Menstruation (Periods) During Emergencies

Menstrual Materials: What Can You Use?

If you have access to these, use:

• Disposable pads or tampons
• • Change every 4–6 hours
  • Wrap and dispose safely (see below)
• Reusable pads or menstrual cups
• • Only if you can wash and dry them fully
  • Cups need clean water and soap for safe use

  ---

Emergency Alternatives:

If you don’t have regular supplies, these can help short-term:

• Toilet paper, tissues, or paper towels
• • Fold into layers and place in underwear
  • ​Use only when clean and dry
  • Do not insert into the vagina
  • Dispose after one use — do not flush
• Cotton Wool Pad
• • Flatten into a pad shape and wrap with toilet paper
  • Change every 2–3 hours
  • Use only plain white, unscented cotton
• Clean washcloth or flannel (reusable option)
• • Fold into a thick pad shape
  • Add a plastic sheet underneath or wrap in tissue to reduce leaks
  • Store in a plastic bag until washed
  • Change every 3–4 hours
  • Wash with hot water and so​ap and then dry it in the sun
• Clean socks or scarves (as last resort)
• • Use only soft, clean, cotton fabric 
  • Fold into a pad shape, wrap in tissue if possible
  • Good for 1–2 hours of light flow
  • Avoid socks with synthetic material or holes. Never use dirty socks.

Avoid Using:

• Plastic bags, dirty rags, synthetic fabric
• Newspaper, leaves, or anything rough or damp
• Anything that can’t absorb blood properly

Keeping Clean

Even without a bathroom, you can stay clean:

• Wash your genitals daily with clean water (morning and evening if possible)
• Use soap if available
• Always wipe front to back after using the toilet
• Never douche (do not rinse inside the vagina)
• Dry the area before putting on a new pad or cloth
• Wash hands before and after changing your pad or cloth
• Keep unused cloths and pads clean and wrapped in tissue or a bag
• Dry reusable cloths fully in the sun whenever possible

Safe Cleaning & Disposal Of Materials

Safe disposal of menstrual materials protects your health and the people around you. In emergencies, it helps keep shared spaces clean, prevents infections, and avoids blocked toilets or pits. 

Disposing of Used Products (Pads, Tissue, Cotton Wool)

• ​Wrap used pads in paper or cloth (like old newspaper or toilet paper).
• In crowded places, use a plastic bag to reduce smell, but dispose of it properly in a bin
  
• Do not flush pads or cotton down any toilet
• Do not throw in pour-flush or water-sealed toilets — they block easily.
• If bins are available, use them. If not, ask a health worker or community volunteer where to safely discard.

Cleaning Reusable Cloth Pads

Reusing is safe — if cleaned well and dried fully.

Cleaning and Drying:

1. Use clean hands, gloves, a cloth, plastic bag, or thick leaf to touch used cloth
2. Soak in soapy water for 20 minutes (make sure water is bubbly)
3. Wash with soap and clean water, rinse well
4. Dry fully in the sun (best method)
5. 1. If not possible: dry near warm cooking embers or hang in a place with airflow
   2. You can also hang inside clean clothes for privacy
6. Store only when completely dry
7. Do not reuse if the cloth smells, has mold, or is damaged
8. Never share menstrual cloths or pads with others

Cleaning Menstrual Cups

​If You Have Some Clean Water:

• Wash your hands if possible.
• Empty the cup into the toilet, a latrine or a hole in the ground, away from water sources.
• Rinse the cup with clean bottled water.
• Use a mild, fragrance-free soap to wash the cup. Avoid scented or oily soaps — they can cause irritation.

If You Have No Water or Soap (temporary solution):

• Empty the cup into a hole or toilet.
• Wipe the cup carefully with clean toilet paper or unscented body wipes.
• Check that no bits of tissue are left behind before reinserting.
• This is only a temporary solution — it is not safe to do all the time. You must clean your cup properly with soap and clean water as soon as you can to prevent infection.

When You’re Not Using the Cup:

• Store it in a clean, dry container.
• Keep it away from dirt, floodwater, or shared surfaces.
• Do not share your cup with anyone else.

If you can’t clean your cup safely, switch to pads or clean cloths until water and soap are available again.

If You're Helping Someone Else:

• Use gloves, thick cloth, plastic, or leaves to avoid touching blood directly
• Cover any open wounds
• Wash your hands afterward with soap or ash
• If blood spills on fabric, wash with soapy water. If available, clean with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water (wear gloves if using bleach)

Look Out For Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)

TSS is a rare but life-threatening infection linked to tampons, menstrual cups, or infected wounds. Know the signs and how to use period products safely.

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) can come on quickly.

Symptoms include:

• a high temperature
• muscle aches
• a raised skin rash that feels like sandpaper
• flu-like symptoms

For a full list of symptoms and what to do, visit our Toxic Shock Syndrome page. 

How to Reduce Risk

Tampons

• Change at least every 4 hours
• Wash hands before and after
• Only open the tampon if using immediately
• Handle minimally
• Insert and remove gently
• Avoid applicator tampons (they may scrape vaginal walls)
• Do not use if you're not bleeding
• Use pads overnight instead of tampons
• Use lubricant if flow is light

Menstrual Cups

• Wash hands and cup with soap and clean water
• Empty and rinse every 8–12 hours
• Avoid if you can’t clean it properly
• There is no proof that using menstrual cups instead of other products reduces TSS risk 

Light Flow Days

• Use pads or panty liners
• Avoid dry tampon use — can cause tiny cuts

If Clean Water or Soap is Limited:

• Use pads or clean cloths instead of tampons or cups.

Support During Your Period

• Menstruation is natural — you don’t need to hide it
• Share tips and supplies with other women you trust
• Talk to a female aid worker or volunteer if you need help
• Young girls may need extra support — look out for one another

Prepare a Period Emergency Kit (If Possible)

Keep in a clean bag:

• 2–3 reusable cloths or pads
• Soap or detergent
• Underwear (2 pairs)
• Small towel
• Ziplock or plastic bag for used items
• A bottle of clean water (if no access to running water)