Underpad Width and Length: Comparing 60x90cm vs 30x36 Formats

August 21, 2026

Underpad Width and Length: Comparing 60x90cm vs 30x36 Formats

The purchasing coordinator at a 140-bed LTC home in Winnipeg had a recurring argument with her distributor. Half the care floors wanted the large 60x90cm pads, half insisted the 30x36-inch pads were cheaper per case. Both sides were right about their own numbers — and both were ignoring the actual question, which is not "what size is cheaper" but "what size covers the risk area without waste."

Underpad sizing looks like a trivial choice until you add up a year of pads. The two dominant formats in the Canadian market measure the same usable area on paper, but they behave differently in bed, in storage, and in the cart. Here is how to make the decision on data, not habit.

The Two Formats, Side by Side

Dimension	60x90cm	30x36 inch (approx. 76x91cm)
Coverage length	90 cm	91 cm
Coverage width	60 cm	76 cm
Typical use	LTC beds, stretchers	LTC beds, chairs, wheelchairs
Absorbent core	5-layer with SAP option	Heavy absorbency, SAP option
Pack format	50-pack, vacuum-compressed	50-pack, vacuum-compressed

The practical difference is width. The 30x36-inch pad is wider, which helps in beds where residents turn frequently and in wheelchairs where lateral coverage matters. The 60x90cm pad is longer relative to its width, which suits residents who lie straight and need lengthwise protection through the night. From a procurement standpoint, both formats fall under the same Health Canada regulatory framework for disposable medical products sold in Canada — so the decision comes down to care outcomes, not compliance differences.

Match the Pad to the Care Scenario

Bed-bound residents with heavy incontinence generate most of a home's underpad volume. For them, the deciding factor is how much of the risk zone the pad covers. A resident who moves side to side needs width; a resident who stays supine needs length. If your care team cannot agree, run a two-week trial with both sizes on the same floor and count leaks — the data will settle the argument.

Chair and wheelchair use changes the math entirely. A wide pad drapes over the seat better and catches runoff from the sides, so the 30x36-inch format is often the practical choice for chair-bound residents. That is a different product decision from bed use, and many homes stock both sizes for exactly this reason.

CliniEco 60x90cm 5-layer vacuum-compressed underpads

Storage and Handling Differences

Both formats ship vacuum-compressed, which is the single biggest lever on freight and shelf space. A vacuum-compressed 50-pack takes roughly a third of the space of an uncompressed case. For a 140-bed home ordering 20 cases at a time, that difference can mean one pallet instead of three.

If storage space is tight — and it always is in LTC supply rooms — compare the compressed case footprint of the two sizes before choosing. The 60x90cm vacuum pack from CliniEco Medical, for example, is designed to stack efficiently with glove and gown cases, keeping the supply room organized around a standard shelf grid.

Cost Per Use, Not Cost Per Pack

The right way to compare sizes is cost per effective use. A pad that is too small gets doubled up by staff — two pads per change, double the consumption, double the waste stream. A pad that is too large wastes absorbent capacity that nobody needed. Track pads per resident per day for each size during the trial period, then multiply by the case price to get the real number.

Homes that run the numbers often find the larger-looking format is not the costlier one once doubling is eliminated. The 60x90cm pads with a 5-layer SAP core absorb more per pad, which means fewer changes overnight and less linen damage — both of which are invisible on the invoice but visible on the budget.

CliniEco heavy absorbency underpads for LTC beds

What CliniEco Medical Stocks

CliniEco Medical carries both formats so homes can standardize on what their care plan actually uses: 60x90cm 5-layer SAP vacuum-compressed underpads for bed use, and 30x36-inch heavy absorbency underpads for chair, wheelchair and wide-bed scenarios. Both are available in 50-pack cases with lot traceability for documentation.

For homes standardizing across the full continence program, pair the pads with adult incontinence briefs from the same order so absorbency ratings match the care plan, not just the product page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 60x90cm the same as 30x36 inches?

Close, but not identical. 60x90cm is roughly 24x35 inches; 30x36 inches is about 76x91cm. The 30x36 format is wider, the 60x90 format is longer relative to width. The better choice depends on whether the resident needs width for turning or length for supine coverage.

Which underpad size do LTC homes use most?

Both are common. Canadian homes often stock 60x90cm for bed use and 30x36-inch for chairs and wheelchairs. The right mix depends on the resident population's mobility and incontinence profile — a data-based trial beats a supplier's default recommendation.

How do vacuum-compressed underpads affect storage?

Compression cuts case volume by roughly two-thirds versus uncompressed product. A home that orders vacuum-compressed pads can hold more inventory in the same supply room and pays less freight per pad — two reasons this format dominates LTC procurement.