I always give my new cotton fabric a wash in hot water, detergent, and oxygen bleach (typically purchase my oxygen cleaner from Dollar Tree) then machine dry before I sew with it
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This sometimes happens to me too, but its usually blue dye. Maybe its the oxygen cleaner, it never happens when I only use water now that I think of it. Perhaps soak them in the bath tub or a larger container instead of the bucket so they aren't touching as much.
I am definitely interested in what others have to say. :)
I don't know about the dyes bleeding, but the funky smell might mean that they aren't drying all the way through, especially if the pads are thick or have several layers quilted together.
The fabric colors have bled/run off with some of my pads too, when I soak in cold water..odd? I guess it is the oxygen bleach with colors like red or blue. It happens to my pads rarely though. I was reading that when you pre-wash your cotton fabrics, you can add some salt and white vinegar to help the colors adhere to their fabrics, extra rinse cycle is nice too. I dry on hot as well.
As for the odor. I'm going to assume its because you do not pre-soak pads before washing? I do dry pail but I soak them in warm/hot water with oxyclean, and lavender essential oil for a full day or two. Some pads have really absorbent core fabrics inside (like hemp or bamboo) and insufficient pre-soaking can let these absorbent fibers hold onto even a tiny amount of blood resulting in odor. (From my personal experience)
I used to do the method you mentioned similarly, but I gave up completely because of the odor. :)
The pads smell fine now ... they weren't horrendous. I'm super picky about everything smelling perfectly fresh and clean.
I'm just irritated that the dyes bled, I have never heard it mentioned before.
When I first started using cloth pads I would use a little vinegar in the rinse but that seemed too harsh on the fleece, made it 'shed' and get bare spots in areas.
Guess when I soak I will have to use a larger bucket and/or only do like colors together.
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I am definitely interested in what others have to say.
:)
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As for the odor. I'm going to assume its because you do not pre-soak pads before washing? I do dry pail but I soak them in warm/hot water with oxyclean, and lavender essential oil for a full day or two. Some pads have really absorbent core fabrics inside (like hemp or bamboo) and insufficient pre-soaking can let these absorbent fibers hold onto even a tiny amount of blood resulting in odor. (From my personal experience)
I used to do the method you mentioned similarly, but I gave up completely because of the odor.
:)
Reply
The pads smell fine now ... they weren't horrendous. I'm super picky about everything smelling perfectly fresh and clean.
I'm just irritated that the dyes bled, I have never heard it mentioned before.
When I first started using cloth pads I would use a little vinegar in the rinse but that seemed too harsh on the fleece, made it 'shed' and get bare spots in areas.
Guess when I soak I will have to use a larger bucket and/or only do like colors together.
Reply
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