60x90 cm vs 30x36 Inch Underpads: Which Size Do You Need?

The two underpad sizes most Canadian buyers compare are the metric 60 x 90 cm bed pad and the imperial 30 x 36 inch pad, and the practical difference is where the pad is used. A 60 x 90 cm pad is sized for bed use under a full-length patient, while a 30 x 36 inch pad is usually a chair, trolley or procedure-table pad. Buying the wrong one shows up as either an uncovered mattress section or a pad that is repositioned several times a shift.

Match the pad to the bed or chair it serves: the 60 x 90 cm five-layer underpad for bed use, and the 30 x 36 inch heavy-absorbency underpad for chairs and procedure surfaces.

What is the difference between 60 x 90 cm and 30 x 36 inch?

In round numbers, 60 x 90 cm is about 24 x 35 inches, so the metric pad is narrower but longer than a 30 x 36 inch pad. That geometry is the whole story: the longer pad covers the mattress under a lying resident, and the wider pad gives more lateral coverage on a chair.

Absorbency is a separate decision from size, which is why the last row points at the specification rather than at the size.

Does size affect how much a pad absorbs?

Not directly, but it affects how much of the load the pad actually catches. A pad that is too small for the surface it protects will be repositioned, and repositioning is when leakage escapes. A properly sized pad keeps the absorbent core under the point of contact, so the core’s rated capacity is the figure that matters.

When comparing pads, look past the size label to the number of layers and the superabsorbent polymer content. Two pads of the same footprint can differ substantially in how much they hold, and that is usually the difference a buyer actually feels at the bedside.

Which size should a long-term care home stock?

Beds first. A home should size its standard pad to the mattress it protects, then add a chair pad for daytime positioning, then handle bariatric beds with a larger footprint again. Ordering a single size across the home produces either extra laundry or a ward that improvises with two pads per bed.

A simple stock rule: one pad size per bed type, one pad size per chair type, and a label on each carton stating which surface it fits. That removes the guesswork shift to shift.

How does this compare with the imperial buying habit in the US?

US catalogues are built around inches, so 30 x 36 and 34 x 36 are familiar labels, while Canadian supply increasingly lists metric dimensions alongside them. The two systems do not map exactly, so the safe approach is to compare the actual measurement rather than the label.

When a listing shows both, treat the metric figure as the primary specification and the inch figure as a convenience conversion. For a multi-site operator buying for both countries, standardise the specification sheet in metric and let the catalogue label follow.

How do you switch between sizes without breaking the budget?

Audit usage by surface before changing anything. Count how many pads each bed and chair consumes per week, then map those counts to the sizes you actually need. Most homes find one size is over-ordered for a surface that does not need it, and that single correction pays for the correctly sized pad elsewhere.

Then set a par level per surface rather than per home, so the replacement rhythm reflects where the pads are used. The incontinence supply planner does that arithmetic from resident or bed counts.

What mistakes show up most often in pad ordering?

Three recur. Ordering one size for every surface is the first, and it produces both waste and workarounds. Choosing absorbency by price rather than by litres is the second, and it shows up as mid-shift changes. Ignoring the container or carton format is the third, because a pad that does not fit the storage trolley gets stored on the floor, which is both a handling and an inspection problem.

Correct all three in one pass: confirm the surface each pad serves, confirm the absorbency tier it needs, and confirm where the carton will live. Those three checks take a few minutes at ordering time and remove most of the rework that follows.

Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers. Reselling? become a distributor.

Plan the volumes before you order: use the clinic supply planner, download the printable log and checklist pack, and set up a wholesale account for multi-site ordering.

Related reading

Underpad layers, absorbency and sizing explained · Underpad reorder planning · Incontinence care

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a 60 x 90 cm and a 30 x 36 inch underpad?

The 60 x 90 cm pad is about 24 x 35 inches and suits bed protection, while the 30 x 36 inch pad is wider and suits chairs, trolleys and procedure surfaces.

Does a bigger pad absorb more?

Not automatically. Absorbency depends on the number of layers and the amount of superabsorbent polymer, which is a separate specification from size.

Which size should a long-term care home stock?

One size per bed type and one per chair type, rather than a single size across the home.

Are metric and imperial pad sizes interchangeable?

Not exactly. Compare the actual measurement rather than the label, and treat the metric figure as the primary specification.

How do I reduce underpad spend?

Audit usage per surface, map the counts to the sizes actually needed, and set a par level per surface rather than per home.

CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).