How to Get Smell Out of Reusable Pads (Step by Step)

Here’s the honest truth about reusable pad odor — it’s almost never the pad. It’s a process error. Something went sideways in your wash routine. Maybe you skipped the cold rinse. Maybe pads sat in a wet bag for three days. Maybe fabric softener built up a waxy layer you can’t see.

The fix is usually one small change.

This guide walks you through exactly how to get smell out of reusable pads — step by step, with specific ratios and times. No guesswork. No conflicting advice. No buying special products you don’t need.

Why Your Reusable Pads Smell (It’s Not the Pad)

How menstrual pad odor actually develops

Fresh menstrual blood is nearly odorless. So is urine, right when it leaves the body.

The smell you’re noticing happens after. Bacteria feed on organic material in warm, moist fabric. They colonize the tiny gaps between fibers and form a biofilm — a stubborn invisible layer that traps odor even through wash cycles.

That’s the whole mechanism. Warmth plus moisture plus time equals bacteria equals smell.

Why cloth pads smell different from disposables

Disposable menstrual pads hide this with fragrance chemicals and absorbent gels. They don’t solve it — they mask it. Cloth pads don’t hide anything, which feels like a disadvantage at first.

It’s actually the opposite.

That breathability is actually one of the biggest health reasons to switch from disposables.

You can fix the root cause instead of covering it up. The smell isn’t a sign your pad is broken. It’s a signal that one step in your care routine needs adjusting. Once you identify which step, the fix is usually fast — and permanent.

Diagnose Your Smell First

Four types of reusable pad odor

Not all pad odor is the same. Different smells point to different causes and different fixes. Before you try anything, figure out which one you’re dealing with.

• Metallic or iron smell — Normal fresh blood. Not a problem. Rinse promptly after use and it fades on its own. No treatment needed.

• Musty or mildew smell — Your pads sat wet too long, or you over-soaked them. The fix is adjusting storage and cutting soak time. See Step 2 below.

• Ammonia smell — Urine buildup, most common with incontinence pads. This needs a targeted baking soda protocol. Skip ahead to the incontinence section if this is you.

• Barnyard or funky smell — Bacterial residue from incomplete washing. Your pads need stripping to break through the biofilm.

Knowing which smell you have saves you from trying fixes that won’t work. A musty smell won’t respond to ammonia treatment. An ammonia problem won’t budge with a simple re-wash.

Step 1 — Rinse in Cold Water Immediately

This single habit prevents more odor problems than every other step combined.

Rinse your pad under cold running water for about 30 seconds right after removing it. Squeeze and release a few times until the water runs mostly clear.

Cold water is non-negotiable here. Hot water denatures blood proteins — same reaction that turns a raw egg white opaque. Once those proteins bind to fabric at high temperature, they’re set. Permanently. That locked-in residue becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Keep it at or below 30 degrees C.

Topsy Daisy’s Wash and Care Guide

A popular method in the reusable pad community — the “shower stomp.” Toss your used pad on the shower floor while you’re already in there. Rinse it underfoot with cold water. No extra effort. No mess. Done before bacteria even get started.

If you can’t rinse right away, dry-pail the pad in a breathable wet bag. Don’t leave it balled up in a sealed pocket.

Step 2 — Soak with Baking Soda or Vinegar

There’s conflicting advice on every forum about soak times and ingredients. Here’s what actually works.

Method	Recipe	Duration	Best For
Baking soda soak	1-2 tablespoons per basin of cold water	20-30 minutes	General odor, light buildup
White vinegar	Splash in the fabric softener drawer during wash cycle	During wash only	Residue removal, freshening
Baking soda overnight	2 tablespoons per basin of cold water	Up to 8 hours	Ammonia/urine smell specifically

The number that matters: 30 minutes is the maximum effective cold soak for general odor. Beyond 6 hours in standing water, you’re actually creating the musty mildew smell you’re trying to fix. Stagnant water breeds the exact bacteria you’re fighting.

Vinegar works best as a wash additive, not a pre-soak. Pour it into the fabric softener compartment so it hits during the rinse cycle. And don’t combine vinegar and baking soda in the same soak — they neutralize each other. You end up with salty water that does nothing.

For ammonia specifically, baking soda breaks down uric acid at a chemical level. That’s why the overnight soak is the one exception to the “keep it short” rule — it’s not just deodorizing, it’s neutralizing the source compound.

Step 3 — Wash at the Right Temperature

Temperature and detergent depend on what you’re washing. That’s it.

Period pads and liners: 30 degrees C. Your regular detergent. Nothing special. A standard cycle with a good spin is enough.

Incontinence pads or anything with ammonia smell: 40 degrees C with a bio (enzyme-based) detergent. The enzymes target protein-based residue that regular detergent misses.

Two things to avoid in every wash:

Never use fabric softener. It coats fibers with a waxy residue that reduces absorbency by up to 40%. Worse — that coating traps bacteria inside the fibers where your wash can’t reach them. This is one of the most common hidden causes of persistent odor.

Skip hydrogen peroxide and oxygen brighteners. They can degrade fabric over time without adding meaningful cleaning benefit.

Run an extra rinse cycle if your machine has the option. Detergent residue left in the pad attracts bacteria between uses.

For a complete washing guide, see How to Wash Reusable Pads.

Step 4 — Dry in Sunlight (For Stubborn Smells Only)

UV light kills odor-causing bacteria and lifts stains naturally. After washing, lay your pads flat in direct sunlight for 90 minutes or more.

But here’s what most guides leave out.

