've got twin girls aged 13 who have started their periods in the last year. They were having a lot of leakages using conventional sanitary towels so I invested in some Wuka heavy flow period pants - not cheap, especially when buying for two. Wuka claims that they're a more environmental solution than towels and suggest the initial outlay will be made back because you'll save on buying towels. I really haven't found this to be the case and I'm interested in how others are getting on. I don't have a problem with the performance of the pants, but the washing palaver is really getting me down.
The advice is to rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear, but this takes a real effort - at least 5 minutes a time, with so much wringing while doing it that I've actually developed an RSI in my wrist from it! Even then, the water isn't clear, just less bad. The particular pants I've got are supposed to be washed by hand but I put them in the washing machine anyway as I think it would be impossible to get them clean by hand. I've tried to get my girls to wash them themselves, but they need to change them in morning before school and also before bed, which are stressful enough times as it is! We've ended up using them with sanitary towels as well, to minimise the effort of handwashing. Without that I'd be using my washing machine every day, on top of running the tap for ages to rinse them - hardly environmentally friendly! Either that, or leave them in a bucket or plastic bag and do one wash at the end of the week, but that seems really icky to me.
The girls are reluctant to use tampons and I don't blame them as I was quite a bit older than them when I started to use them, so that's not an option.
The reviews on Wuka are really positive. I just wonder what I'm missing here?

We love period pants in this house, my daughter started 2 weeks after her 11th birthday and the pants freaked her out less than pads 🤣
She only wears them during the day, she'll wear a pad at night.
She rinses hers in the shower each night and puts them straight in the washing machine.
She has a couple of ModiBodi pairs but mainly Primark ones, she said the heavy flow Primark ones are the best, I think they were £12 for 3 pairs

Rinse, store in a lidded bucket and wash when you have a full load. This routine always worked with cloth nappies and now my DD use the same routine for period pants.

I love them. My dds and I always just put the pants on the floor of our showers, then straight in the washing machine. Normally running clear by the end of my shower, and if not, I leave them for tomorrows shower.

No way would I be endlessly rinsing and wringing out in cold water! I use a soaking bucket. Sometimes I’ll chuck and replace the water if I feel it’s necessary. Then into the washing machine with towels.

I’ve bought enough to last DD’s entire period as she prefers them to anything else. I rinse and soak them in cold water and then put them all in the wash together with some Dettol antibac stuff. It’s easier in summer when they can line dry.

I have the WUKA too. They certainly are pricey! I don't run the water til clear. I give them a pre wash soak and then pop them in. I think this is sufficient if you're doing a machine wash. Mine have lasted ages and still in good condition.

I don't know if you're technically supposed to do this but I use the Dettol Laundry Sanitiser periodically for a soak to make sure they stay nice and fresh.

Both my girls use them and we find them super easy. Never rinse them or soak them. Just chuck them straight in the washing machine and wash along with a dark wash (which we do at least every other day in any case). Hang them on a radiator to dry (or the line in summer) My girls find apart from super heavy flow days they can wear one pair all day so they are very easy for school as no need to change during the day.
We've used Wuka, Modibodi and cheeky pants and never seen handwash only ones.

Marks and Spencers to super heavy flow ones which are more like shorts than pants. Means that any slight leakage (ie if not changed in time on a heavy flow day, they are very absorbent) goes onto the normal material of the 'pants' rather than onto other clothes. They are also cheaper and dry quicker than Wuka.

I also no longer rinse till the water runs clear. If they are going straight in the wash I don't rinse. If I am waiting for a few more pairs before washing, I rinse a bit so that they don't smell but there's no need to put that much effort in. Wash at 40.

I've used them for ages and this is what works for me, I use cheeky pants brand.

• if they are lightly used, I put them straight in the laundry basket
• if they are heavier used, I have a bucket with a lid in the bathroom and soak them in there
• when I'm doing a wash, I put all the used pants in the washer and run a cold rinse cycle, when that has finished, I put the rest of the laundry in and wash as normal, but no fabric conditioner.
• dry on an airer or radiator.

You can get away with not soaking or rinsing if they are only lightly used, but I find that the rest of the laundry does smell slightly if I chuck heavier used ones in without pre rinsing them.

I've never rinsed mine.

Your daughters should be dealing with this themselves. They are young women and need to learn to look after themselves, and that means managing periods.

My daughter uses modibodi. Other than during her first period, I have not been involved.

I love period pants. Don’t rinse, just keep in a separate wet bag (left over from cloth nappies but wuka also sell them) then wash with a normal load of washing after doing a pre rinse in the washing machine. No faff at all.

My daughter has special educational needs and period pants have been brilliant for her. She struggled with pads and changing them.

We have primark pants and marks and Spencer's pants/little shorts and big shorts for heavier days. She's finding she doesn't need to change at school which makes her life easier.

I collect them in a bucket rinse them in water and wash in the machine when I have a few of them.

I much prefer the marks and Spencer's pants my daughter finds them comfy and hardly any leaks. Only had a few at night but she wriggles a lot in her sleep.

I have bought quite a few and use PayPal to spread payments over 3 months.

DD and I just chuck them in a dark wash and have never had any problems. I certainly wouldn't be using them if it required extra work and rinsing.

We have a variety of brands between us and the best are definitely the cheap ones from Amazon.

We all use Marks and Spencer period pants here , Dd1 29 and DD2 30, l use them because l have Lichen Sclerosis and have to use Hydromol ointment 24/7 which is terrible for leaks into clothes and furniture . They are absolutely brilliant l would recommend them to anyone .
Good luck OP

Forgot to say, we just put them in the washing machine on a wash and don't rinse before and they are fine.

I do this too.

The girls need to take ownership of their own sanitary routine though. Give each a lidded bin with water to soak them in and they can deal with it when it suits not first thing in the morning or last thing at night.

Give the girls some mesh laundry bags, period pants go in that. Bags go in wash alone for an extra quick cycle, then dark clothes in on for a normal wash.i use reusable pads and just check them in the bottom of my shower in the morning to get the worst out, then in a mesh bag ready for a proper wash.

If you are washing so frequently you don't have enough pairs. Cheeky wipes are cheaper and all brands put random ones on sale.

Yes this, I just chuck mine in with a dark wash. No rinse.

I get mine from M & S and they are 3 pairs for approx £16

I also tumble dry mine and they have lasted really well.

I put them in the machine on a low spin, rinse cycle every couple of days, then I just put the rest of the washing in with it.

I buy modibodi ones for DD as she likes the super maxi shorts. I buy them on sale and use topcashback too! But in an emergency we once had to stop and buy a pack of 3 at M&S, was about £20, and they seem pretty good although are for lighter flow.

We use Cheeky Pants. To rinse, I put them in the machine, on the shortest cold cycle. I then wash them on a cold (or 30) wash, with anything else that needs that temperature.

Myself and dd use them and love them. We have a range of brands from M&S, primark and modi body and I don't notice any difference in the quality. I just given a quick rinse then into the washing machine. You shouldn't have to rinse for 5 minutes. We even tumble dry them and it doesn't seem to have impacted quality. I've had some of mine for up to 3 years.

The M&S ones are great - good value and look nice. I never soak/rinse mine - straight in the washing machine.

DD rinses her own and then they go in the wash with the other darks.