[survive]

Santitary Napkins/ Tampons

When you can't buy these from a store - here's some alternatives!

Websites for making your own pads...
http://tipnut.com/free-pattern-for-w...enstrual-pads/
http://www.borntolove.com/d-list7-make.shtml
http://www.tinybirdsorganics.com/org...clothpads.html
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/PADS.html
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sanitarypads.htm

Or you can buy the cloth one already made
http://www.naturallycozy.com/washabl...e-napkins.html
http://www.earthwisegirls.co.uk/reusable-sanitary-towels-c-1.html

Other Ideas...

bundles of the red cotton shop rags. A stainless steel can to store the used ones, stainless steel pot to boil them, and then line dry in the sun for a final sanitize.

In the book called "Fifty Russian Winters". The woman (an American) lived there when it was the Soviet Union and she talked about how all they had to use for tampons was balled up cotton balls tied up with string.

Reusable Silicone Diva Cup

Spagnum Moss was used by natives for both TP and woman's needs. its naturally anti-bacterial properties and long (once dried) storage life makes it good for the task. Also called "peat moss" The stuff gardeners use is the decaying stuff which is found underneath the Sphagnum Moss
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphagnum

For the woman's menses, can buy large pack of microfiber towels from Costco. They're highly absorbent, soft, and wash easily. After use, just soak in vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and wash with cold water and soap, using a clean plunger and bucket.

Consolidated these from this thread:
http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=123620

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

My wife uses cotton rags. She has used them for years.

 

[SouthernSassy]

My late mother used rags all her life until she was about nearly 40. At night she boiled the soiled ones and hung them up to dry. The next morning they were ready to go. Sounds horrible.

 

[JohnP]

Duct tape won't work?





Just kidding....



~JohnP

 

[survive]

Duct tape won't work?

Notice the thread was for "ladies"....cute idea, but that's just cruel!

 

[JohnP]

Sorry, didn't mean to be cruel. I've joked with my daughter for years about keeping duct tape in her purse for emergencies.

~JohnP

 

[survive]

Sorry, didn't mean to be cruel. I've joked with my daughter for years about keeping duct tape in her purse for emergencies.

~JohnP

Fair enough! The duct tape might work to line the panties, while you use something absorbent to do the rest of the job.??

 

[speedofl33t]

http://www.gladrags.com/c-22-gladrags-day-pads.aspx

I think this model looks nice.

But then you look at their night pads and they look totally different! They look.. weird.

For the night pads these look good:

http://www.sckoon.com/clothmenstrualpads-organic-cloth-menstrual-pads-night.html

 

[speedofl33t]

These I showed were super pricey. I can't sew well at all. Some people here can. If they copied the wanted models they could make some money selling them around here. They would get money for little work (as it does look easy to sew when you can do it!), and we wouldn't have to pay as much as the sites want us to. Win-win situation!

 

[vigilant20]

I can't sew either Speed (yet!). So maybe 5 years about I bought lunapads and a diva cup. It was a bit more money than I would have liked to spend, but I know I'll never need to replace the diva and the pads look like they are in it for the long haul too as they are still in great shape. There's no cost comparison with disposables when we are taking such long periods of time. And for preppers the difference in space used is worth it just in itself!

 

[Optimist]

It's nice to see that there are folks out there that are into sustainable resources even at this level of consumables. I'm happy to see that for another reason. The pads that are sold commercially are sterilized. I keep a pretty good supply of 'em for dressings for myself and my livestock just because they are sterile, and sealed, and packaged for easy storage.

 

[rncmomx2]

I use the heavy heavy deep red washcloths that wal mart sells (says made in US too lol) there usually 5 a pc but talked the section manager after they went to the clearance isle and got a huge discount since I bought all of them.

 

[Rosesandtea]

One word of advice for those thinking of making their own - if you live where it's hard to get things dry (either climate or your accomodation) - you might think of making the sort of pad that opens out for washing, and not using something that more resembles a commercial, disposable pad. They'll dry more quickly that way.

Also, an opening-out pad (it's folded in for wearing) will wash a little easier as the water has fewer layers or thicknesses to go through. That might be an issue if there comes a time that we can't count on an utilities-run washing machine.

 

[rncmomx2]

I just fold the washcloth into 3rds or 4ths depending on what is needed.....no cutting no sewing...easy. I use disposables now but have used the washcloths and they are no different than pads.

One word of advice for those thinking of making their own - if you live where it's hard to get things dry (either climate or your accomodation) - you might think of making the sort of pad that opens out for washing, and not using something that more resembles a commercial, disposable pad. They'll dry more quickly that way.

Also, an opening-out pad (it's folded in for wearing) will wash a little easier as the water has fewer layers or thicknesses to go through. That might be an issue if there comes a time that we can't count on an utilities-run washing machine.

 

[speedofl33t]

When you say washcloth, what do you mean? What are they made from?

 

[rncmomx2]

They are 100% pure cotton washcloths....what you use to bathe with....they are about 16-17 inches square.


My puter is a 21 inch laptop so you can guage the size of the washcloth from it....the first pic is it open completely .... the second pic is it folded into 3rds and the third pic is it folded into 4ths....

I probably could cut into half and make 8 1/2" ones but I just left it the length it is.

When you say washcloth, what do you mean? What are they made from?

 

[62bravo]

My Mom talked me into reading Clan of the Cave Bear back in the 90's. I think that girl used rat pelts. Good luck talking your significant other into that.

 

[survive]

It's nice to see that there are folks out there that are into sustainable resources even at this level of consumables. I'm happy to see that for another reason. The pads that are sold commercially are sterilized. I keep a pretty good supply of 'em for dressings for myself and my livestock just because they are sterile, and sealed, and packaged for easy storage.

There's lot of people who use them for cheap abdominal pads. You're right, they are good for that!

 

[speedofl33t]

RNC, I realized people probably don't use washcloths here. I haven't seen one of those before!

 

[neti]

Thanks for the interesting information. I will pass this on to other women.