- Do cloth pads feel wet? -
Coth pads in general may feel a little bit wet compared to Always or Stayfree type which feels almost completely dry, but not as much as it is bothersome. Some fabrics feel drier than others.
- Do cloth pads feel thick and bulky? -
Compared to ultra thin Always type, cloth pads may feel a bit thick. But many cloth pads are flexible, and they don't have the plastic feel like disposable products.
- Do cloth pads leak? -
Possible, like disposable pads do sometimes.
- My period is very heavy. Can I use cloth pads? -
I would recommend "waterproof base + folded liner" type. This style feels thicker and bulker, but less likely to leak from the side than "all-in-one" pads when the flow is very heavy or sudden. "All-in-one" type is thinner and trimmer, and more suitable for lighter to moderate flow.
- Do cloth pads smell? -
Less than disposable pads do, as long as properly taken care of.
- Are cloth pads really more eco friendly? -
I don't know how much resources it consumes and how much pollution it creates to make fabrics used in cloth pads. I don't know how much resourse it consumes and how much pollution it creates to make disposable sanitary products. But cloth pads can be used again and again.
In 3 years, for instance, over 1000 disposable menstrual pads and panty liners may be disposed. And it taks a very, very long time to decompose disposable products.
In case of water shortage, disposable pads may be a better choice. If you do regular laundry, I don't think adding several pads to a load of laundry makes much difference. The amount of water to soak and rinse the pads would probably be less than a flash of toilet. It's not like car wash!
I wouldn't recommend cloth pads if you need to handle your blood with special attention (HIV, hepatitis), if you are very busy and do your laundry once a week, or if you use coin laundry.
