Your entire routine
- Cold rinseAfter use, rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. Cold, not hot, because cold prevents staining.
- Store until laundry dayPop the pad into a small wet bag or bowl until you next do a wash.
- Wash as normalWash with your regular laundry, on a normal cycle, with your normal detergent.
- DryAir dry, or tumble dry on low.
That is it. No soaking. No scrubbing. No special anything.
You do not need to soak them overnight. You do not need special detergent, your regular one works fine, and a natural detergent is a bonus rather than a requirement. You do not need to hand-wash them, and you do not need to wash them separately. Just toss them in with similar colours like any other laundry.
A few things to skip
Skip the bleach, since chlorine weakens fabric over time. Skip the fabric softener, since it coats the fibres and reduces absorbency. The same goes for oxygen brighteners and hydrogen peroxide. That is basically the whole list.
Cared for this way, a Topsy Daisy pad or liner lasts 5+ years. For a deeper routine on odour or stubborn marks, see how to get smell out of reusable pads.
Common questions
What about staining?
A cold rinse straight after use handles most of it. If a faint mark stays, it will not affect how the pad performs.
What about smell?
The bamboo terry breathes far better than disposables, so odour really is not an issue. If you ever notice anything, add a splash of white vinegar to the wash cycle and it sorts itself out. For stubborn odour, see our full guide on how to get smell out of reusable pads.
How long do they take to dry?
Air drying takes a few hours, just keep them out of direct sunlight so the colours stay bright. Tumble dry on low and they dry about as fast as a towel.