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Schelleau
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 12:46pm | IP Logged
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I have made the change to reusable menstrual products (I made my own from leftover bamboo terry that I used to make nappies for ds).
I love the difference - but I just can't work out an effective way to wash them clean without using bleach (dh won't allow chlorine in the house as he is sensitive to it).
I guess I could sew dark-coloured covers for them, as I know they are *clean* just stained, but I would be happier if there was a way to soak them more effectively before washing.
I'm hoping someone else has already done the trial-and-error testing and has found a solution :D
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 1:19pm | IP Logged
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haven't done this.. have friends who say they don't soak them.. they deteriorate faster.. just rinse and set aside..
and peroxide is my usual blood stain remover.
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 1:24pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
peroxide is my usual blood stain remover. |
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I was also going to post hydrogen peroxide. 
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Schelleau
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 1:43pm | IP Logged
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How much hydrogen peroxide do you use? Can you dilute it? (I'm dealing with large stains on about 20 cloth pads per cycle). Do you use the peroxide before or after rinsing? Sorry for all the questions :P
Rinse and set aside is what I've been doing (don't always manage to rinse immediately as I don't want curious DS - just turned 3 & watches my every move - asking why the sink is full of blood lol).
I'd heard vinegar worked, so I tried soaking in diluted vinegar when I couldn't rinse immediately, but that just seemed to set the stains worse. I'm thinking of maybe trying a bucket of cold water with either bicarb or borax as my emergency 'hide the evidence' stopgap... maybe the peroxide would work instead?
If peroxide is to be used undiluted before rinsing, how about in a spray bottle & just spritz the whole area? could it be left like that in a covered bucket until the next wash? (thinking aloud now)...
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 2:00pm | IP Logged
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I don't think I'd just leave the peroxide on too long.. again degredation of fabrics.. so I would likely rinse.. and then before washing spray them and wash relatively soon after spraying.
I think the "color-safe bleach" isn't really bleach but a peroxide type base.. and that might work better.. maybe there's one that could be sprayed on and left?
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Mackfam
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 2:46pm | IP Logged
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Mine are light blue and white gingham flannel. I have no stains.
I keep those needing laundering in a small bucket with lid in the bathroom. I don't rinse immediately - they go in a dry bucket just like the diapers. I wash diapers every other day, and the monthly items go in with a load of diapers.
Cold rinse first - always!
Then, I wash on a sanitary cycle which is very hot water, normal detergent and Oxiclean or something similar - like an oxygen bleach. Extra rinse. Occassionally, I throw in 1/3 a cup of vinegar for a clean rinse, but all my items - diapers and monthlys come out clean and unstained. HTH!
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LucyP
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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Soak in cold salt water - it lifts the stains.
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mathmama
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 2:58pm | IP Logged
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I just don't worry about the stains 
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Schelleau
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 8:04pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone - I'm getting some great ideas to try and really appreciate it.
LucyP - that sounds like exactly what I was looking for. Any suggestions for what ratio of salt to water to use?
Personally, the stains don't worry me very much, but there are other people looking at my washing line lol and it would be nice to know they are really clean - especially as my MIL sometimes volunteers to fold my washing.
I have been washing them separately in cold water and washing the nappies in hot on a cycle similar to Mackfam's. I'll try combining those two as well.
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LucyP
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 8:39pm | IP Logged
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I'm not sure what ratio - I just dump in whatever occurs to me. Google may help?
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 9:40pm | IP Logged
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I do a combination of several of the above - used to add to the diapers (which I never soaked - rinse as needed and wash every 3-4 days); covered all pads in a dark print; salt-water soak every once in a while (when the mood strikes me); adding borax or vinegar/baking soda to the wash (I've gotten away from using borax and use Arm & Hammer Washing Soda now)....
I figure if the print covers get too bad, I can cut them off and replace as needed (or just sew over - depends on how lazy (I mean industrious) I feel at that time  ). Thus far, I've not worried about it (about 6 years).
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anniemm
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 12:06am | IP Logged
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Kind of strange, given the personal nature of the article, but have you tried sunning them? My toughest "organic" stains (blood, wine, fruit, tomato, cloth diaper contents, etc) always get treated with Tide, OxyClean, and a good dose of sunshine. Putting them in the sun always either gets the stain completely out, or at least almost.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: blood stains?
