How to Prevent Period Leaks with Thinx

Wondering how to best care for your Thinx period underwear to avoid leaks? You’ve come to the right place. Each pair of Thinx (and Thinx Teens!) underwear is designed with our patented absorbency panel, or gusset — which has built-in layers to absorb your period, wick away moisture, control odor, and keep leaks locked in. Follow these easy steps to keep your Thinx underwear at maximum performance and keep yourself (and your clothes, and your sheets) protected against future leaks.

wear your Thinx like regular underwear

Our period underwear offers comfy, absorbent, built-in period protection. They’re even machine-washable, meaning you can wear, wash, and wear them again just like everyday underwear. They come in styles that hold from 1 up to 5 regular tampons’ worth of flow — so, for many people, one pair of Thinx can last all day! Our Know Your Flow tool is designed to help you figure out which absorbency levels are right for you.

use Thinx as a total replacement or as a backup

Every flow is different! You can wear our period-absorbing underwear for as long as your flow will allow. We recommend trying Thinx for the first time at home to see how each underwear style and absorbency level works for your unique period flow. 

Be sure to select the absorbency style by the product you’d like to use, ranging from lightest to super. You can expect to change your Thinx based on how often you would typically change the disposable product for the absorbency style you’re wearing.

We advise against using a pad or liner with our underwear, since Thinx is designed to fit close to the body to help prevent leaks and stains. For folks who usually wear pads and pantyliners, we recommend bringing along a couple of pairs of Thinx to change throughout the day, depending on how heavy your flow is. If you are comfortable wearing tampons or cups, these can be worn in tandem with Thinx, since they don’t take up space outside the body. But, for many people, no additional period products are needed to protect from leaks! 

notice when your Thinx are getting full

One way to tell that your Thinx period underwear is full is if the side seam of the gusset, or absorbency panel, feels wet to the touch. When you start to notice blood at the seams, this is a good indication that it's time to change pairs! 

We suggest bringing along a resealable bag, pouch, or wet bag — so that if you do need to change out of your first pair of Thinx undies, you've got a clean, dry place to put them. 

If your underwear has not reached capacity, we recommend changing them once every 12 hours, as you would regular underwear.

follow proper Thinx care instructions

Caring for your period underwear is actually quite simple! We designed Thinx to be machine-washable, so you can throw them in the wash with the rest of your laundry on a delicate cycle (your other clothes will be fine!) or hand wash them. Don’t use bleach or fabric softener. Lastly, hang dry your period underwear — dry time depends on the style and climate, but most styles shouldn’t take longer than 10-19 hours to dry fully.

To prolong the lifespan of your undies, steer clear of the dryer; the heat from dryers or irons will hurt the elasticity of the underwear, which is what prevents leaks. Pro tip: use a mesh laundry bag to separate them from your other clothes, so you can easily take them out of the wash while putting your other clothes in the dryer!

If cared for properly, Thinx should not retain a scent — but, if you think they need a lil’ extra love, try a vinegar soak. Before you wash your undies, submerge them in a clean basin or sink with one cup of white vinegar and 1-2 cups of water. Soak for about 15 to 30 minutes, then toss 'em in the washing machine as usual.

reuse your Thinx over & over again

With Thinx, you’ll always be prepared when your period arrives. Our period underwear is reusable, so you can say goodbye to last-minute trips to the drug store and moments of desperately searching through your bag for a spare tampon or pad. Plus, Thinx are a much more sustainable solution than traditional single-use period products, and making the switch can help you cut back on unnecessary plastic waste.

Your Thinx will last at maximum tech performance for the industry standard of 40 washes, which is typically around 2 years if cared for properly.

looking for styles to get you started?

If you’ve ever wondered what styles of period underwear Team Thinx is loving, look no further. We rounded up some of our employees’ favorite styles, so you can get the inside scoop on our top Thinx picks — from the fan-fave Super Hi-Waist to our best-selling Sleep Shorts with built-in period undies.

PS: You can save a couple extra $$$ when you choose one of our curated Saver Sets, which feature some of our most-loved styles to build up your collection — and so you can have enough pairs of Thinx to last you all period long. Oh, and if you’re a college student, listen up: you can score $10 off your first Thinx purchase of $35+ (plus free shipping on your first order) when you register with Student Beans and verify your student status.

Have you considered making the switch to Thinx? Let us know in the comments!