How to Wash Period Underwear: Rudie’s Care Guide
To wash your Rudie period underwear, rinse it in cold water after wearing until the water runs clear. Then machine wash cold on a gentle cycle with similar colours and let it air dry fully. Wash a new pair before its first wear, too.
That is the routine. No hot wash, no tumble dryer and no need to turn laundry day into a project. Here is how to fit those steps around actually wearing your undies.
How to wash period underwear, step by step
- Rinse cold after wearing. Run cold water through the pair until it runs clear. Pay attention to the gusset, the absorbent panel in the crotch. The rinse comes before the machine wash, not instead of it.
- Choose a cold, gentle machine cycle. Wash with similar colours. A mesh laundry bag can help keep the pair away from zips and other fastenings in the load.
- Air dry completely. Hang the pair with room for air to move around it. Check the gusset as well as the waistband before wearing it again or putting it in the drawer.
Our written care instructions apply across the Rudie period range, including the Period Brief and High-Waist Brief. Another brand may give different instructions for its own materials, so check before mixing routines.
Can you wash period underwear with other clothes?
Yes. Once rinsed, your Rudies can go in a cold, gentle load with similar colours. You do not need a separate machine cycle for one pair if the rest of the load suits those instructions.
That does mean checking the load. A hot towel wash is not the right place for them, even if it happens to be the next wash going on.
Women's Health Tasmania's period-underwear guide also recommends cold rinsing and washing, and a laundry bag to protect against zips. It advises against fabric softeners and scrubbing. We would keep the routine simple rather than adding a soak or laundry treatment you are unsure about.
What if you are not running a wash straight away?
Rinse the used pair cold, then hang it somewhere with airflow while it waits for the next suitable wash. The Women's Health Tasmania guide suggests hanging rinsed pairs until you have a few to wash together.
If you change while you are out, keep the used pair in a suitable bag for the trip home, then take it out and rinse it. That temporary bag is for getting it home, not for leaving damp underwear tucked away until next week.
Give rinsed pairs a place to hang and keep a spare ready to wear. That is usually more useful than saving up one big pile of washing.
Can period underwear go in the dryer?
For Rudie, no. Air dry only. Our approved care instructions also say not to bleach, iron or dry clean your pair.
If the washing is taking longer to dry than you expected, give the pair more time and space rather than reaching for the tumble dryer. Spread it out so the gusset is not folded against another wet layer.
We cannot give you one drying time that works in every home. The weather, airflow and how the pair is hanging all make a difference. Check that the whole pair is dry instead of assuming that a certain number of hours is enough.
Plan around drying time, not just how many pairs you own
A pair in the wash or still drying is not a clean pair ready to wear. When you work out your rotation, allow for what you are wearing, what is waiting to be washed and what is drying.
For example, if you put on a fresh pair in the morning and change later, both used pairs still need a rinse, wash and full dry before they are back in the drawer. A fresh pair for bedtime is another part of that rotation. Your flow and use of other period products will change what you need.
There is no magic number of pairs that suits everyone. Start with your own changing routine and how often you can do a suitable wash. Do not keep wearing an uncomfortable or damp pair just because the next one is not dry yet.
If you are choosing a bedtime pair, our overnight period-underwear guide covers absorbency and coverage.
Keep the care routine easy to repeat
Cold rinse, cold gentle wash, full air dry. Keep those three steps consistent and leave room in the routine for a spare.
If you have accidentally used the wrong wash setting, or the fabric or gusset looks damaged, get in touch before relying on the pair again. We cannot tell you from a wash setting alone whether a particular pair is still performing as it should.
