November 30, 2010
OK, stumbled on this idea today and since I wanted to keep track of it, what better place to put it than to share it with all of you?
The author literally went to the hardware store and bought a rain gutter (although I suppose if you had some lying around, they would work, too) and made bookshelves! So awesome! 🙂
November 9, 2010
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Obviously, I am taking longer than a week to post on these challenges. That doesn’t mean they weren’t completed in a week. It means I have 2 children under 2 who take priority over this blog. 🙂
Regardless, going green in the bathroom was not as daunting as it may seem. In fact, for the requirements of the challenge, I was well within the Marathon guidelines. My goal was to advise all of you better ways to Ditch the Disposables in your bathroom. And in the research for that post, I’ve stumbled on ways that I can further reduce our/my waste in the bathroom.
#1- Shampoo: I’ve decided I’m going to try the No ‘Poo method as soon as my current bottle of shampoo is finished (which should be this week).
#2- Subscribe to the Preserve Toothbrush plan. 🙂 Will be doing this after the holidays.
#3- Deodorant: Make my own. After I’ve mastered the No ‘Poo challenge.
So, as I move through these, I will be sure to let you in on it all!
The next mini-challenge from the Conscious Shopper is: Green Your Diapers.
The varying degrees on this challenge are:
Well, as my regular readers already know, we use cloth diapers on both of our children. The only time they are not cloth diapered, is when they are at my MIL’s (2 days a week) and that is simply because she chooses to buy disposable diapers. For us, choosing cloth was to save money. So, if she wants to buy disposables and isn’t asking us to pay for them, that’s up to her. If she wants us to pay for them, she’s going to use cloth. 🙂 Simple as that. Our other two sitters use our cloth diapers without any problems. One watches them at her house and everything just goes in a wet bag. The other watches them at our house and knows our system.
So, for all of you who want to take on this challenge, go ahead. But I’m moving on to the next challenge: Reduce Packaging.
The varying degrees on this challenge are:
Some of this is so easy for me: I buy used whenever possible and encourage it from others when they are buying gifts for myself or the kids. I love fresh foods. Some is new: I’m researching concentrated products like Dr. Bronner’s and as soon as my budget will allow, I’m buying some! I’ve never bought from the bulk bins at Whole Foods or at any store (other than produce). And with #2 constantly wanting a snack or a “treat”, individual items are sometimes easier. *sigh* Ok, I’m going to take on this challenge this way: With each and every purchase, I’m going to stop and think:
Check back with me next week!
Anyone want to join me on this? Head over and take the Challenge!
November 2, 2010
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As part of my current Conscious Shopping Challenge, I decided to take a look at the disposable items found in the bathroom. For such a small room, it really does produce a lot of waste (pun not intended!)! I decided to break these down into Paper Products & Personal Care items. Enjoy!
Facial Tissue
Facial Tissue is a common household item in many homes, especially as we make our way into the cold and flu season. You find yourself carrying them around in your pocket, your purse, just about everywhere – prepared. A great alternative to kleenex or Puffs or whatever brand you use is: handkerchiefs. Yes, those old stand-bys your grandma used to use!
I’ve been using handkerchiefs for about 5 years now and absolutely love them. I switched one winter when I had been battling a particular nasty cold and my nose was just so raw it was painful. The thought of using one more kleenex/toiletpaper/paper towel made me just cringe. So, I dug out a little hanky I’d been given as a gift years before. Put that in my pocket thinking that it was going to be completely gross when I put in the laundry that night. And yeah, it kinda was. But I discovered something else: comfort. It didn’t hurt to blow my nose! It didn’t hurt to wipe it, either! And the hanky just seemed to go on and on; after each use I would fold it, and fold it, and keep finding clean spots throughout the day. With disposable tissues, I had easily been using half the box. Well, this got me thinking: $$$. Duh, using the hanky was going to save me money. And for me, sometimes that is all it takes! Each night I toss the used hanky in the laundry. Each morning, I tuck a new one in my pocket or purse. And as a mom, I found out that my oldest child won’t fight me when I have to wipe her nose if I use the cloth hanky!
Where to buy:
There are several online retailers that have cloth handkerchiefs available for sale, if you wish to purchase them. Most are also retailers for cloth diapers, mama cloth, and other reusable products. Go figure.
Or brick & mortar stores:
Or buy used/vintage:
If you are so gifted, you can also make these yourself. There are several patterns out there, these are only a few. I just did a Google search.
