Period Underwear Care Tips: What the Others Don’t Tell You

Let’s get one thing straight — period underwear isn’t magic. It’s smart design and science stitched together. Treat it right and your girl's period underwear will last for years - keeping your girl comfy, confident, and leak-free every month. But skip the basics (or worse, believe the internet myths) and you’ll shorten its life before her next menstrual cycle even rolls around.

Here’s the full playbook: how to rinse, wash, dry and de-stain your girl's period underwear so it stays clean, soft, and actually leak-proof.

Step One: Rinse - and Spritz Before the First Wear

Before your girl even wears her period underwear for the first time, give it a light spritz. A quick mist of water helps activate the fibre technology, waking up the absorbent layers so they’re ready to perform from day one. Think of it as a warm-up stretch before a game - simple, but it makes a difference.

After wear, always rinse her period underwear in cold water. Cold keeps the fibres strong and stops blood stains from setting. Give each pair a proper swish until the water runs clear.

Hot water might feel efficient, but it “cooks” period blood into the fabric and damages the layers that make your girls' period underwear flow proof. So, cold rinse only - quick, thorough, and every time.

If she's on the go, a quick rinse in the shower works just as well. The trick is consistency. Every rinse you skip makes future stains harder to shift.

Step Two: Machine Wash on a Delicate Cycle

Once rinsed, it’s time for a machine wash. Toss your girl's period underwear into a laundry bag and choose the delicate cycle. Add a small scoop of mild detergent - that’s all you need.

Avoid bleach, softeners, or harsh chemicals. They can wreck the absorbent technology (and yes, that includes the PFAS-free membranes inside her period underwear).

If you want to go the extra mile, give your girl's period underwear a quick vinegar soak before washing. Mix one part vinegar to four parts cold water, soak for fifteen minutes, then rinse again (Tip: White vinegar's best - apple cider's fine in a pinch). It neutralises odour, lifts stains, and keeps the fabric fresh without damaging the protective layers.

mum supporting her girl at a soccer match

Step Three: The Gentle Detergent Rule

Not all soaps are created equal. A gentle detergent is your best friend. Harsh cleaners and stain-removers might promise miracles, but they often strip the coatings that keep her period underwear leak-proof.

We recommend a liquid, fragrance-free detergent - gentle on fabric, tough on stains. You don’t need much; a tablespoon per wash does the job. Think of it as skincare for her period underwear - less product, better results.

Step Four: Skip the Tumble Dryer (Twice, for Emphasis)

Dryers are the enemy of period underwear longevity. A tumble dryer may feel quick, but the heat breaks down elastic, weakens fibres, and ruins the leak-proof lining.

Repeat after us: no tumble dryer, ever. Instead, air dry flat or hang in a shaded, breezy spot. Sunlight helps kill bacteria, and air drying keeps the fit snug. Treat it like her best activewear - it deserves the VIP treatment.

Step Five: The Stain Slayer Strategy

Even with perfect care, stains happen. Here’s how to beat them - fast.

Cold soak: Fill a basin with cold water and add a teaspoon of gentle detergent. Let her period underwear sit for 15 minutes.
Natural lift: Mix a paste of baking soda and vinegar - just enough fizz to lift the mark. Apply to the blood stains, wait five minutes, rinse, then wash as usual.
Locker-room fix: Keep a Stain Slayer wipe in her sports bag for those moments when life happens mid-game.

If stains linger, repeat the vinegar and baking soda combo once more - gentle persistence wins every time.

This routine works wonders for both period underwear and other reusable period wear you might have in the mix.

Step Six: Why It’s Worth the Effort

Let’s talk facts. Over two years, disposable pads and tampons cost roughly 225% more than period underwear. The average person spends about $225 on disposable period products in that time, compared to just $99 with Eltee’s period underwear.

And beyond cost, there’s the planet. A single person could generate 70+ kilograms of waste over their lifetime using disposable period products - that’s a lot of landfill. Eltee’s periodwear is PFAS-free, washable, and built for a long, leakproof life.

You’re not just saving cash - you’re cutting plastic and investing in quality. One drawer of period-proof underwear, properly cared for, can last years and still look good enough to pass the sniff test.