If you’ve searched for waterproof bed protection in the UK, you’ve almost certainly come across Brolly Sheets. They’re one of the most consistently recommended products in bedwetting forums, Facebook groups, and parenting communities — and for good reason. But they’re also not cheap, and they’re not right for every situation. This review covers what Brolly Sheets actually are, how they perform, who they suit, and where their limits lie.
What Are Brolly Sheets?
Brolly Sheets are washable, waterproof bed pads designed to protect the mattress during bedwetting. They originated in Australia and are now widely available in the UK through the brand’s own website and various retailers. The core design is a quilted, absorbent top layer bonded to a waterproof backing — the idea being that the sheet absorbs the wetting and the backing stops it reaching the mattress.
They come in several formats:
- Standard Brolly Sheet — a flat pad that sits on top of the fitted sheet, held in place by tucking under the mattress
- Brolly Sheet with Wings — the same pad but with fabric wings that wrap under the mattress to anchor it more securely
- Fitted Brolly Sheet — a full waterproof fitted sheet that replaces the regular fitted sheet entirely
- Pillow protectors and duvet protectors — sold separately for complete bed coverage
Sizes range from cot through to adult/king, which makes them relevant for a wide age range — including older children and teenagers for whom bedwetting products are already in short supply.
How Well Do Brolly Sheets Actually Work?
Absorbency and containment
For moderate overnight wetting, the standard Brolly Sheet does a solid job. The quilted top layer absorbs and spreads liquid rather than pooling it, which helps prevent immediate skin contact. Most parents report that for typical bedwetting volumes, the child wakes up feeling less wet than they would on an unprotected sheet.
That said, Brolly Sheets are bed protection — they are not a substitute for a pull-up or absorbent product worn by the child. They catch overflow and protect the mattress. If a child wets heavily, a Brolly Sheet alone may not prevent wet pyjamas, wet bedding around the edges, or the child waking cold. For heavy wetters, combining a Brolly Sheet with a well-fitted pull-up or taped brief gives the best outcome.
The wings version vs the standard
The winged version is worth the minor price difference. Standard pads shift during the night — especially with active sleepers — and a pad that’s migrated to one side isn’t protecting anything useful. The wings loop around and tuck under the mattress to hold position through the night. For children who move around a lot, or who wet towards the end of the night when they may be changing position, this matters.
Waterproof backing
The waterproof layer performs well when the product is new and properly cared for. It uses a soft polyurethane laminate (PUL) rather than crinkly plastic, which is quieter and more comfortable. Some parents report that after extensive washing over many months, the backing can begin to degrade — this is common across all PUL products and is worth factoring into cost calculations over time.
Practical Considerations
Drying time
This is the main practical limitation. Brolly Sheets are bulky, and air-drying takes several hours — sometimes most of a day. If your child wets every night, you will need at least two, ideally three, to rotate through washing and drying. Tumble drying is possible on a low heat but repeated high-heat tumble drying will shorten the lifespan of the waterproof layer.
Noise and texture
For children with sensory sensitivities — including many autistic children — the feel and sound of a bed pad can be a significant issue. Brolly Sheets are notably softer and quieter than many competitors. The quilted cotton-feel top layer is well-tolerated by most sensory-sensitive children in practice, though individual responses vary. If texture is a known issue for your child, it may be worth ordering one to test before committing to multiple.
Washing
Machine washable at 60°C, which is important for hygiene with regular wetting. The brand recommends avoiding fabric softener, which can reduce absorbency over time — a point worth following.
Price and Value
Brolly Sheets sit at the premium end of the washable bed pad market. A winged Brolly Sheet in a single-bed size typically retails between £35–£50 depending on size and retailer. That’s a meaningful outlay, particularly if you need multiple.
The counter-argument on cost is durability. A well-maintained Brolly Sheet should last two or more years of nightly use, making the per-use cost competitive with disposable options over time. For families where bedwetting is a long-term reality rather than a temporary phase, the maths generally favours reusables — though the upfront cost remains a barrier.
It’s also worth checking whether your child qualifies for NHS continence products. Some areas supply washable bed pads through continence services, though provision varies significantly by region. A continence nurse referral via your GP is the place to start.
Who Brolly Sheets Are Best Suited For
- Children with moderate overnight wetting who are already wearing a pull-up and need backup mattress protection
- Families where laundry management is a priority — reusable pads reduce sheet-changing significantly
- Sensory-sensitive children who tolerate soft, quiet materials better than crinkly alternatives
- Older children and teenagers where dignity matters and a discreet, adult-looking product is preferable
- Families committed to reducing disposable waste over a long-term bedwetting management plan
Where Brolly Sheets Have Limits
- Heavy wetters without any absorbent product — the pad will absorb a significant amount, but very large void volumes will saturate it and may still reach the mattress
- Families without reliable drying facilities — if tumble drying isn’t an option and indoor drying space is limited, rotating through multiple pads becomes harder
- Very tight budgets — the upfront cost is real, and cheaper alternatives exist if funds are constrained
If overnight leaks are a persistent problem despite using both a quality pull-up and a bed pad, the issue is often with the pull-up’s design rather than the bed protection. Understanding why overnight pull-ups leak can help you troubleshoot what’s actually going wrong — it’s frequently a fit and absorbent core placement issue rather than volume alone.
How Brolly Sheets Compare to Alternatives
Versus cheaper disposable bed pads
Disposable pads (such as Kylie-style or supermarket own-brand pads) cost less upfront but add up quickly with nightly use. They’re also less absorbent in most cases, and the plastic backing tends to be noisier. For short-term or infrequent use, disposables are reasonable. For regular nightly use, reusables are almost always more cost-effective over time.
Versus a full waterproof mattress protector
A waterproof fitted mattress protector provides complete mattress coverage but doesn’t absorb — it just stops liquid reaching the mattress. You still need to change the full bedding when a wet happens. A Brolly Sheet over a basic mattress protector gives both coverage and absorption, and means you only need to strip and wash the pad rather than the whole bed. Many families use both together.
Versus other branded washable pads
TENA, Incontinence Shop own-brand, and various Amazon alternatives exist at lower price points. Brolly Sheets generally outperform these on softness, durability, and washability — but the gap is not enormous on basic function. If budget is the primary constraint, a mid-range alternative will still provide meaningful protection.
The Bottom Line on Brolly Sheets
Brolly Sheets are one of the better-designed washable bed pads available in the UK. For families managing regular overnight bedwetting, they offer a practical, durable, and sensory-friendly solution that reduces laundry burden over time. They work best as part of a layered approach — paired with an appropriate absorbent product worn by the child — rather than as a standalone fix for heavy wetting.
If you’re still working out which product combination suits your child’s wetting pattern, it’s worth reading about what parents say about overnight leaks — the patterns that emerge can help you identify whether the issue is the bed protection, the pull-up, or the combination of the two.
For families where the emotional weight of ongoing bedwetting is as much a concern as the practical side, managing bedwetting stress as a family covers what genuinely helps beyond the product choices.
If you’re uncertain whether bedwetting warrants a GP conversation at this stage, this guide on when bedwetting is a problem sets out the signs clearly.
Brolly Sheets won’t solve bedwetting — nothing will except time and, in some cases, clinical intervention. But as part of a sensible night management plan, they do what they’re designed to do reliably and without fuss.