A sanitary pad (sometimes referred to as menstrual pad or sanitary napkin) is an absorbent unit designed for use during menstruation, designed to absorb menstrual blood. They come in various sizes and absorbencies to meet your flow needs.
This study discovered that some sanitary pads contained VOCs and phthalates at various concentrations depending on their brand; in addition, m-xylene and p-xylene, two cancer-causing chemicals found in rats, were present as well.
Disposal
Sanitary pads produce an immense amount of waste and take decades to decompose, filling landfills with pollution while potentially leading to skin rashes or infections if they’re not replaced promptly.
Women often improperly dispose of their sanitary pads by flushing or leaving them on the corner of the floor, leading to drain clogging and polluting water and land resources – especially rural ones.
Furthermore, these pads contain numerous chemicals which are toxic to our bodies, some releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hormone-disrupting chemicals that have been known to cause serious health complications like irritation of skin and rashes as well as even cancer in some instances.
Washing
Cloth pads can be easily washed using various methods; whether that’s by hand washing them or adding fabric softener – which will coat their fibres and inhibit their ability to absorb liquids – in either case be sure that only cool cycles of your tumble dryer are selected as this could damage waterproof linings and ruin them! Hang them up for air drying if possible but storing them away safely if that’s not an option; drying in drawers or cupboards is just fine as long as no bacteria build-up occurs.
As soon as possible, soak your pads in clean, cold water. This helps remove blood stains before they set in while simultaneously increasing their absorbency. Some people like to add salt, 3% hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil while they soak to deodorise and disinfect their pads more effectively. Be sure to change out the soaking water regularly, otherwise it could start smelling over time!
Storage
As women approach their periods, it’s essential that they be ready. That means keeping extra pads handy at all times and knowing how to dispose of them when used.
As the first step, keeping sanitary napkins separate is key. Doing this will prevent dirty pads from getting mixed in with other forms of garbage and help decrease any unpleasant odors that arise from mixing wet and dry trash together, further alleviating smell.
Specialty bags designed specifically to store sanitary products make disposing of used pads easy, while helping minimize odors and keeping pads away from public toilets. This option may prove particularly useful when traveling.
Girls who prefer not having open bins may prefer drawer dividers as a great solution. With them you can categorize sanitary pads according to absorbency level or usage phase for easier identification at any given moment – as well as add an attractive element that can easily be personalized using paint or stickers!
Buying
As part of puberty, menstruation often begins. Once this occurs, you’ll realize you need something to manage it, which is when sanitary pads become an invaluable aid.
Materials used to produce sanitary pads have evolved considerably over time. Early sanitary towels were composed of cotton wool or similar fibrous material with an absorbent liner that could measure two centimetres thick, while later pads featured thinner designs featuring quilted wings to increase leak prevention capabilities using polyacrylate superabsorbent gels derived from petroleum and wood pulp sources.
Joyce was among the 200 million women and girls living in low-income countries who struggle to access Menstrual Hygiene Management due to an inability to afford sanitary pads. Due to her low minimum statutory wage not covering the price of pads, Joyce used toilet paper instead as an makeshift menstrual pad – leading her down an unhealthy path that often led to infections as well as reduced quality of life.