Using several of these methods, I now have a dozen or more hankies for personal use. I have folded them and keep them in an old tissue box (DH still prefers “real” tissues, but we haven’t bought a box in a year). When I pull one out, the next one “pops” up, just like disposables.
Facial pads
Many people use these for removing make-up, or for facial cleansers. You can buy or make reusable ones that will save you money and help the planet. Jillian’s Drawers has a set that even come with a dispenser and a little bag to wash them in!
Feminine Protection – this post covers this in great detail.
Toilet Paper
Lastly, the one everyone was most curious about, I’m sure. Toilet Paper.
Buy/Make:
Use:
Cloth TP is used the same way you use paper TP. I keep ours in a little basket in the bathroom. (In fact, unless you knew it, you would think they were the wipes for the diapers!) You can wet it first, if you choose. In fact, most people find this to be the best & most comfortable way. This can be done either in the sink, or with a peribottle kept in the bathroom for that purpose. It is, in fact, very comfortable. And I actually feel cleaner after using the cloth TP I have in the bathroom.
Laundry:
As with cloth diapers, everyone wants to know, what do you do when it’s time to wash? When you’re done using it, you can keep the wipes until laundry day in a wet bag or in a container (wet bag is easiest, because it can go right in the laundry, too!). After whatever method you’ve chosen, you can either a) do a load of just the cloth wipes, b) add them to your regular laundry (some people choose towels.), or c) if you have children in cloth diapers, you can toss them in with the diapers. That’s it. They can be dried either in the dryer or on the line.
As far as “disposable” when it comes to Personal Care items, I have chosen to focus on homemade recipes = less packaging waste. This will also address issues with chemicals in these items, because you are making them yourself.
Shampoo/Conditioner
Option 1: Buying items that have little to no packaging, like this shampoo bar from Burt’s Bees.
Option 2: Make it yourself.
Option 3: Go No ‘Poo. Many people have successfully gone this route, including the author of the Conscious Shopper Challenge herself. Google “No Poo” and you’ll find several articles: like this How to Go No Poo and No ‘Poo: New & Improved. This is my next personal challenge, when my current shampoo is gone.
Body Wash
Option 1: Buy Items with little to no packaging – Use any number of Soap bars on the market. Be sure to read ingredients & check anything you are unsure of against the Skin Deep site. There are several out there you can buy on Etsy or at your local health foods store.
Option 2: Make it yourself. Google “homemade body wash” and I found these articles:
Or, if you’re so inclined, do the same search, but for Homemade Soap. There’s so much to find! Even how to make soap bars in a crock pot!
Toothbrushes
Now, I am not going to advocate never changing your toothbrush. Or to reuse someone else’s. BUT there are several great products out there you should check out.
Toothpaste
Option 1: Buy something with Less Packaging. Like this Tooth Powder from Monkey Brand. Have never used this, but sounds interesting.
Option 2: Make Your Own. Again, Google is your friend. Found these recipes:
Shaving Supplies
Option 1: Buy an Item with Less Packaging. Like a Shaving Soap and brush. The whole kit has a bit of packaging, but once you have the brush and bowl, you only need to buy the soap again.
Option 2: Make Your Own. Like that found here: Shaving Soap Recipe
Takes you back to the day of the barber shop with the shave stool.
Deodorant
Option 1: Buy an item with less packaging. The Crystal is probably the most popular of name brands.
Option 2: Make your own. Google will bring you a TON of recipes:
This is my next challenge after the “no ‘poo”!
I haven’t tried all of these methods personally, but there are a lot of great options there! Leave a comment with your experience, please! We all learn from each other.
October 19, 2010
When I was working on greening my household cleaners, I came across quite a few recipes for making your own cleaners and I wanted to share those with you.
Some of these came from fans of my Facebook page, some from the web (and I’ll try to give credit where possible!), and some from a great book I book at Walmart in their discount bin a few years ago.
The book is called Homemade: How to make everyday products fast, fresh, and more naturally. (A Reader’s Digest book). If you’re interested in finding this book, check your local library first – the greenest option! If you want to own it, I found it on Amazon for $6.38 – much less than I paid for it! It includes a lot more than cleaning recipes, so it’s worth the $6.38. 🙂
Now, on to the recipes! I’m calling this Part One, because today I’m just focusing on General household cleaners & specific Kitchen cleaners. Obviously, you can buy eco-friendly brands, but this is to cut costs even further, and to guarantee you know what is in your products!
Have you tried any of these? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I haven’t tried some of these yet.
