Cloth menstrual pads are items designed to stop the flow of menstrual blood from ruining a woman's clothes or other items. These pads are often considered more environmentally friendly than disposable alternatives, although many women do not find cloth panty liners very convenient to use. Many people find that cloth menstrual pads are an excellent choice because they are very comfortable and easy to wash. Problems with these environmentally friendly pads arise primarily from carrying the soiled pads around when a woman is out or from washing the pads.
Pads of all kinds function by catching blood after it has left a woman's body, typically in her underwear. Disposable pads collect blood and are then disposed of in trashcans. Reusable cloth menstrual pads perform the same basic task but are not thrown away in the trash. This results in less waste.
While most people who use cloth menstrual pads appreciate how environmentally friendly they are, there are other reasons to use this type of menstrual pad as well. Over time, using reusable menstrual pads can save a lot of money, particularly if a woman is careful to take good care of the pads. Also, many people find that cloth pads are more comfortable than disposable ones. For people with allergies, using cloth pads can prevent irritation associated with artificial materials and fragrances in disposable pads
One problem with cloth menstrual pads is that they can be inconvenient to carry around when not at home. For this reason, some women use cloth menstrual pads only when at home, but others simply carry plastic containers around with them. Soiled cloth menstrual pads do not take up much more room than ones that are clean, although they can make more embarrassing messes. As long as a woman is careful, it is perfectly practical to store this type of menstrual pad for an entire day.
Many people would be happy to use cloth pads except for the unfortunate task of washing the soiled pads. Washing cloth pads is actually extremely simple if they are soaked in cold water beforehand. Once the majority of the blood has been wrung out of the pads, they can be washed with the rest of a person's laundry without damage. While most people do not worry too much about discoloration on menstrual pads, if discoloration from blood becomes a major issue, the pads can be washed with loads of laundry until they are entirely free of blood. Even though cloth menstrual pads are not disposable, they can eventually be replaced if they begin to look unsanitary.
