Bedding U-Haul Pad Problems?

[Annmarie]

So I have taken the advice of many on this site and bought some uhaul pads. The uhaul store clerk told me that they are made of 100% receycled denim. I went ahead and bought 3 of them and when I washed the first one it has already started to show thinning and I haven't even used it in the cages yet. Has anyone else had this problem with uhaul pads?

 

[Kritastrophe]

Yea, they always seem to break down a little bit every time you wash them. Mine haven't fallen apart yet and I've had them for about 3 months. So well worth the 5 bucks each it cost me. I originally used an absorbent cotton pad liner that's been holding up a lot better, but it was way too expensive to keep buying more for future liners. Same thing with towels, they can add up. My u-haul pads keep their absorbency though, even after all the washes.

 

[pinky]

Wash them with the gentle cycle in warm water. They lint up the first time you wash them.

 

[Kristine]

Sew it in between layers of fleece and sew through the center to prevent it from bunching, that should help limit the breakdown of the uhaul pad.

 

[cyndyt]

I just this morning threw out all my uHaul pads.
They did not hold up as I would have liked at all. The ones I threw out this am were full of holes. I orginally thought I would cut and piece but couldn't.
There were holes after the first washing from rubbing against the washer.
My guinea pigs did not help at all as they ate it.

I bought more yesterday and will not be using the until they are cut to size and sewn to fleece.
I washed them this am but took them to a laundry mat

 

[couchon]

My problem with U-haul pads is that from what I read they are sprayed with fire retardant chemicals (I would check with U-Haul, just to be sure they didn't stop that practice, but I don't see why they would). I am absoluteky not OK with my pigs living in close 24-hour-a-day contact with these checmicals.

 

[pinky]

My problem with U-haul pads is that from what I read they are sprayed with fire retardant chemicals (I would check with U-Haul, just to be sure they didn't stop that practice, but I don't see why they would). I am absoluteky not OK with my pigs living in close 24-hour-a-day contact with these checmicals.

Polar fleece is flammable unless it's been treated with flame retardants. I think this was an issue a few years ago with children's pajamas being flammable so flame retardants were added. If it's safe for kids, I'd assume it would be safe for pets, too. Considering the amount of washing that's done on this bedding, I'd imagine it would wash off, too.

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

You must have gotten a bad batch because I have been using the same 4 or so pads for 6 months now with out sewing them to anything. They have frayed and they lint a lot but there are not hole or even thin spots.

 

[Digital_Dad]

We sewed ours in to a liner so thinning hasn't been an issue that we could see anyway. The newer Uhaul blankets are a lower quality compared to the older ones.
Our newly sewn 2x5 liners have shrunk 2" on each end so 4" total length lost. We washed and dried the fleece and the Uhaul pads 3 times each before we cut and sewed them together.
Anyone have any ideas on fixing this?

 

[Carissa6729]

You must have gotten a bad batch because I have been using the same 4 or so pads for 6 months now with out sewing them to anything. They have frayed and they lint a lot but there are not hole or even thin spots.

I've also never had a problem. I cut mine and restitched the open side so that it wouldn't fray at that end but I've never had a problem with washing or having holes with minimal fraying which is to be expected with many things that are washed frequently and used 24/7. They do however lint a ton and I find myself cleaning out the lint trap at least twice while drying but other then that, no issues.

 

[couchon]

I read that they were flame-retardant on a moving forum. The information is from 2004, which is why I mentioned that I don't know if this is still the case. I just called U-Haul myself, just out of curiosity, and they actually told me that they couldn't tell me for sure whether the balnkets are fire-retardant or not. So if anything, looking into it more is warranted (like looking on the label on the actual blanket, if there is one or maybe contacting the blanket supplier). For myself, I am going to stay on the safe side until I know otherwise. I think people should be aware it's a possiblity.

Actually, I just thought of this - there is a really easy way to check. Cut off a small strip of the blanket and (in a safe environment, preferably outdoors and having something to extinguish it) try to light it with a match. If it smolders rather than catches fire, the blanket contains fire retardants. I don't own these blankets, so I can't run the test myself.

 

[cyndyt]

You must have gotten a bad batch because I have been using the same 4 or so pads for 6 months now with out sewing them to anything. They have frayed and they lint a lot but there are not hole or even thin spots.

Are you using the quilted or regular pads?

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

regular pad

 

[pinky]

We sewed ours in to a liner so thinning hasn't been an issue that we could see anyway. The newer Uhaul blankets are a lower quality compared to the older ones.
Our newly sewn 2x5 liners have shrunk 2" on each end so 4" total length lost. We washed and dried the fleece and the Uhaul pads 3 times each before we cut and sewed them together.
Anyone have any ideas on fixing this?

Within the last couple of months I bought new uhaul pads and they were the nicest ones I've ever bought. They were a little thicker. I wash them once and dry them on high prior to cutting them. I made 15 new sets of pads with fleece on both sides and a single layer of uhaul padding in the middle. When I lay them out to cut and pin them, I make sure the fleece is tight. As long as I do that and stitch across both ways on the finished pads, I've had no problems with shrinkage or loose fleece. If the fleece is loose at all, you'll end up with baggy fleece pads.