Debbie, do you know the menstrual cup? It is a lot more hygienic than all your reusable options. And a lot more frugal than anything else! It costs (here in Europe) less than 30 euros and can be used at least 5 years. Not to mention how much space you make in your bathroom.

Since I found about it, totally by chance at age 41, I have learned how powerful big companies are to impose their over-prized non reusable items and show their commercials all over the place, while something like the menstrual cup, so old as the tampons! is unknown to most women because, well, it wouldn't be profitable for big companies.

I am not a fan of sticking something up there and leaving it in. I don't even use tampons. I want the bacteria to be able to leave my body as soon as possible. This option is not appealing to me, but thanks for the suggestion.

Debbie
(formerly Cassie67)

Debbie, i am similar. I am not worried about bacteria, but i don't like futzing around in my yaya.

I only wear a tampon if I have nothing on me and someone gives me one. I do keep them in my first aid kit, though.

I can see where a cup would be very convenient for tampon users! Dump it, rinse it, and put it back, right?

AKLisa, that is funny about the wasps. Or less funny in person, I'm sure. I guess in the winter that's not much of an issue?

I like how you carry it off to the woods anyway (the blood). I'd do that too. I hate tossing valuable ecological nutrients away.

Better late than never! My cycle came today and I immediately grabbed one of the smaller cloths as a panty-liner type. No wings, so it slid around and only worked semi-properly. It is soaking in cold water in a mini bucket right now.

When I got home I grabbed one of the wider ones that overlaps the sides of my undies. This one is staying in place much better.

The diaper fabric is very smooth and comfortable and I don't even notice the thing is there. I made sure to have fresh ones in my purse today, and included a baggie for the used one if i needed to change it out.

So far so good. I will have to think of adding some kind of wings to the narrow ones.

Day two: the wider cloth pads are working well. They are not sliding around and they handle the blood without spilling. I guess diaper material does what it is supposed to.

I am doing a lot of sitting and typing and usually by now with pads I feel chafed. So far it's lovely. I still don't notice the pad is there.

Note: I am finding on the web that some people are calling cloth menstrual pads "mommy cloth." Personally that term annoys me (no kids here!) but i can see where people might like it.

Oops. I accidently dropped my cloth today into a public toilet. Plop. I forgot it was there!

I just reached in and fished it out. I rinsed it in the sink and put it in a plastic bag i had in my purse for used pads. No problem.

When I got home I added the pad to the other ones soaking in water with a tad of detergent. I have them in a small crock.

Well, my period seems to be over. It went swimmingly with the cloth pads. I was so comfortable!

My next step is to wash out the used ones. I will report on how clean they got. I always have trouble with blood stains. But they've been soaking in soapy water the whole time, so maybe they will rinse out well.

Anyone have great blood stain cleaning techniques?

I am looking at my cleaned and dried pads. They are totally white! I am so pleased.

My experiences with spilling blood on things like sheets and undies (sorry if TMI, but this thread IS about periods) is that i never totally get the stains out. It's clear to me that the secret is not letting the blood dry out in the first place. By rinsing the pads under cold water (never hot), and then placing in a crock with water and a tablespoon of detergent, these are super simple to get totally clean when your period is done.

What I did:

-rinsed used pad under cold water. Hot water sets protein stains, FYI.
-set pad in crock with water and minute amount of laundry detergent
- when period was over, I used spray and wash on stained part of pads and set.
- handwashed pads under running cold water briefly, to get soap out. I rubbed the pad cloth together to loosen stains.
- let pads air dry. I just placed them over a wire shelf. Do not use machines with heat - remember that heat sets blood stains. Also, i think placing these in a dryer would be overkill. Treat the pads like you would your nicer underwears.

Anyway. Totally white, clean and nice smelling from the detergent. I didn't need to use any bleach at all. If I didn't have spray and wash, I would have used hydrogen pyroxide.

What are your experiences cleaning your cloth menstrual pads? Did you get them stain-free? Do you use bleach?

I had purchased premade cloth pads from one of the companies that is still around. The only colors available were dark colors. I soaked them in a crock of cool water with a small amount of laundry soap (I didn't use detergent at the time). The colors all faded out of the pads quickly, turning them to dull ashy colors. They were definitely clean and not-bloodstained however.
I didn't understand the reason for the the dark colored cloth. Most of my cloth ads are no a light shade of gray or sort of a lavender color, it is just what they faded to.