cloth mama pads / how to store dirty

[junipervt]

So, I've switched to cloth. I have a 5-month-old & this is my 2nd postpartum period. We CD our DD & use a dry pail. I use cloth panty liners & just trow them in the pail & wash w/ the diapers. Can I do this w/ my cloth pads? The directions I got w/ them said to do a wet pail. Do I have to? I don't care about staining.

I guess for now I'll just throw them in the diaper pail unless someone tells me why I shouldn't.

[JessicaTX]

I wet pailed for the first couple months till I forgot a batch for a few weeks. Now I just stick em in a wetbag hanging off my door and wash normally. I think the wet pail method is to prevent staining, but that's not terribly high on my list of priorities.

[OrganicSister]

For me it depends on which pads I used. The thicker ones I needed to soak ALOT. In fact I tend not to use those for heavy flow now.

Instead I have thin ones (4 peices of cotton cloth sewn together) that I layer as needed (using 1-2 for light flow and 3-4 on top of each other for heavy flow) and they don't seem to need as much soaking. Usually I rinse when they are pretty saturated and wash later. I've found if I use a wet pail, they get stinky, regardless of the use of vinegar.

[Minerva]

You should be able to put them in the diaper pail.

We have wetbags on the back of the bathroom doors for family cloth. I just throw mine in there; I can't be bothered with wet pails.

[sagemomma]

i wet pail mine because i use the water for houseplants. i used my first cloth pads a few weeks ago, and within 4 days of using the water for a plant that DS had brought me for mothers day (it was seriously almost dead. ) it is alive and looking better than ever. i highly recommend it. of course DH has no idea it would seriously gross him out, he can be such a puss sometimes.
as for how i store them i put em in a gallon ziplock and add water, then rinse and wring under the washer water as it's filling then throw them in .
i use unbleached organic cotton pads with no PUL there would be considerable staining if i didn't wet pail them and i would like my feminine products to look nice , i'm a litle vain btut i like to keep my things nice...

[jocelyndale]

I soak or rinse them for a bit, then wring them out and toss 'em in the tub. At the end of the day, I put them in the diaper pail, along with any diapers that are sitting in the tub (we put diapers in there after spraying/rinsing).

[thixle]

On heavy days, I rinse mine out in the sink, then toss them in the dry diaper pail. Has nothing to do with staining, I just feel like all the layers are getting cleaner that way. (mine are all recycled flannel, pillowcases, old towels, etc)

Usually, I just toss them in the diaper pail... Occasionally in the winter I'll soak them in a plastic coffee can with just water and give the water to my houseplants. Tried it once in the summer and it STUNK.

[oldermamato5]

I put mine in a container and water plants too. And yes it sure can get stinky. I then just throw in the washer with dark clothing.