Disadvantages
- Washing reusable pads requires water. The desire to reuse must be balanced against any local need to conserve water. Also, it is important that the water used to clean pads be disposed of appropriately. Even "biodegradable" soaps take a long time to break down. This is most likely balanced if you take into account the chemicals and water used in the production of disposable menstrual pads. However, cloth pads are small and can be washed in with your regular load of towels or linens, creating no added water or soap usage.
- Cloth menstrual pads are generally more time consuming due to the need to wash, dry, and care for the pads.
- Special care may need to be taken if the user has a Candidiasis infection (i.e. yeast infection). Once the infection is treated, the cloth menstrual pads may need to be sanitized in order to prevent reinfection.
- Initial cost for reusable menstrual products is typically higher per pad than for disposables, although savings over time make them more economical.
Read more about this topic: Cloth Menstrual Pad, Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages