Reusable Cloth Pads For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide 2020
The purpose of this blog is to guide women who are looking into reusable cloth pads, those who are ready to try but not quite sure where to get started, or on the fence about reusable cloth pads. This would be the most comprehensive and easy reference guide to reusable cloth pads newcomers.
What Are Reusable Cloth Pads?
Cloth pads are reusable alternatives to disposable menstrual products like sanitary napkins or to tampons. They are also called cloth menstrual pads, cloth sanitary pads, mama cloth etc. They are uber comfortable, breathable and Eco-friendly.
Why SWITCH to Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pads?
1. Money talks.
The first reason is that, in the long run, you’ll save money. Disposable sanitary products are expensive, and we want to stop you from investing it into the sanitary bins every month. Although all reusable products do involve an initial monetary investment, our pads and liners can be used for a lengthy 3 to 5 years before they’ll need to be replaced. The average woman uses around 240 tampons or other disposable menstrual products per year. By switching, you’ll potentially save the use of around 2400 disposable products over 10 years! Consider the sheer amount of waste involved in those statistics, not only in terms of the product itself but also in terms of packaging, both collectively and individually.
2. Perhaps more importantly, for health benefits.
The majority of disposable sanitary products are made from plastic and contain chemicals. Not only can these cause irritation but they also present various health risks to the user. We pose the question, do you really want so many chemicals in such a sensitive area? Another health risk that disposable tampons probably carry is a risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS). This can be fatal, and whilst we won’t go into detail about it here, it’s something that all tampon users should be aware of. You’ll find more information about it with a quick search or within the booklets provided alongside tampons.
3. But no less importantly, you shouldn’t use them if you’re pro-environment.
In terms of negative environmental impact, disposable products cause harm for potentially hundreds of years to come. They take an incredibly long amount of time to break down, and as they’re doing so, they release all of those nasty chemicals that we mentioned earlier.
4. Are you embarrassed about buying disposables in the store?
If yes, switch to reusable cloth menstrual pads, you never have to buy them ever again in the store. You can shop discreetly online and feel free to choose the size, types, and patterns that you like. Welcome to click here to view all LUCKYAPDS’ sizing and patterns
5. More reasons you can check here.
In short: By taking steps towards a less wasteful lifestyle, we can benefit both ourselves and our environment.
We strongly encourage women to switch to our reusable products for environmental reasons, in order to save landfill space and avoid so many chemicals entering the environment. However, in the long run, those who switch will also be saving themselves a considerable amount of money and will appreciate the financial benefit. There are obvious arguments for the use of disposable sanitary products. Despite this, we believe that reusable is very much the way forward.
How Does Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pads Work?
Reusable cloth menstrual pads are used in a similar way to single-use pads, however, they are more natural, comfortable and breathable. They feature high-quality plastic snaps which easily secure around the outside of your underwear. The liners only feature one snap, but the reusable cloth menstrual pads (such as the day and night pads) feature two so that you can adjust them to fit you best. These snaps don’t compromise on comfort but act to ensure that the product is as effective as possible and kept securely in place.
How Do Beginners Get Started With Using Reusable Cloth Sanitary Pads?
If you’re new to the concept of reusable cloth sanitary pads, then our LUCKYPADS Starter Set is designed with you in mind. It includes a panty liner, two-day pads, one-night pad, a reusable bag, and a portable storage bag. These are the basic products which we suggest starting off with in order to trial LUCKYPADS effectively. Furthermore, We recommend that double-sided cloth bag is carried with you for keeping fresh and used reusable cloth sanitary pads separately!
How To Choose The Right Reusable Cloth Sanitary Pads?
For heavier days, you can use Day Pads Plus during the day and Night Pads Plus during the night. And for lighter days, you can use Day Pads during the day and Night Pads during the night. Waterproof Pantyliner is used when there is less fluid. non-waterproof pantyliner is good for those with Vaginal Discharge/Leucorrhea.
Although choosing the right pads can seem daunting at first, no worries, we’ve already chosen the right products for you. with our Starter Set, Starting off with this option is easy as pie and should increase your confidence in using reusable cloth sanitary pads. It will also give you a much better idea as to which singles the best suit you, your body and your lifestyle.
Although the starter set is the one we recommend most often, we also offer a range of other sets. For example, if you have a heavy flow or a light flow, we have sets designed especially for these needs.
How Many Reusable Mama Cloth Pads Do Beginners Need?
For a beginner, we suggest using the Starter Set to get a good feel for the products. How many reusable mama cloth pads you’ll need though, really depends on your body and your lifestyle. To begin with, some people like to gradually introduce reusable mama cloth pads to their routine, alongside their usual disposable products. This strategy may allow you a more comfortable transition. It also allows you the opportunity to use up the disposable products you already have.
A good strategy is to consider your usual cycle, including the style of disposable product you currently favour and how many of them you get through. By doing this, you’ll be able to work out which LUCKYPADS will suit you best as well as how many you’ll need to cover your cycle. Naturally, the more LUCKYPADS you own, the less laundry you’ll have to do throughout your period. However, if you get through quite a few because of long cycles or a heavy flow, you’ll probably benefit from laundering them mid-way through your period. You’ll be in a better position to know how many reusable mama cloth pads you’ll need once you’ve considered your cycle and tried out a few different LUCKYPADS. You can then confidently order enough of the products that work best for you. Don’t forget that by having enough to last you through an entire period means two things; firstly, you won’t have to do as much washing and drying, and secondly, you won’t wear them out as quickly, so you’ll find that they should last longer.
Although we do sell our products as singles, buying them in sets works out better value.
How Does Beginners Wash & Store The Reusable Mama Cloth Pads?
When you receive your reusable mama cloth pads, please do wash and dry them before their first use. During your period we recommend that you wear each pad for around 3 hours before changing to a fresh one. After you’re done with the pads and liners, we suggest rinsing them and then soaking in either cold or warm water. For the integrity of the product, we recommend against using very hot to boiling water. You can then proceed to hand wash them. Wash them exactly as you would wash any other hand wash garments, using either soap or detergent. We sell a handmade and eco-friendly Cold Process Soap which is perfect for the pads. However, if you do use a washing machine, we recommend popping your reusable mama cloth pads in a delicates bag and using a cooler, more gentle wash. If they’re going in the washing machine, save water and put them in with a towel and bedding load. Remember, you’ve already rinsed and soaked them so this step just ensures a thorough clean. Once your menstrual products are clean, hang them out to dry. Please ensure that they are definitely fully dry before storing them in our reusable bags to keep them clean and fresh. They are designed to conveniently fold up; using the snaps, you can secure them in place so that they don’t unravel. This way, they don’t take up much more space than disposable products. Storing the pads in the bag we provide ensures both a discrete and compact addition to your underwear drawer or wherever else you choose to keep them. Check out here for more care instructions.
Conclusion:
We hope that this guide has helped anyone who may be on the fence about the whole thing. and has encouraged you to join us on our journey to better protect ourselves and our planet.
If there are any questions I have not covered or you would like expanded on, please ask!