The short explanation
Cloth pads can be a safe and practical choice when they are washed and dried properly. Many women in India use them, and reusable pads made for periods are designed to be washed and used again. They can also be gentler on skin for women who get rashes from disposable pads. The key to avoiding infection is hygiene. Wash used pads with soap and clean water, rinse well, and dry them completely, ideally in sunlight, which helps kill germs. Damp cloth stored in dark places can grow germs. Change pads regularly during the day rather than wearing one for too long.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Old cloth from clothes can be used, but specially made reusable pads are designed to hold flow better and dry faster.
- Some women feel shy about drying pads in the open. Drying them under another cloth in the sun is still better than keeping them damp indoors.
- Signs of infection include itching inside the vagina, unusual discharge, a bad smell, burning when passing urine, or pain. These need a check-up whatever product you use.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot tell whether any symptoms you have are an infection. A doctor or nurse at a PHC can examine you if you are worried.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Is it safe for me to use cloth pads?
- How should I wash and dry them?
- What symptoms would suggest an infection?
- Are there other period products that might suit me?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you have fever with pain in the lower belly.
Book an appointment soon
- See a doctor or PHC nurse within a few days if you have itching, a bad smell, unusual discharge or burning while passing urine.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Book a routine appointment if rashes or discomfort keep coming back every period.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Heavy periods NHS
- Period pain NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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