This isn’t for every wash — regular sun-drying can fade colors over time. For routine drying, air-dry your pads indoors or in shade to keep colors bright. Save the sunlight treatment for when you’re actively fighting a persistent smell problem.

Think of it as a targeted remedy, not a daily habit. A pad that still smells after a proper wash — that’s when a few hours of direct sun earns its place. Not before.

Getting Ammonia Smell Out of Incontinence Pads

Ammonia odor is a different problem from period pad smell. The chemistry is distinct — urea in urine converts to ammonia through a bacterial process that speeds up in warm, moist conditions. It’s a chemical reaction, not just bacterial growth.

The protocol that works:

1. Rinse immediately after use. Even a quick cold rinse cuts ammonia development by removing urea before conversion starts.
2. Soak in baking soda solution. Two tablespoons per basin of cold water, up to overnight. Baking soda breaks down uric acid directly — not just masking, neutralizing.
3. Wash at 40 degrees C with bio detergent. Enzyme formulas target the protein chains standard detergent leaves behind.
4. Check your water hardness. Hard water mineral deposits accumulate in fibers and trap odor. They also reduce detergent effectiveness — less cleaning power per wash. Add a water softener like Calgon, or run a periodic stripping cycle to clear mineral buildup.

Hard water is the hidden culprit behind a surprising number of “my pads won’t stop smelling” complaints. The cloth diaper community documented this pattern years ago — same fabric chemistry applies.

When the Smell Won’t Go Away — The Nuclear Option

Stripping and deep-cleaning your menstrual pads

You’ve rinsed. Soaked. Washed correctly. Still smells.

Time to escalate — but work through these in order. Don’t skip to stripping if a simple re-wash might fix it.

1. Re-wash with an extra rinse cycle. Sometimes detergent residue is the entire problem. A second wash with an extra rinse clears it.

1. Baking soda soak plus machine wash, repeated. Full 30-minute baking soda soak, then a standard machine wash. Repeat once if needed.

1. Full stripping protocol. Borrowed from the cloth diaper community — same chemistry. Mix 1 teaspoon each of borax, washing soda, and Calgon per gallon of hot water. Submerge pads and soak 3-4 hours. The water will likely turn murky. That’s months of trapped residue releasing.

1. Dawn dish soap strip. Original blue Dawn, a few drops rubbed directly into the absorbent core. Cuts through waxy buildup from fabric softener or detergent residue. Rinse thoroughly.

1. When to retire the pad. If odor persists through two full stripping attempts, the pad has reached end of life. With proper care, quality pads last around 5 years. No shame in replacing one that’s done its job.

A note on vinegar: Don’t use it as a stripping agent or use it frequently at full strength. Acetic acid degrades elastic and PUL — the waterproof backing layer that keeps your menstrual pad leak-proof. Occasional splashes in the wash are fine. Regular vinegar soaks are not.

What NOT to Do

These mistakes either cause odor or make it worse:

• Fabric softener — Coats fibers, traps bacteria, kills absorbency. The number one hidden cause of pad odor.
• Hot water on blood stains — Locks proteins into the fabric permanently. Always start cold.
• Soaking longer than 6 hours — Creates the musty smell you’re trying to fix. Stagnant water is a bacteria factory.
• Chlorine bleach on PUL-backed pads — Breaks down the waterproof layer over time without solving the odor. Your pad’s waterproof backing is not replaceable.
• Sealed storage with no airflow — Wet pads in an airtight container is a guaranteed mildew situation. Use a breathable wet bag.
• Skipping the cold rinse — The single biggest cause of persistent odor. Thirty seconds of cold water after each use prevents most smell problems entirely.

FAQ

Can I soak reusable pads overnight?

For general odor — no. Keep it to 20-30 minutes. Beyond 6 hours, standing water creates the musty smell you’re trying to eliminate. The one exception: ammonia from incontinence pads, where an overnight baking soda soak specifically neutralizes uric acid. If you can’t wash right away, dry-pail in a breathable wet bag instead.

Is the smell coming from my pads or from me?

If every pad smells the same after washing, it’s a wash routine issue. If the smell is only present during use and your laundered pads smell clean, it may be worth checking with your doctor — conditions like bacterial vaginosis can cause odor during use. Clean pads straight from the wash should have zero smell. Not reduced. Gone.

Are my pads ruined if they still smell after washing?

Almost certainly not. Try stripping before replacing anything. Most “ruined” pads just have detergent buildup or mineral deposits trapping bacteria in the fibers. Two stripping cycles usually fixes it completely. Only retire a pad if odor survives two full strip attempts.

Topsy Daisy’s Reusable Pads and Liners

Can I use essential oils on reusable pads?

Tea tree oil has antimicrobial properties — a few drops in your soak water can help with bacterial odor. But skip it if you have sensitive skin or are pregnant. Never apply essential oils directly to the absorbent layer.

You’ve Got This

Most reusable pad odor traces back to one fixable process error. Not a broken pad. Not a design flaw. A process error.

The routine is simple: rinse cold right after use, soak briefly with baking soda if needed, wash at the right temperature, dry properly. For stubborn cases, stripping works.

New to cloth pads? Start with our guide on How to Use Reusable Cloth Pads.

Browse Topsy Daisy’s Full Range of Reusable Pads, Liners, and Sets

Topsy Daisy’s pads and liners are built to last years of use — and with the right care routine, they smell fresh every wash day. That’s not a pitch. That’s what knowing how to get smell out of reusable pads actually gives you. A pad that works, wash after wash.