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October 14, 2010
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This last week I really tried to focus on what paper products we have in our home that are non-recyclable. Ones that I could maybe replace with a reusable alternative. (I did not include the diapers, because – looking ahead – that’s another Conscious Shopper challenge. :)) Erin @ The Conscious Shopper suggested to really focus on paper towels, napkins and and toilet paper. Well, that made me think of facial tissues and wipes as well. (And she mentions a link to a post of hers on gift wrap… hmm, will have to look at that closer for the holidays.)
Napkins: we use exclusively cloth and have since our marriage began 5 years ago. So, that one was a no-brainer.
Tissues: *I* use handkerchiefs. It is a bit of a personal challenge to get DH to do this also. Right now, we have no disposable tissues in the house. I took our last box (free from my stay at the hospital with #2), cut out a square in the bottom, and actually folded the handkerchiefs in a way that by pulling one out the slit in the top, the next “pops” up. Just like disposables! I’m pretty proud of it. Need to “beautify” the box, but it works for now. (My mom even used one when she was visiting to wipe #1’s nose! Into the laundry basket I keep in the pantry for laundry day. I was so impressed. ) If anyone is interested, I can post some pictures.
Paper Towels: another personal challenge. I use dishtowels or dishcloths for everything you might use a paper towel for. In the past it has taken us years to use up the pack of paper towels. But DH finds paper towels easier for the “messes” #1 likes to make when eating, etc. so we have been buying them more lately. I’m still fighting him on that one, but I will win. It doesn’t help when we find paper towels for nearly nothing at the store.
Wet Wipes: I only thought of this one the other day, so it wasn’t part of my week’s challenge. We use cloth wipes with our diapers, but often find disinfecting wipes best for cleaning down the high chair and #1’s eating spot, as well as disinfecting items during cold & flu season. It really has been bothering me, because we can chew through a lot of these depending on the time of the year. And then I came across this post over on Money Saving Mom (love that site!), which linked me to Live Renewed (another new site I love!) that had a recipe for “Homemade ‘Clorox’ Wipes”. This is what I needed! Now, sadly, I don’t have all of the supplies. I think I could make do with the dish soap instead of Castile Soap until I can pick some up, but the tea tree oil I definitely don’t have a substitute for. But I can make it up in principal, try it out, and the next time I’m at Whole Foods pick up the rest of the supplies. On my to-do list for the weekend. Seriously, we go through so many of these wipes.
Lastly, Toilet Paper: It is possible to use cloth wipes for yourself in the bathroom. People do it all over the world! For some reason, it’s deemed icky here. I’ve decided I’m adding The Bathroom to my list of Ditch the Disposables series and I’ll go over “family wipes” there in detail. Suffice it to say, while I did not reach my goal of 100% use while at home, I did use them 80-90% of the time.
This week’s mini-challenge is: Go Green in the Bathroom and the main focus is on greening the personal care products you use there.
The varying degrees on this challenge are:
Now, for myself and the kids, we are already Marathon Runners on this one. In fact, I wrote a post about it. I still can’t get DH to drop his Head & Shoulders shampoo.
So, my goal for the week is to write that Ditch The Disposables: The Bathroom post and let you know the options and where you can find them for purchase (or how to make them!).
Check back with me next week!
Anyone want to join me on this? Head over and take the Challenge!
October 4, 2010
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I know it’s been nearly a month since my last update on this challenge. But do not think that I haven’t been working hard on it. I gave myself permission to not stress about it and think I HAD to move on to the next step. So, needless to say, I focused on #4 for nearly a month. And boy, will you benefit!
I found recipes for nearly every kind of cleaner you could use in your house – even things like Febreze and a shower cleaner! – all from common household items. And I’m happy to say, they all work great. So great, in fact, that I have a post currently brewing with all of the recipes Just For You!
AND I was able to find some great sources for reusable items like fake-Swiffer pads, dusters, and even ack! Toilet brushes! So, stay tuned for that post in the near future.
This week’s mini-challenge is: Dispose of Your Disposable Paper Products and it mentions that it is focusing on those items that you CAN’T recycle.
The varying degrees on this challenge are:
I’m thinking… Marathon. When we got married 5 years ago, I switched us over to cloth napkins, towels, even handkerchiefs for me! And I’ve already told you about my switch to reusable feminine products. We all know DH & I love the cloth diapers and wipes for the kiddos. And lately…. *looking around* I’ve been using cloth TOILET PAPER for me probably 75% of the time. So, I’m going to strive really hard to ONLY use cloth this week for everything. (Maybe I should make it a goal to convert DH 100% to the handkerchief and cloth TP ideas… maybe I shouldn’t push it.)
