Reusable period pads, explained

Fasten, wear, rinse, wash, dry. A reusable period pad is simple to describe, yet makers’ care pages do not always agree. This Column explains reusable period pads: what they are, how they are used, what they are made of, how to care for them, and what Canadian rules say. Disposable period pads and liners have their own explainer in this series. This Column does not compare reusable period pads with any other format.

What it is

A reusable period pad is worn inside underwear, in the same place as a disposable period pad. The difference is what happens after. A US draft guidance from the FDA describes a reusable period pad as one that “may be washed, dried, and used again…”. That guidance is a draft, and it applies in the United States only.

Like a disposable period pad, a reusable period pad absorbs. The US FDA says menstrual pads “absorb menstrual flow after it leaves the body”. Nothing is worn inside the body.

You may also see reusable period pads called cloth pads. This Column uses “reusable period pads” in its own words. Quotations keep each source’s words.

How it’s used

Putting it on. SickKids, the Toronto children’s hospital, says: “Reusable pads usually have Velcro or snap button flaps to stay secure”. Makers describe the same idea. One Canadian maker says its period pads have “wings that snap in place”. A US maker says: “Snap the wings… around your underwear”. In these descriptions, the period pad is held by its wings. None of these sources describes an adhesive strip.

Changing it. SickKids says: “Both types of pads should be changed every 4-6 hours”. “Both types” means disposable and reusable. Your maker’s instructions may add their own guidance.

Away from home. A used reusable period pad goes home to be washed. Makers describe a bag to carry it in. A Vancouver maker suggests “wet/dry bags” when you are away from home. A US maker describes “a discreet Carry Bag… to hold your used and fresh pads”. Readers ask how to handle a used reusable period pad away from home. The sources above describe a bag. They do not describe a routine for rinsing while out.

What it’s made of

Canada’s SOGC says reusable period pads are “usually made of cotton, bamboo, or other natural absorbent fibres”.

Makers describe how they build the layers. One Canadian maker describes a “hidden inner middle core” of an absorbent fabric and a “water resistant fleece backing”. The core soaks up the flow; the backing sits against the underwear. A US maker describes another design: “1 holder and 2 inserts”. The holder stays in the underwear, and the absorbent inserts go inside it.

Designs vary from maker to maker. How many layers a period pad has, and how thick it is for each absorbency word, is not described in the sources we checked. The care label and the maker’s product page are the places to look.

Care or disposal

Reusable period pads are washed, not thrown out after one use. Disposal of disposable period pads is in “Period pads and liners, explained”.

Here, makers agree on the shape of the routine: rinse, wash, dry. They part ways on the details.

A Canadian federal guide says to rinse reusable period pads by hand “until the water runs clear”, then wash and dry them before the next use. It adds that most last longer “if they are washed in cool water… and allowed to air dry”. Before the first wear, one Canadian maker says to “wash and dry separately at least once before wearing to build their absorbency”.

Soaking. One Canadian maker says to soak used period pads overnight in cool water with a little detergent and an oxygen-based stain remover. A Vancouver maker says: “Don’t leave your pads soaking in water”.

Drying. Several makers allow a machine dryer. One says to hang to dry, or use a dryer “if you have access to one”. The federal guide says most last longer when washed in cool water and air-dried.

The label on your own period pad is the one to follow. The full shared routine, with the reusable-period-pad section, is in “How to wash period underwear, any brand”.

Makers agree on the shape of the routine: rinse, wash, dry. They part ways on the details.

What the label tells you (in Canada)

Here is what Canadian rules say about reusable period pads. No Canadian rule names them, so there is no rule-maker’s wording to quote. This section names each rule that applies.

Health Canada’s list of medical device types has no entry for period pads. Period pads are consumer products, so Canada’s general consumer-product safety law applies. Reusable period pads are made of fabric, so textile labelling law may also apply. That reading is still being confirmed.

For absorbency, Health Canada sets label words only for tampons. For period pads, there is no Canadian absorbency standard and no required standard test. Each brand decides how to test its products. So “light” or “heavy” on a reusable period pad is the maker’s own word.

There is no Canadian absorbency standard for reusable period pads. Follow the maker’s label.

How much each format holds, and why the numbers differ, is in the Column “‘Super’ on a period pad and ‘Super’ on a tampon are not the same thing.”

Common questions

What should I do before the first wear?

One Canadian maker says to wash and dry its period pads “at least once before wearing to build their absorbency”. Check whether your maker says the same.

How long does a reusable period pad last?

Makers give their own figures. One Canadian maker says: “Each of our pads can be used 150-200 times”. A US maker says its reusable period pads are “made to last at least 5 years” with proper care. A Vancouver maker’s care page gives no figure. Periodica has no figure of its own. The figure that applies is the one your maker gives.

Will the snaps show through clothing?

Some readers say they worry about this. The Editor found no source that answers it, so this Column offers no advice. If you have found what works, tell the Editor.

Is there adhesive on a reusable period pad?

Some readers ask about period pads without adhesive. The sources in this Column describe reusable period pads that fasten with snaps or hook-and-loop flaps, not adhesive. For questions about skin reactions, talk to a healthcare provider or a pharmacist.

Troubleshooting

Stains. Makers disagree here too. One Canadian maker lists sun, a stain remover, “or peroxide”. A Vancouver maker says: “Avoid frequent use of Hydrogen Peroxide and Oxygen bleach products”. Follow your own period pad’s care instructions.

A smell after washing. The Editor found no source that explains why a smell stays after washing. Check your maker’s care guidance, or contact the maker.

Moths in stored period pads. Some readers describe finding clothes moths in stored reusable period pads. The Editor found no maker or textile-care source on preventing this, so this Column suggests no remedy. If your period pad is damaged, your maker can tell you whether it can still be used.

What this is not

This Column describes reusable period pads in the words of makers and health bodies. It did not test any product or compare brands. It does not compare reusable period pads with any other format, and it gives no figure of its own for washing or lifespan. Two people with the same flow choose differently, and both are right.

Next in the Reading Room: “How to wash period underwear, any brand.”