3 top tips and tricks about caring for reusable pads

Your PlumThyme pads are an investment in better, healthier, waste-free periods

And they are supposed to last for many years – we estimate around 5, however nothing should stop you from enjoying them for even longer if they stay in a good shape!

Whether you are just thinking of trying a cloth pad or have been using them for some time already, we'd like to share some tips to help you maximize the potential of your pads and prolong their life:

1. Rinse after use, wash in cold water, avoid bleach and fabric softeners

Rinsing off blood straight after use will allow you to skip machine-rinsing later. You can also collect used & rinsed pads in a wet bag for a few days until you are ready to wash them. Don't worry about rinsing your pads when you are away for the day, just do this when you get home. Remember to wash cold with mild detergent. Bleach and softeners will damage the pads with time and reduce absorbency, so skip these two.

2. Avoid soaking and dry on low heat (or air dry)

This one may come as a surprise as many cloth pad users have been soaking their pads in a bucket for years. We advise against this method as prolonged soaking may damage fabric and cause unwanted smell. Rinsing and keeping in a wet bag before washing is enough to keep your pads clean!

PlumThyme pads are dryer safe – make sure to use low heat and you'll get clean, dry pads in a matter of hours! If you have time (plenty of pads in your stash or your period has ended) air-drying is another, more gentle way to dry. We have a drying strap that matches PlumThyme snaps and allows you to hang quite a few pads to dry even in a tiny space.

3. Use the snap closure gently to avoid damage to the fabric

PlumThyme pads come with a premium USA-made open-ring metal snap. It's so small you don't feel it when wearing your pad and doesn't open up on its own like some plastic snaps do. The downside is it can be tricky to open sometimes. Try holding on to both sides of your snap, opening it with your fingernail rather than pulling away pad wings – this will prevent any possible damage to the fabric around the snap.

We hope you find these tips useful! If you have any question make sure to reach out at hello@plumthyme.com and we'll get straight back to you with the answer :)