Help…My Menstrual Cup Needs Cleaning!!!

Cleaning your menstrual cup is one of those things that is important but often made out to be a very complicated endeavor. Most cups come with instructions or in a pinch can easily be researched on Google. The manufacturer of your cup will recommend how to clean the cup and will eliminate any guesswork on your part. If you’re like me and find that the recommendations leave you wondering if you’re doing it right, then stay tuned for a very practical discussion.

Like most things, what you decide to do is based on your preference. When it comes to menstrual cups, for some reason there seems to be a school of thought that it should be sterilized and remain sterile before each use. While there is nothing wrong with this concept in theory…we live in a world where we change our cups in public restrooms and sometimes are not near a sink for rinsing or a stove for boiling. So, what do we do?!

Here’s where the disclaimer of “This is what I do…” applies not necessarily what everyone should do. I’ll explain what I do and why I do it, then you can decide what may work for you. Got it? Okay, let’s get into it.

Boil Your Menstrual Cup

I like to boil my cup for about five minutes when I first purchase it. After reading a few manuals I’ve found that the recommended boiling time is four to eight minutes. Also, boiling is the most widely accepted way to clean a silicone cup without potentially damaging it. Pro tips for boiling your cup includes setting a timer and making sure you use enough water to submerge the cup. Failure to do either of these will likely result in a burnt cup - don’t learn this the hard way.

Storing Your Menstrual Cup

Once my cup has been properly bathed, I store it in a cloth storage bag that I have hand-washed with a mild detergent. Cups generally come with a storage bag or you can find a cheap one on Etsy or a similar online store. As long as you store it in something that is breathable and NOT air-tight you’re good. Mold and other harmful bacteria/fungus like moisture so you don’t want risk growing any of it on your cup while in storage.

Changing Your Menstrual Cup

When Aunt Flo arrives and I start using my cup, I rinse it with water when I change it and just put it back in. I’ve read that some people like to boil their cup before re-inserting it. This calls for having at least two cups or wearing some other back-up menstrual product like pads, tampons, etc. There is nothing wrong with this approach obviously, but I am a “less is more” person so rinsing my one cup has served me just fine.

After Your Period Is Over

At the end of my period I do one of two things depending on what cup I’m using. If I wore a clear cup, or any color prone to staining, I soak my cup in a solution of half water and half peroxide (3%) overnight. I don’t measure this mixture but just eyeball it and call it good. When I wear cups with a color that doesn’t generally stain like black or red, I rinse my cup out and leave it on the sink until next month.

The following month I insert my cup and repeat the process of rinsing when I empty it, soaking it at the end (if applicable) or just rinsing it until the next use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are a list of FAQs if I didn’t address something above:

What about steaming your cup?

I recently purchased a steamer and use it for “light” cleaning but still prefer to boil my new cups. Light cleaning is reserved for when my cup has been in storage a while and smells kind of stale. Also, if my kids have grabbed my cup off the sink and played with it…

Will peroxide ruin my cup?!

I’m not certified in this area but I have not noticed any damage to any of the cups I’ve soaked. However, this does not guarantee that there isn’t some microscopic damage happening. My stance is that I’m willing to take that chance and will happily replace my cup if it’s life cycle is shortened from being soaked in peroxide. This beats the alternative of me being grossed out by a stained cup - though this has absolutely nothing to do with the functionality of the cup!

Does soaking your cup in peroxide cause yeast infections?

Some vaginas are more sensitive than others. Personally, I have never gotten a yeast infection from soaking my cup in peroxide. I thoroughly rinse my cup with water before I use it again. This includes squeezing water through the suction-release holes (if your cup has any) to get rid of any peroxide residue that may be hanging out there too.

Are there any other ways to remove staining besides peroxide?

Yep! You can also try leaving your cup in the sun. People swear by this method so I imagine it works. Peroxide hasn’t failed me yet so I haven’t tried this but I’d defiinitely be willing to give it a shot.

When my cup stinks, does it mean I have to throw it away?

Not necessarily. I would first attempt to clean it first and see if the smell goes away. Times that I’ve worn my cup for longer than 12 hours or for several days consecutively (with regular rinsing when emptying), my cup smells weird. It’s a unique smell that is definitely not good but doesn’t smell like body odor or an infection. I generally soak the cup in peroxide overnight. If it still smells I wear a different cup and just give that cup a break. This has always solved the problem for me.

Boiling the cup is another good alternative. Furthermore, others have mentioned adding baking soda, distilled vinegar and even bleach to the water when boiling. I’m of the mindset that I’ll try almost anything once. So, pick a method and give it a try.

Is it necessary to buy a name-brand menstrual cup cleanser?

Major cup companies like Dot Cup, Lunette and Saalt have made their own cup cleaning solutions. Since I’ve never used theirs (or any other brand for that matter) I can’t attest to the effectiveness of them. My vagina complains if it comes into contact with anything that has “fragrance” listed in the ingredients. So, I avoid doing anything fancy when it comes to cleaning. I bathe with Dove Sensitive bar soap and have on occasion lathered up my cup with some of this soap in between uses. I’m always careful to thoroughly rinse any traces of soap from my cup before use. Once again, I consider this a light cleaning and prefer to boil when I think my cup is truly unclean.

How do you clean your cup before re-inserting it with no sink close?

Honestly, my flow is light enough that I rarely (as in once in my life) have to use a public restroom to change my cup. However, when I’m using a restroom where the sink isn’t close, I wipe my cup with some toilet paper before putting it back in. Then when I get home I give it a better rinse.

My cup isn’t silicone, how do I clean it?

I’ve used a TPE cup before but have never soaked it in peroxide. There are also rubber menstrual cups, which I have zero experience with. If I were to clean either of these I would stick with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Do the same cleaning techniques apply to menstrual discs?

Yes. I currently use Lumma and Ziggy menstrual discs. I’ve soaked them both in diluted peroxide with no issue. While I think they would fit in my steamer, I haven’t tried that yet but don’t think there would be a problem. When boiling my menstrual disc I tend to only boil it for three minutes instead of the full five minutes. The material is a lot thinner than my menstrual cups so I reason that it shouldn’t take as long but that’s just my opinion.

Quick side note: when I soak my Lumma menstrual disc I have noticed the texture changed slightly but it tends to return back to normal after a day or so. I’m not sure why this happens.

Now, for my closing remarks. Don’t let the nuances of cleaning your reusable menstrual product overwhelm you. Figure it out as you go. If you are unsure, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions. When those are to your liking, do some research an try something new. Our vaginas don’t require your cup or disc to be textbook sterile…that’s why they survive sex which tends to involve contact with other non-sterile stuff — I’m sorry! It had to be said, lol.