Check back with me next week!
Anyone want to join me on this? Head over and take the Challenge!
September 27, 2010
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I’ve had some questions come up from readers lately about reusable feminine products, both menstrual cups and cloth pads, so I thought I would write up a post about what is out there and what I use/recommend. (Guys- you can skip this post, if you like, or pass it on to the women in your lives!)
For several years, I hated my monthly period. I mean, hated. It was just painful, a bother, and… gross. I would have at least 24 hours of debilitating cramps (the type that would leave me writhing in a super-hot bathtub, delirious with a pain fever, begging to die), followed by the next several days of dry and painful tampon changes. I thought that this was just how it was. Deal with it. Pop a few Midol or Aleve and move on. Pray that next month it was better.
Never even considered using cloth. That had been extinct since the 1800s, right? Who uses “rags” anymore? I don’t even remember now how I first saw cloth pads. It may have been when I was researching cloth diapers (even before I was pregnant!). But in any case, I bought a sampler pack from a retailer.
There are actually a few different “styles” of cloth pads available.
Any of the above can be found as a) lay-in pads: your body holds them in place to your panties. Or b) “with wings” that snap around your panty to hold them in place (this is more common).
You can purchase these from well-established retailers:
Or, if you are so gifted, you can make your own. Here are some patterns available for free on the web (I just did a Google search – there were more!):
Menstrual cups are made from either rubber or silicone. They are designed to be inserted into a woman’s vagina during her period to collect the menstrual fluid. Depending on the brand, they can last from 5-10 years before they need replacing. There CAN be a learning curve in how to insert, but once you’ve figured it out – easy! They are generally available in 2 sizes and choosing the correct size is important, because it is the muscles in your vaginal wall that keep the cup in place.
Popular Brands:
Contain no Dioxin or synthetic fibers, are sustainably harvested and reusable for three to six months or more. They can be custom trimmed to fit. Sponges are naturally very absorbent, and can also be used during sex. They have been an option for contraception for years.
Where to buy: Jade & Pearl is a common brand. I have NOT used these, so this is the extent of any knowledge I have on these.
Carry Bags are probably the most common, also known as “wet bags”. These are bags where you can store your cloth pads or diva cup between uses. Some brands make a variety with a water-proof outer layer, perfect for storing used cloth pads until you can launder them. Essential for when you are “out and about”.
You use cloth pads the same as you would disposable pads. Changing as needed and recommended, according to the manufacturer. The biggest thing new users will notice is that a) you WON’T notice them after a while. No sticking to your skin. No drying out. And b) your period may become lighter. This was a big one with me. I always needed “maxi”, “heavy day” pads previously. Now, I can easily get by with lighter-day pads on most days, and maybe only one heavier day where I need the “big guns”.
With the cups, the biggest hurdle is learning how to insert them properly. Once that is done, you will never know how you did without it. They only need to be emptied once every 12 hours. It was amazing how little blood there actually was. Especially with how moist my girly-parts felt. I learned that I had been sucking my natural moisture out with the disposable products and this is what was causing most of my pain issues. When I do empty the cup, I wipe it out, reinsert it and I’m good to go.
Everyone is always concerned with this part. What do I do when I’m out of the house? Well, what did you do before? Ball up the tampon/pad, wrap it in toilet paper, and toss it, right? Well, just omit the last 2 steps. 🙂 With the cup, there’s literally nothing to do: wipe it out, reinsert it, keep going. With the cloth pads, replace the top liner or the entire pad, depending on the system you’ve chosen, put the soiled pad in your carry bag. Replace with a new pad. When you get home, rinse out the soiled pad or soak it. Then come laundry day, wash them. That’s it.
Just like with cloth diapers, people are seriously freaked out about the ick factor when it comes to cloth pad laundry. At this point, 2 cloth-diapered kids later, nothing really grosses me out anymore. Well, maybe spiders.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to cloth pad laundry.
I personally use the rinse method. I tried the soak method and had an issue with my soaking pot seriously stinking. And I can’t take stink. People do recommend using essential oils, or even drops of soap, to combat the stink. But for me, it was just easier to switch to the rinse method. Works just as well for me.
