When Ms. V. discovered period panties, it was game over for the disposable menstrual product industry. No more waste! No more adding paper products to the landfills. No more shoving a piece of cotton into your hoo-ha! No struggling to empty your silicone cup, for the eco-friendly ladies.
They are so soft and comfortable that it feels like free bleeding but without the mess. Pads can feel a bit like a bandage, whereas these feel like almost nothing at all. Ms. V. says she is NEVER going back. She just introduced her newly menstruating 12-year-old to them, and these babies have a new fan!
These undies can hold 4 tampons worth of menstrual blood, so you can easily go half a day without changing them on heavy days and all day on your medium to light days. Without leaks!
Ms. V's clean-up routine:
- Remove the panties, stick them in the sink with a splash of white vinegar, rinse thoroughly, and place them in a lingerie bag for laundering (or carry a change of undies in a little waterproof baggy with you if you're out and about, and then clean them when you get home).
- Once you have collected 3 - 4, put them in the washing machine inside the lingerie bag, and wash on cold with a gentle detergent using the setting with the most water (deep water wash or delicate both work). Add a little white vinegar to the rinse cycle for extra softness and to eliminate any odors. It also clears out any lingering dried blood. PLEASE DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER, as it will stop them from absorbing.
- Pull them out and hang them to dry overnight or for 9 hours or so, and then they are ready to use again! PLEASE DO NOT TUMBLE DRY, as that will destroy the leakproof layer inside, and you'll have leaks the next time you wear them.
How many is enough? You could probably get away with 4 - 6 with frequent washings. Ms. V. owns 10 pairs, and it's more than enough to get through one period, washing them in batches of 3-4 as needed. They lose some of their leakproof ability after 30-50 washes, so if you care for them well, each pair should remain effective for at least 2 years. Even after that, you could wear them on light days with no issues.
