How we test sanitary pads

We find out which pads are best for absorption, keep you feeling dry and stay in place.

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Last updated: 22 Nov 2019

Whether you’re buying a liner, regular, super, night, maternity, with or without wings sanitary pad, we need to feel comfortable and protected during that time of the month. Our tests help you find the best type for your needs.

How we choose what we test

With such a huge range of products on the market, what makes us choose one sanitary pad product to test over another?

Well, as with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the most brands on the market and to reflect what you’re likely to see in stores.

We check in-store to see what’s available and we survey manufacturers to find out about their range of products, and we use this information to put together a final list that goes to our buyers. They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a normal consumer would.

We do this so we can be sure they’re the same as any consumer would find them and not ‘tweaked’ in any way.

The dosing apparatus used to measure absorbency speed.

How we test

We send the sanitary pad products to a laboratory for testing.

We also calculate the value for money of each product by measuring how much each costs based on the pack size.

Absorbency score

Using a special dosing apparatus, each product is tested for its absorbency speed.

A specific amount of saline solution is dosed into the centre of the sanitary pad using the dosage pump. The amount of time it takes for the liquid to disappear is recorded and the process is repeated once more after waiting for three minutes.

The total time for both gushes to absorb is taken as the absorption speed.

Filter papers are used to measure rewet (wet feeling).

Wet feeling (rewet) score

Five minutes after the last gush from the absorbency test, six pre-weighed dry filter papers are placed on the sanitary pad and held down for 30 seconds.

The filter paper is then removed and immediately weighed.

Ideally, the filter paper should remain relatively dry.

Velcro strength (stay in place) score

We measure the force required to pull the pad from a cotton surface.

We also look for any leakages during testing and note if a leak was observed. This isn’t scored.

Test criteria explained

The overall score is made up of:

Absorbency (60%),
Wet feeling (20%) and
Velcro strength (20%).

Rebecca

I joined CHOICE in 2008 as a work experience student while studying my Bachelor of Science (Nutrition and Food) at the University of Western Sydney. I've been with CHOICE ever since. My first job was in a room full of muesli, collecting all their nutritional data. When I completed my course, CHOICE offered me a full-time position as a Test Officer in the Kitchen Lab. In 2009, I moved into the role of household content producer. I write about a wide range of children's and household products, ranging from cots and strollers to ovens, BBQs, espresso machines and electric blankets. I even write about grocery items such as nappies, sanitary pads and laundry detergents. I love my job and the extremely talented and passionate group of people I work with. I love knowing that our research, testing and results go a long way to helping consumers with their buying decisions by highlighting great products – and singling out poorly performing ones. You can find me on LinkedIn.