Does anyone else use period undies for light bladder leakage? I have been using them for about a year and find once they've been used quite a few times Im getting an ammonia smell from them. Or for period they seem to smell sooner. As soon as they get a bit wet its like it brings out the smell. They get washed and dried between uses. Is this happening to anyone else with reusable absorbent underwear or is this a me problem?
12 Replies
I don't get this.
Are you using fabric softener?
I don't use them for LBL either, maybe that's it. Try using the ones made for that purpose.
Fabric softener is really bad. Vinegar or antibacterial wash are okay
I know, the instructions on all my packs say to not use fabric softener.
Hence why I'm asking if she is.
No I never use fabric softener. The period and bladder leakage undies are basically the same its just extra padding. So no difference to whether you use either.
Strip wash. Google it.
My son used to soil his undies on a daily basis and the smell was horrid!! But I found that soaking them in vinegar for a while before I washed them took the smell out completely. I also put a bit in urinated sheet’s when they are getting washed and they don’t smell afterwards.
Bacteria causes odours. That's just a scientific fact. Period undies being dark, warm and moist (sorry lol) make them a perfect environment for bacteria to breed.
If you're washing them as per the instructions, I highly doubt it's just a you problem, especially given that the smell seems to re-activate when a fresh pair is used. That definitely suggests that those internal layers/fibres aren't getting cleaned properly or they aren't drying properly.
I worked in aged care and the amount of underware and Pants, Skirts, etc that we had to throw out from continuous soiling was astounding. It's impossible to get the smell of bodily fluids out of clothes / undies, when they've been soiled over and over and over again, and we used heavy duty cleaners and soakers in the massive on-site laundries.
Sorry, but I can't think of anything worse than reusable undies for blood, or for anything. It would be no different to washing material toilet paper reused for constant poop wiping. Cloth nappies were similar too ... eventually the smell just couldn't come out. I don't know how anyone can bleed, poop, wee or vomit on an item , wash it, and repeat over and over and over and think this is saving the Planet, or natural in any way . Disposable nappies, pads and tampons are much more cleaner..
I think before things became disposable, cloth used for these purposes were able to be unfolded to be sanitised, washed and sun dried properly as a single layer instead of most layers never seeing the light of day like padded underwear. So I do agree disposables are more hygienic than what's on offer now but I don't think cloth all reusable cloth is no good, it depends on its design and how well it can be cleaned and dried.
I also worked aged care and, yeah...
Most of our residents had a faint smell of wee/poo about them (which is heart breaking) because the smell just wouldn't come out of their clothes and most of the time their relatives would flatly refuse to buy them new ones.
I've also worked as a professional cleaner and I've seen the acid of urine wreak havoc on bathrooms, I've seen it essentially burn lino, make toilet seats bubble/peel and pretty much disintegrate grout. So I'd say urine would definitely start breaking down the fabric of re-usable underwear.
Disposable products definitely have a detrimental environmental impact (and not everyone can use disposable due to allegies etc). It might just come down to replacing the absorbent undies more frequently.
I work in disability and have found putting napisan in the wash gets rid of that smell from clothing.
Could also keep a soak bucket in your laundry and let them soak for a day between wear and wash.