The Girl Talk Thread

[Lady Wu]

Ok, it's not like there's a lot of girls on this forum, but I figure it's time we have our own thread. It'll be TMI for the guys, but what do they know anyway? ^_^

Anything that you'd talk about in the ladies' room (Boys: yes, we do spend an inordinate amount of time talking in the restroom. Get over it.) is fair game:

- PMS
- Types of pads you use
- Hair/clothes/weight/makeup/nails
- Boy germs
- Being female in a male workplace/environment
- Being the only female RTK/DW addict in town
- Annoying guys who keep trying to hit on you
- etc.

Not that we're banning guys from posting in this thread, but if you do, you'd have to pretend that you're a woman.

----

Ok, let me start. I'm on day 4 of my cycle and I've already gone through all my pads *twice*. I'm not a heavy bleeder normally so I think something has been running off with my clean liners. And yes, I use cloth menstrual pads, because they're comfy and less expensive and they're cute and environmentally friendly.

Anyway, the main question is: what do you ladies normally use to wash off bloodstains? I'm reluctant to do bleach because it defeats the whole purpose of having non-bleached products in the first place. Hydrogen peroxide is good for fresh stains, but aren't there those enzyme-based cleaners that are more powerful?

[Chris the King]

I object to the "boy germs" reference. Sexist remark!

[James]

I object to the "boy germs" reference. Sexist remark!

Leave them be. You’re contaminating their thread.
And now I’m contaminating it too.

[Rhiannon]

Shoo, boys. You have cooties.

How are cloth pads? I've never even known where they could be purchased, but I think they might be better for me.

And anyway, I was always taught to just use hot water - soak and rinse. That's usually worked unless the stain's already set in, in which case good old Oxy-Clean does the trick.

[Lady Wu]

How are cloth pads? I've never even known where they could be purchased, but I think they might be better for me.

Cloth pads = the best thing ever! You can try to make your own (patterns abound on the 'net), but here are some sites.

(Sorry, James, I gotta do a bit of promo for my fellow ladies!)

Sckoon is leading as my favourite pad company. SUPER SOFT organic cotton + a gazillion patterns (yes, they must match my underwear) and a very clever design.

Lunapads is my second favourite source, especially since they're a hometown, women-run business. Very soft fleecy pads and good designs, but unfortunately their organic cotton pads are boring.

Gladrags is super soft and quite popular on the West Coast US, but I don't like them because the liner is inserted inside the pad (like a letter into an envelope), which means you have to change the whole pad instead of just the liner. They have a good selection of coloured organic pads, though, and have a lot of other information and products on their page.

For the Aussies: Pleasurepuss has some really cute fabric, though I think they're "all-in-one" (i.e. you can't change the liner). Their carry purse is way cute, though.

Another Canadian site: Goddess Moons also makes a pad that has the liner on top. I haven't used them personally, but I know someone who does, and she loves them (this was a grad student that I crashed with at a conference, and I only found out that she was a cloth pad user because one of her pads got folded between my sheets in the laundry). I don't think they have organic cotton but the fabric designs are all beautiful.

Or just check your local health food place!

And anyway, I was always taught to just use hot water - soak and rinse. That's usually worked unless the stain's already set in, in which case good old Oxy-Clean does the trick.

Unfortunately, hot water cooks blood and it'll be impossible to remove it.

But Oxy-clean! That's what I was thinking about! Thanks!

[Rhiannon]

Maybe I was thinking of cold water? I always get it confused!

Anyway, thanks for the great information there. I'm gonna have to look into 'em!

[Lexus Fiend]

Is it weird that I'm enjoying reading this?

j/k

[Lady Wu]

Maybe I was thinking of cold water? I always get it confused!

Nah, hot water is great for washing off lots of stains (and it is what gets passed on as folk knowledge), but blood ain't one of those things that reacts well with hot water.

Lexus: Yes, I realized that there'll always be some boys who have some weird, perverted voyeuristic interest in finding out what girls talk about when they're not climbing all over you.

[Lexus Fiend]

Maybe I was thinking of cold water? I always get it confused!

Lexus: Yes, I realized that there'll always be some boys who have some weird, perverted voyeuristic interest in finding out what girls talk about when they're not climbing all over you.

Aww, Lady Wu. I don't even get a wink?

I don't need voyeurism hun. I was just bein silly < that kind of silly

[Lady Wu]

Aww, Lady Wu. I don't even get a wink?

So demanding! It's hard to wink when you only have one eye!