Washing cloth pads is very simple and does not need to be complicated. There are 2 basic steps to ensure your pads come clean every time.
1. Pre wash or soak. This can either be a quick wash in your machine, or just filling a bucket with water and adding the pads to soak for 12-48hrs. The purpose of this step is to remove the majority of the blood so that the pads can be more effectively cleaned during step 2. We recommend using cold water to prevent stains from setting
2. Regular wash. Bulk your washing machine with other laundry and wash as normal with the recommended amount of detergent for the load size. It is recommended to avoid using fabric softener as it can cause fabrics to repel moisture. Hand washing also works great if you prefer to not wash with regular clothes and you don't want to use your machine for just a few pads. You can use the water temp of your preference but cold works just as well as warm or hot.
Stain Treating
If you do not want your pads to have any stains, there are some simple stain treating methods you can use to keep them looking new. Hydrogen peroxide is excellent at removing blood stains. One of the most simple methods is to simply pour or spray some peroxide right on the stain between steps 1 and 2. Leave it sit for a couple of hours and then wash as normal. You can use other stain treatment products you prefer, just follow the instructions for use with your product of choice.
Drying and Storing
The pads can be dried either in your dryer or hung to air dry. Air drying will extend the life of the pads, but it does take a lot longer. It is important to ensure that the pads are completely dry before storing them until your next cycle. They are designed to absorb a lot while still keeping you comfortable and dry feeling, so even if the outside still feels dry, there could be moisture within the layers of the pad. Another tip is to store them in such a way that they can still have some air flow. A wicker basket, dresser drawer, plastic container without the lid sealed are all great options.
What I do is when I’m changing pads, I will rinse it out in the sink or bathtub first with cold water (wringing it out until the water runs mostly clear), then I will soak it in a bucket of cold water with just a TINY bit of OxyClean before putting it in the wash machine. Works great every time and NO stains! (I use the “Odor Blasters” version of OxyClean as well, so it comes out smelling great too!)