Disposable Bed Pads vs Washable Bed Pads: Which Should You Choose?

Bed pads are a fantastic choice for protecting your mattress and bedding from urine leaks during the night. Urinary incontinence at night time is also known as ‘Nocturia’ and can affect people of all ages. 

Disposable and washable bed pads are usually a second line of defence for people that area already sleeping in wearable incontinence products like pads, pants, or nappies. They often act as an extra layer to catch any leakage that might escape, keeping your mattress or bedding fresh and clean.

The two main types of products you can choose are disposable bed pads and washable bed pads. As their names suggest, one type is designed to be thrown away after usage, while the other can be washed and used again. But which type of bed pad is best for your needs?

There are a few factors to compare when you're looking at disposable bed pads vs washable bed pads. They both have benefits that could make them the right choice for you. Firstly let’s take a quick look at what Nocturia actually is. 

Nocturia is a medical condition experienced by people who are regularly leaking large amounts of urine during the night. It can and does disrupt your normal sleep patterns. Waking up and trying to get to the toilet before you wee, sometimes more than once a night, can lead to tiredness the next day.  

Nocturia can be caused by a lot of factors. Some people begin to experience nocturia as they get older, but it’s also triggered by certain medical conditions like diabetes or UTI’s (urinary tract infections), medication, too much water before bed, or an overactive bladder.

Managing nocturia usually means identifying and addressing the underlying cause. This can include lifestyle changes like avoiding caffeine and alcohol, pelvic floor exercises, or using bladder supplements to ease an overactive bladder. 

The cost of living crisis is everywhere, it’s unavoidable at this point. Energy bills have gone up, the weekly shop has gone up, and mortgages have gone up, so it’s only natural to be thinking about how you can get the best value from every purchase right now. You want to spend your money wisely, so it makes sense to compare prices if you're deciding between two products. Disposable bed pads and washable bed pads both have their pros and cons, so let’s take a look at how they fare up. 

Disposable bed pads in the short run are the cheapest option. A pack of bed pads is considerably cheaper at the point of purchase than a washable pad. But, like the name suggests, after each use you need to chuck them away. If you’re experiencing incontinence over an extended period of time then you might find the costs start to add up. 

The initial cost of a washable bed pad is higher. However, the cost-benefit comes in when you use a washable bed pad for a longer period. You only need to buy one or two (one for immediate usage and one for when the other is in the washing machine) so if you’re experiencing long-term incontinence, you’ll eventually see that they work out cheaper than the disposable option. And the longer you use them, the better value they are. Of course, you also need to account for the cost of running your washing machine. 

If you’re looking for more ways to save money with whichever bed pad you decide to use, then why not try a Vivactive subscription? With a subscription, you'll get an extra 10% off every order. Creating a subscription is simple, flexible, convenient and best of all, you save a lot of money over time. 

Convenience is another important factor to think about. When you're dealing with bladder weakness, you don't want anything to be more difficult than it needs to be. Both washable and disposable bed pads are convenient in their own way, but this is probably where disposables shine the most. 

Disposable pads allow you to throw out the pad when you're finished with it. The process is super simple, you just bundle it up and chuck it in the bin. What could be more convenient than that?

If you’re someone that travels a lot, frequenting hotels, other people's houses, or holidaying, you’ll probably find a disposable bed pad useful. Their small size means they can be carried around easily and discreetly. You can put them down anywhere, so you can rest easy knowing your leakage isn’t going to ruin someone else's furniture. Washable bed pads aren’t so great in this respect, they’re much larger and would then need to be washed after being used which is far less convenient. 

If you experience nocturia regularly, you might find yourself stripping the bedding and putting a wash on all the time. If there’s no protection there to absorb the liquid, it’s going straight into the bedding below. It might not be too annoying at first, but after a while, the constant labour of washing duvets and sheets and mattress cleaning might get a bit annoying. 

Washable pads may require washing, but they’re convenient in their own way too. They fit over your regular bedding, making it quick and easy to change. Unlike disposable pads, you won’t need to keep going online to stock up. As you’re not chucking them away after every use, you won’t have to buy more than you need. Whilst there’s a higher initial cost, over time, you’ll find you save a bit of money. 

You can rely on both disposable bed pads and washable bed pads to offer great performance. Both options offer excellent absorbency, so you can be confident that they will help keep you and your bed dry.

While disposable bed pads have a high absorption capability, washable bed pads take it up to the next level. If you’re someone who experiences big leaks, you’ll probably want to use something with big absorption. As an example, the Vivactive King-Size Washable Bed Pad can absorb up to a whopping 5000ml of liquid. 

Both washable and disposable bed pads have rapid absorption capabilities due to their unique absorption technologies. They’re slightly different between brands so let’s focus for now on Vivactive.

The Vivactive Disposable Bed Pads feature specially designed absorption channels that aid the distribution of liquid. This allows for faster absorption – 3x faster in fact. Before you can even begin to worry about dampness, the liquid has already been absorbed.

Vivactive’s washable bed pads however use a fiver layer protection system. The top layer is a soft, fast-drying layer which is designed to rapidly draw liquid into the pad. This is followed by a quilted layer and a ‘super-soaker layer’ which holds the liquid securely inside. Beneath this is the 100% waterproof layer which provides protection against leaks. Lastly, the stain-resistant bottom layer (for complete peace of mind). 

Why you should choose disposable bed pads

• Convenient – can be thrown away
• Inexpensive
• Comfortable and effective
• Moderate absorption capabilities

Why you should choose washable bed pads

• Reusable for potential cost savings
• Fits over your bedding
• Big absorption capabilities

You can rely on Vivactive bed pads if you're looking for reassurance and security while you sleep. We have both washable and disposable bed pads to match your needs. Both product types offer unbeatable performance, absorption, and comfort.

If you’re experiencing constant trips to the toilet at night, it can be grating after a while. Another night of waking up and hurrying off to the toilet. The broken sleep can be a total nightmare. We understand how much this can affect your life, which is why we wanted to develop a product to not just manage urine leaks, but help prevent them. We’re proud to say we now have a solution that can reduce bladder leakage by 73% in just 8 weeks. Some other supplements can take up to 12 weeks to work, but ours get to work much quicker.
 
Bladder supplements are designed to support bladder health and address symptoms of urinary incontinence. They typically contain a blend of high-quality natural ingredients such as soy isoflavones and pumpkin seed extract. Finding bladder supplements that work can be tough, but our bladder supplements can reduce the use of daily liners by 66% in 8 weeks. It is an invaluable supplement for people experiencing incontinence in every part of their lives, whether it's during the night, at work, or when out and about.