Sexual Relationships 
Sexual Health 
Ladies; here is why YOU should seriously consider investing in CLOTH PADS
Hi girls! Today I wanted to share on reusable menstrual products, specifically cloth pads. Now before I start just want to mention there is a variety of reusable menstrual products out there such as menstrual cups, and reusable tampons. So if you are not a pad user, but still want to look into reusable products there are still options out there for you.
I have been using cloth pads for about four months now, and honestly, it is one of the best decisions I have made. Here are a few reasons why I strongly believe every woman out there should at least consider using cloth pads (or reusable menstrual products).
It's much better for the environment
The average woman uses around 11,000 disposable sanitary products in a lifetime, which equates to about 150kg of waste- imagine how much waste there must be from the 1.976 billion women of menstruating age in the world today. On top of that, reusable pads take 500-800 years to decompose. I can't begin to imagine how much of the environment and wildlife this is affecting.
You will save money $$
The average woman spends around £500 (that's 617 US dollars) on sanitary products a year.
Now, even if you are not one of these average women (like myself before using cloth pads) who only spent money on disposable pads alone which cost around £120- £300 a year(148- 370 US dollars). This will easily add up over the years. Since the average woman spends 10 years on her period in a lifetime, that means around 1480-3700 dollars is being spent on your period during your lifespan.
Cloth pads cost will seem expensive in the beginning. Let's say you need 25 pads for one cycle, this will cost you around 123 dollars. Now here is the thing, cloth pads can last you around 10 years if taken care of properly. That means you are only spending around 1230 dollars in a lifetime which works out cheaper than reusable pads.
Do not forget the average woman would be spending 6170 dollars in her lifetime.
Cloth pads are MUCH SAFER for your body
- Disposable pads can cause rashes on some women.
- Whether you're using scented or unscented disposable pads, they all contain a toxic chemical- yes you read correctly!
These chemicals include:
Styrene: carcinogen.
Chloromethane: reproductive toxicant.
Chloroethane: carcinogen.
Chloroform: carcinogen, reproductive toxicant, neurotoxin.
Acetone: irritant.
All these are chemicals are coming into contact with your vulva, and being absorbed by your body. A 2017 study found that disposable pads may be the cause of menstrual problems irregularities.
Many women have found that periods are less painful when transitioning to cloth pads.
They do not cause unpleasant odor
That nasty smell of a used pad is actually the smell of the chemicals in the pad coming into contact blood. Since cloth pads do not contain any chemicals, they do not cause odor!
Cloth pads are easy to clean
Now, I can see this being a concern for many women out there. Cleaning cloth pads is actually very simple. I clean all my cloth pads at the end of my cycle. Simply put them in a bucket with cold water, add a scoop of oxi action, and leave in the bathroom for at least 4 hours (or overnight if you want). After this, all the blood will be gone. If there is some staining on the pad you can put some stain remover on and leave it for about 5-7 minutes, and wash off. After that, you can put the pads in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes.
They come in a WIDE VARIETY of colors, patterns, and fabrics
You can find so many pretty patterns, I've even found Wonder Woman, and Looney Tunes themed cloth pads. There are also different fabrics such as bamboo charcoal, bamboo velour, cotton, and minky.
I hope I have inspired at least one of you to look into cloth pads or reusable menstrual products. If you have any questions, ask away!
Thank you so much for reading! x
What Girls & Guys Said
0 1Thanks for sharing your take. I appreciate.
I think Cloth pads can stain. Users have more contact with blood. Special care may need to be taken if the user has thrush or blood diseases. You have to bring your cloth pads home with you if you change them while out. Pads soaking in a bucket of water could pose a risk when small children are around. In my opinion switching to cloth pads has more pros than cons. Good work.
For the most part they do not stain but they can and if that happens you just apply stain remover and leave it for 5-7 minutes as explained above. Bamboo charcoal is a material that never stains so a lot of it depends on the material too. There are mini wet bags designed for on the go, you also don't touch blood when in the process of changing the pad or putting it away as you can fold it. This is also what you do when on the go, and putting it into the mini wet bag that's designed for a purse. You can also always soak the pads at night when everyone is in bed. Thanks for reading! :)
I tried to evaluate critically but I appreciate your efforts and knowledge. Good job.
@being_a_good_indian sorry ignore this.. #periods #menstrualcycle #clothpads
Ugh didn't work. I'm really bummed out that this never got noticed by more people
As per my knowledge your take was just approved by Girlsaskguys which means you did something good for community. It wasn't featured or promoted on homepage.