After whatever method you’ve chosen, you can either a) do a load of just the cloth pads, b) add them to your regular laundry (some people choose towels. Doesn’t matter to me or my husband – so they’ll often go in our regular laundry), or c) if you have children in cloth diapers, you can toss them in with the diapers. Some caveats: do not use liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets. These will usually cause your cloth pads to repel liquid, which obviously defeats the purpose of having cloth pads. Leaks = Yucky.
I dry in the dryer as I do any other load, but have line-dried on occasion.
The cup is really easy in regards to care and cleaning. I will give mine a good cleaning, rinsing, etc at night after using it. And then after each cycle, boil it to sanitize it. Each manufacturer has different recommendations, so follow their directions. Once I’ve sanitized mine, back into its storage carry bag and into my purse for the next cycle.
While my initial reasons for switching were completely personal – I was sick and tired of being in pain – I have come to realize there are so many more benefits. First, I am not spending money on disposable products any longer. More cash in my pocket! Love that. And I no longer have the dreaded moment when I’m in the bathroom and realize I am out of supplies! Who’s been there? Raise your hand. I see you! Everyone has. (In fact, I do have a limited supply still in my bathroom from pre-cloth days, but they’re for guests who find themselves in that same spot.) Second, I am no longer throwing away products that are going into landfills. Huge bonus! And lastly, I am not introducing my body to toxic chemicals each and every month. I know that should be higher on my list, but honestly, I had never thought about that before. Pain and money are usually higher on my list of priorities. So, shoot me.
And what about that pain? Gone. I have not suffered from significant menstrual cramps since switching. Minor annoyances, but nothing that impedes my daily life. And nothing that requires OTC medication.
Any questions? Please leave a comment. If I don’t know the answer, I will find out!
September 21, 2010
The Product
Some of you may have already heard of soap nuts and for some of you, this may be completely new. I was sent a sample from EcoNuts to review.
Soap nuts are not actually nuts at all, but are dried fruit berries. They became known as “nuts”, because they have a hard, dried nut-like appearance. So, anyone who has a nut allergy: you have nothing to worry about! These are completely safe. They are also highly recommended for people with skin allergies, psoriasis, or eczema, because they are gentle on your skin and clothing.
Soap nuts are completely biodegradable, containing saponin, which is a natural surfactant. This is a huge plus for anyone who is eliminating harmful surfactants from your cleaning products and personal care products. But because it is a natural surfactant, it does not produce a large amount of suds or foam, as you would expect with mainstream soap. This does not mean that it isn’t working. And soap nuts are safe for septic or gray-water systems, and can be used with top-loader or front-loader machines.
To use them, simply put 4-5 nuts (or nut pieces) into the provided bag and pull the draw string shut. Put into your wash and use as you would use detergent normally. Remove the bag from the load as you move it to the dryer/drying line. Let dry between uses. That’s it!
You can also use EcoNuts to create an all-purpose cleaner, a stain remover, or even taken on camping trips to clean just about anything you could think of! Instructions and recipes for most of these come with your order, or can be viewed on their website. It is truly a versatile little berry.
The Review
Now, the main reason I was excited to try the sample from EcoNuts was because these are highly-recommended for cloth diaper laundry. And you can also reuse the “nuts” up to 5-7 times in Hot water OR 10 times in Cold water before the saponin is completely used. (And once that happens, into your compost bin these go! A closed circle system! Love it!) But, as stated previously, these can be used for all of your laundry needs, not just diapers.
I very excitedly opened my box from EcoNuts upon receiving it and took the picture at the top of this review. My husband’s reaction: “What are those?” The skeptic. Followed soon after with, “We are NOT washing the diapers with those. What if they ruin them?” Remember, this was one of the reasons I had wanted to try them. (I need to break in here and explain that my husband does 90% of our household laundry. And this is for one reason only: the washer & dryer are housed in our basement which is infested with spiders. And I. Hate. Spiders. Not just a little bit. A lot. The sight of even a little one paralyzes me. So, my Prince Charming does most of our laundry until it’s cold enough to freeze the little creatures…)
So, DH was convinced to use these (at first) on our regular laundry. I filled the little bag and instructed him to use these just like he would detergent; which with our top loader means you fill the washer with the amount of water needed with your detergent added, THEN you add the laundry. We did several loads of regular laundry this way (Cold water) and were very impressed. The clothes didn’t come out with any particular smell, which was something I was concerned about. But they were definitely clean. Even the little spots, etc. that come from having a toddler and a new-to-rice-cereal-baby came out from their clothes.
