8″ Reusable Cloth Pad – Minky Butterflies

• Store soiled pads in a zippered bag in the bathroom; You don’t have to soak or rinse them, other than shaking off any clots that may be sitting on top of the pad.
• On wash day, machine wash cold (to prevent staining) with phosphate free detergent (to prevent fading).
• Tumble dry low or lay flat until completely dry. (I have been tumble drying mine for 8 years now with no issues, unless pads are made with PUL and are repeatedly dried on hot, they should do well in the dryer!)
• Do not iron.

Other washing tips:

• The sun is a great sanitizer! Lay pads out on a sunny day to help dry and remove stains.
• You can also use a stain stick or some baking soda to tackle any stains.
• If your reusable cloth pad starts feeling a little stiff, try adding 0.5 – 1 cup vinegar to the fabric softener drawer on your washing machine.
• Does your household use cloth diapers? You can wash cloth pads with cloth diapers – just make sure the first pre-wash is in COLD water to prevent staining.
• You can also throw pads in the wash on COLD with bath towels. If you prefer, you can do a quick rinse and spin on cold with just the pads first, but that is not necessary.

How many cloth pads do I need?

It really depends on your flow, length of cycle, and how often you want to do the washing. I recommend starting with a small stash of cloth pads to figure out what length and style you prefer, and keeping track of how long you can wear each pad before changing.

What size pads should I buy?

Take a measurement of the pads you typically buy and start there. Different lengths are useful for different purposes – 8” make great liners, 10” are typical everyday pads for regular flow, and 13” pads are great for nighttime and postpartum use.

How long will my cloth pads last?

I have not yet needed to toss out a pad, and some of mine are 8 years old! Parts of the fabric will wear on the edges over time, but this will not affect their absorbency or water resistance, just appearance. When the topper fabric or light grey water resistant backing starts to look thread bare, it’s likely time to replace the pad.

What if I am not at home?

You can still use cloth pads on the go! You can fold your dry extra pads up into a little square and snap them closed. Then all you need is a little zippered bag you can toss the soiled ones into. They can get washed when you get home – easy peasy.

Got more questions? I am happy to help answer them, just shoot me a message at hello@prairiesweaterco.com.