Rinse in cold water after wearing, machine wash cold on a gentle cycle without fabric softener, and hang to dry or tumble dry low. That is the whole routine, and it is the difference between underwear that stays odour-free for 200+ washes and underwear that smells within a month. Below: the two products that quietly destroy an absorbent core, what to do when a pair already smells, drying, and the questions people ask on the forums that no care label answers.
The routine
- Rinse cold as soon as you take them off. Under a tap or in a basin, until the water runs clear. This is the step most people skip and the one that prevents residue setting into the core. If you cannot rinse straight away, fold the pair with the absorbent side inwards and rinse when you get home.
- Machine wash cold, gentle cycle, ordinary detergent. They can go in with the rest of the laundry. Cold, not warm: heat sets protein residue and shortens the life of the waterproof layer.
- No fabric softener, no dryer sheets, no bleach. Softener coats the absorbent fibres with a waxy film that repels liquid and traps smell. Bleach breaks the fibres down. Both cut capacity and cause the "they smell after a few washes" complaint.
- Hang to dry, or tumble dry low. High heat damages the waterproof layer. No ironing, no dry cleaning.
Do washable incontinence underwear smell?
Yes if you wash them wrong, no if you wash them right, and the difference is almost always fabric softener. "Incontinence pants stink, what am I doing wrong?" is a recurring thread on Mumsnet, and the answer in the thread is usually softener or a wash that was too cool and too short to clear the residue. Urine leaves behind urea and salts; ordinary detergent clears them if the fibres are not coated. Our cores are rated for 200+ washes without holding odour when washed as above.
How to get the smell out of a pair that already smells
Soak the pair for thirty minutes in cool water with either a cup of white vinegar or a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda (not both), then wash as normal without softener. Vinegar dissolves the mineral and urea residue; bicarbonate neutralises the ammonia smell. If a previous owner or a previous routine used softener, two or three washes without it strip the film and absorbency comes back. A pair that still smells after that has usually been dried damp in a closed space, which brings us to drying.
Can you put leak-proof underwear in the dryer?
Yes, on low. High heat is what damages the waterproof layer and the elastic, not the dryer itself. Skip dryer sheets for the same reason as softener. If you air dry, do it somewhere with airflow; a pair left damp for a day in a cold bathroom is where the "ammonia smell" complaints on the forums come from.
How long do they take to dry?
Longer than ordinary underwear because the core holds water, shorter than a towel. Wring gently (do not twist the gusset), hang with the gusset open to the air, and plan the rotation as if a washed pair is back in the drawer the day after tomorrow. A low tumble dry is the fastest route. Our how-many-pairs guide builds drying time into the count.
Do I have to wash them before the first wear?
One wash before wearing is a good idea, as with any new underwear: it removes finishing residue from manufacturing and opens the fibres of the core so it absorbs at full capacity from the first leak.
Can I wash them with other clothes?
Yes, after the cold rinse. Once rinsed they are underwear like any other. Turn them inside out if you want the gusset to get the most water.
How many times can you wash incontinence underwear?
Ours are rated for 200+ washes. In an eight-pair rotation that is more than four years of use. You will know a pair is nearing the end when it takes longer to wick a leak away from the skin, or when the leg elastic no longer sits flat. Retire that pair rather than trusting it on a long day.
What about travel, camping, and no sink?
Rinse when you can, not when you cannot. A folded pair in a zip pouch or a wet bag for a day or two does no harm; the waterproof layer keeps the bag dry. Rinse and wash when you reach a sink. Our travel guide covers the rest.
Things that shorten the life of the core
- Fabric softener and dryer sheets (the main cause of smell and lost absorbency).
- Bleach and stain removers with chlorine.
- Hot washes and high-heat drying.
- Ironing over the gusset.
- Leaving a wet pair in a closed bag or a laundry basket for days before rinsing.
Common questions
How do you wash incontinence underwear?
Rinse in cold water after wearing, machine wash cold on a gentle cycle with ordinary detergent, and hang to dry or tumble dry low. No fabric softener, dryer sheets or bleach.
Do washable incontinence underwear smell?
Not when washed without fabric softener and rinsed before washing. Softener coats the absorbent fibres and traps residue, which is the usual cause when a pair smells after a few washes.
How do I get the urine smell out of washable underwear?
Soak for thirty minutes in cool water with a cup of white vinegar or a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda, then wash without softener. Two or three softener-free washes restore absorbency to a pair that had been washed with it.
Can you put leak-proof underwear in the dryer?
Yes, on a low setting, without dryer sheets. High heat damages the waterproof layer and the elastic.
How long do washable incontinence underwear last?
Ours are rated for 200+ washes, which is more than four years in an eight-pair rotation. Softener, bleach and heat shorten that.
Do I need to wash them before the first use?
One wash before wearing is recommended. It removes manufacturing residue and lets the core absorb at full capacity from the start.
Can I wash them with my other laundry?
Yes, after the cold rinse. Turn them inside out so the gusset gets the most water.
Written by Laura Hopson, founder of Maven Nove. Last updated 10 September 2026.