Then DH went to work and here is where I tried to sneak in a load of diaper laundry. In general with diapers, we do a rinse cycle, then a full wash cycle in Hot water with detergent and an extra rinse – then on to whatever drying method we’re using. Dryer in winter and on rainy days, or when we’re short on time. And line-drying when possible. DH had put a load of diapers on their rinse cycle just before he left. When it was time to start the “soap load”, as we call it, I braved the spider-den. Started to fill the washer as normal, put the EcoNuts in the washer in their little bag, everything going great. I can see the “suds”, but as promised, there aren’t that many. I’m getting excited. This is kinda cool.
And all this time, I am very, VERY consciously trying to look only into the washer. Not onto the wall. Not into the overhead beams. Not into the window wells. Only. Into. The. Washer. (I know those little 8-legged things are around. Must. Not. Look.) Finally, when the washer was only about 1/2 full, I just couldn’t take it any more. I threw the diapers in and closed the lid. And then very quickly ran up the stairs where my 2-year old was standing at the gate at the top, yelling “Mama!” the entire time.
The reason I tell this story is because when the load was done, DH pulled it out, (yelled up the stairs, “What did you do?”) and decided they needed to go through again with the “real” detergent. Apparently, they didn’t seem clean.
And I do not blame the soap nuts. I blame myself completely (well, and the spiders a little bit), because I did not use them as I would normally use detergent, or in how our manufacturer advises for our machine. I have read many, many positive reviews and feedback and am confident that these should have worked wonderfully on our cloth diapers. We were very pleased with the effectiveness of the soap nuts on our regular laundry and would definitely recommend these to anyone. Whether you are looking for something to use that is easy on the environment, or you are just exhausting the possibilities because of your sensitive skin, this is a great product for you to try.
BUY IT:
If you are interested in buying some for yourself, you can get a Regular size (50-90 loads) for $12 or a Large size (200-360 loads) for $34.95. There is also a Trial size available for purchase (6-10 loads) for $4, if you want to conduct your own experiment. EcoNuts also offers a Laundry Club, where you can have a box of EcoNuts delivered to your door periodically and you don’t have to ever worry about reordering!
Fan EcoNuts on Facebook for the latest news!
DISCLOSURE: Green & Frugal Mama did not receive any compensation for the above review. However, I did receive a sample of the above product for the purpose of providing a review. All views and opinions are my own.
September 21, 2010
I have made no secret of the fact that I love my cloth pads. My journey with using them on a monthly basis started when my skin started to react to conventional “plastic” maxipads and tampons. And they would dry out my skin so much that it would make the whole thing painful. Looking for an alternative, I stumbled onto this entire world of softness, comfyness, and just utter decadence. Pretty prints just for me? It makes the entire process not so “icky” and just a part of my life. There are several retailers out there, as well as several patterns for you to make your own, if you are so inclined. I am not so gifted. LOL.
Because I have been so open about my love for cloth pads, I was contacted by Cindy at Gentle Cycle Pads and asked if I would do a review of her products for my readers. I advised her I had recently stopped nursing my youngest and while my cycles were not completely back to normal, I did use cloth pantiliners most days and would love to review these for all of you.
She sent me this pantyliner in a stars & moon print.
It’s made from a really soft flannel and has metal snaps to snap it into your panties. At first, I was a bit skeptical. I’m used to pantyliners that seemed a bit more substantial. But within a few hours of wearing this, I was convinced it would work fine for what I needed it to do. The material was soft and comfy. The pad never moved and I wasn’t even aware it was there after a bit.
It was even possible to fold it into itself, with a little effort. Which is an essential for me if I need to put one in my purse wetbag, or to have an extra.
It has held up after multiple washes and I am convinced it would continue to wear well in my cloth pad rotation for the next few years.
Cindy makes all of her pads by hand, so each may show imperfections or irregular stitching. This did not affect the effectiveness of the product in any way.
BUY IT:
Gentle Cycle Pads can be found on Etsy, as well as on Facebook.
Other Products:
You can also purchase AIO pads, as well as pads without wings from her Etsy shop. Prices start around $10. Personally, I am more inclined to use a pad system that allows for easy changing-out of a soaker pad, and not the entire pad, but you may like her system more. To each her own. For a pantyliner design, Gentle Cycle Pads work well and I am glad to have it in my collection.
Disclosure: Green & Frugal Mama received no compensation for this review. Gentle Cycle Pads provided me with a free sample of this product. However, I was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 31, 2010
Great video from Lunapads – learn how and why to switch to cloth!
greenfrugalmama.wordpress.com 