Wear ‘em Out reusable period pads are made of breathable fabrics that allow moisture to evaporate. Less moisture equals less bacteria (so when you’re wearing our pads there’s less odour than you would get with disposable pads), but it also means that they can be washed and dried efficiently.
Our first top tip for cleaning our reusable period pads is to always rinse them in COLD water. This will minimise staining and remove excess blood.
You can then clean them straight away or set them aside for cleaning. You can choose whatever option below works best with your lifestyle. Because we’ve created a period pad that works for modern people leading modern lives (that’s you babes).
Washing your Wear ‘em Out pads
- Handwash your pads
You can handwash your pads as soon as you take them off by rinsing them under cold running water in your bathroom sink. Once rinsed give them a good clean with some soap. Anything you have to hand will work, we’ve been known to use handwash, shower gel or even shampoo. Some of our customers are organised enough to keep a stash of detergent in their bathrooms. Give the pad good scrub then run under a hot tap. Rinse and squeeze until the blood has all run out and it’s all clean.
This wash and wear method cuts down on the water, electric and the number of pads you’ll need.
- Machine wash your pads
If you do want to put them through the machine still give the pad a quick rinse in cold water when you take it off to minimise staining and get rid of excess blood. Put them aside, stock them up and chuck them in with your normal dark wash (up to 40°). Your usual detergent will be fine, but DO NOT use fabric softener, as this will affect the pads absorbency
After either method, give each pad a quick stretch and reshape whilst still wet.
Be aware that some very slight shrinkage may naturally occur after the first wash.
Drying you pads
DO NOT use a tumble dryer or direct heat to dry your pads, as this can cause shrinkage. We recommend that once you’ve given your pad a stretch to get it into shape, that you dry it flat. Either hanging flat or lying flat will do. We’d suggest lying it on a windowsill, hanging in an airing cupboard or using an airing rack against a radiator.
Worried about staining?
If you’re using our navy pads we’d expect you to see very little staining, if any. However, our grey pads were brought specifically because some people want, or need, to monitor their blood loss. And these pads will need some additional care.
Luckily we have a great hack for getting rid of those pesky stains!
Take 4 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda and mix this with 60mls of water to make a paste. Once you have rinsed the blood out of the pads with cold water rub in the paste and leave for three hours. Rinse off and wash as normal. The bicarbonate of soda should have lifted the stain out.
Storing your pads
When all freshened up, store your reusable period pads flat to help the pad maintain their shape.
We personally wash our pads in the shower with us (#ecohack), treat them to a monthly spin in the machine at the end of our cycle and then store them in our Storage Bag ready for next month.
Get out and about!
We know that cleaning reusable period pads when you’re out and about isn’t always easy or even possible. But our Out and About bags enable you to continue using reusables on the go.
The Out and About bag has 2 individual sections, one side labelled ‘wear me’ and the other labelled ‘wash me’. So, you can easily switch your pads knowing that the washable, waterproof fabric will stand up to the job it’s been created for. Then when you get home it can be thrown in your machine (up to 40°) for a freshen up, followed by an air dry.
Easier than you anticipated right? Visit the shop.
