Ok, I mentioned in my contest post that I’d be back soon talking about some of the care required for Lunapads. These were a couple of things that really stressed me out when I was trying to decide if this was a viable option for our family (or at least the girls in the family). So I’m writing this to answer the questions that may come up when you’re deciding if this is right for you.

First, how does someone transport used pads if they aren’t at home when they need changed? Well, I will admit, disposables are nice in that you just throw them out and you never have to deal with them again. But it’s not like they disappear forever. An estimated 14 billion (that’s billion with a “b”) pads, tampons, and applicators are thrown out each year. Each year! If you think of the environmental aspect, then bringing home a used Lunapads is not such a bad thing. Lunapads sells a Moon Bag for just this reason. Thing is, the Moon Bag on their site is actually made by Happy Tushies. I went to Happy Tushies site and found something called a Momma Pad Bag (same thing) and was overwhelmed with the fabric choices! So I told KT to pick her favorite. Here’s what she chose:

Yup, lovin’ the monkeys! This bag has two separate zippered sides. One side is for clean pads and liners, the other is for used ones. Both sides are lined with a waterproof material so there is no leakage. Since one of the benefits of using Lunapads is there isn’t the “smell” we all associate with disposables, this bag will not become a nasty smelly thing in a purse. So this is one option for transporting used Lunapads. Plan ahead if you’re going to order directly from Happy Tushies. She is a mom who runs this business on the side, and each bag is made custom for you when you order it. It took about 6 weeks to get the bag. KT did have to use a ziploc bag one time to bring home a used liner, but this bag was so worth waiting for.

Ok, so now you’ve got your used liners and pads. How do you clean them? I’ve seen all sorts of cleaning methods posted on blogs and internet sites. This is what worked for us. We had an old container from cat litter in the basement. It was nice and sturdy and had a snap on lid. During KT’s period, I put the container in the bathroom and I filled it with a few inches of cold water. I put in about 1/2 a scoop of Oxyclean and swished it around. When KT had a used pad or liner, she dropped it in the bucket, closed the lid, and swished it around. Once a day, I drained the water, added fresh cold water, and a bit more Oxyclean. By the time a few days had passed (and I had to wash the liners so KT would have enough to finish out her period) there was virtually no sign of any stains. I put them in the mesh bag that came with our starter kit and threw them in the washer with the towels. They came out as clean as new! I had strung some cord up in our basement and I hung them to dry overnight. By morning they were completely dry and ready for round two!

Our soak container:

And my makeshift clothesline:

A few things to note that I’ve learned about Lunapads. You can dry them in the dryer if you’d like, but they will shrink a bit. You cannot use any sort of fabric softener on them (in the washer or dryer) or they will lose their absorbancy. Menstrual pads without absorbency=bad!

The only thing I’d do differently the next time…..I’d use a smaller litter container. The one I used was the “extra value sized tub” and we really don’t need anything that big. As soon as Mowana is done with his next container of litter, I’ll have a smaller one to use. Since I only needed a small amount of water, I don’t need the huge thing in the bathroom. I may even keep my eye out for something that doesn’t say “Tidy Cat” on it, but in some respects, this is good. If we have visitors, they’ll assume it’s cat litter and won’t peek in! In doing my research I’ve seen every sort of soaking pot from a sauce pan with a lid, to a mason jar, to people who don’t pre-soak at all and they don’t have stains. And like the Lunapad site says, just because it’s stained, doesn’t mean it’s not clean!

I hope this answers the questions you may have regarding Lunapads. I’d be more than happy to field any questions you come up with. Either leave a comment or use the contact link (above). If I don’t know the answer, I can put you in touch with someone who does!

More in the Lunapad series:
Lunapads…These are not your grandmother’s pads
Lunapads Contest and Coupons
Lunapads Care (this post)

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