| A Bed Pad is a term used to describe an incontinence Underpad that is normally used on a bed to keep urine from damaging the mattress. There are all types and sizes of bed pads on the market today. A person can choose from either washable or disposable bed pads. In this article I will discuss washable reusable bed pads.
Washable Reusable Bed Pads - This type of bed pad is generally made by quilting a cloth top later to a soaker material that is sewn to a Vinyl back barrier.
The most common materials found on the top layer of bed pads are the following:
- Birdseye – 100% Cotton – This is usually the most economical bed pad. The bed pads life expectancy is less since it is made of 100% cotton.
- Ibex or Durablend - 80% Cotton/20% Polyester – This bed pad will last longer in the wash because of the blended materials.
- Tricot – 100% Brushed Polyester – Polyester is a man made material. The reason this bed pad is popular because it has a very soft feel and is more comfortable to use if the pad is used directly on the skin.
What is a soaker?
Bed Pads are designed to soak up urine. If you shop around you will see that bed pads feature different soaker capacities. The most popular are 6 ounce, 8 ounce, or 10 ounce poly/rayon soaker (per square yard). The soaker cloth is sewn under the top layer of the bed pad and wicks away the moisture from the person on the pad. The soaker ounce weight does not mean the bed pad only absorbs 6, 8, or 10 ounces of liquid. These numbers actually describe the weight of the material being used per square yard.Underpads with a higher percent of rayon in the soaker will absorb more liquid.
How much liquid does an Underpad absorb?
The lighter the soaker weight the less urine will be absorbed. The heavier the soaker weight the more urine will be absorbed. A soaker that has a higher percentage of rayon in the poly/rayon blend will absorb more liquids.
How to choose the right bed pad for you needs? There are several things to consider.
- A heavier soaker will take longer to dry, therefore laundering costs will increase.
- Determine the level of incontinence – heavy incontinence should use a heavier soaker
- Determine how often you will change the pad. Once a night or several times a night.
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