Cleaning your menstrual cup: What you should pay attention to

You have to clean a menstrual cup regularly to keep it hygienic. You can read how to clean your cup properly during and after your period here.

Many women prefer to use menstrual cups during their period instead of tampons, sanitary pads or panty liners. The cups have several advantages over conventional hygiene products: you save a lot of waste and money over the years, you have to empty them less often and at the same time you are doing something good for your health. Menstrual cups are usually made of medical silicone or natural rubber – tampons and sanitary pads, on the other hand, are often contaminated with harmful substances.

You can find out more about this topic here: Menstrual cup: the waste-free alternative to tampons and sanitary pads.

If you use a menstrual cup, you need to clean it regularly. Hygiene is very important with a cup like this that you can use for many years. In the following sections, you will learn how best to clean your menstrual cup.

Clean the menstrual cup before first use

If you have bought a new menstrual cup, it is advisable to disinfect it before inserting it for the first time. To do this, boil it in hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes. You do not need any special cleaning products for this.

Here’s how to do it:

Fill a small pot with enough water to cover the menstrual cup. Bring the water to a boil on the stove with the lid on.
When you put the menstrual cup in the pot, make sure it doesn’t touch the bottom; it could burn. So clamp the menstrual cup in a whisk, for example.
Leave the menstrual cup in the boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the whisk from the pot and let the cup dry on a clean piece of toilet paper.

Some manufacturers offer special silicone cups for cleaning (you can find them at Avocadostore, among others). You can use them to boil the menstrual cup in the microwave for about three minutes. You can also use them to take the cup with you when you travel.

Cleaning your menstrual cup: During your period

During your period, you should clean the menstrual cup under cold water.
(Photo: CC0 / Pexels / Nataliya Vaitkevich)

Clean your menstrual cup daily during your period. Nabu recommends rinsing the cup briefly under cold running water each time you change it.

If you are in a public toilet where there is no sink nearby, you can alternatively wipe the menstrual cup with a tissue or some toilet paper. Then clean it thoroughly again at the next opportunity.

Some manufacturers offer special cleaning wipes in addition to the menstrual cup (you can find them at Avocadostore, among others). You can use these – but it is not absolutely necessary. The wipes also create avoidable waste.

Important: Before inserting or removing your cup, you should always wash your hands thoroughly!

After your period: always boil your menstrual cup

You can clean your menstrual cup in boiling water.
(Photo: CC0 / Pixabay / werbeguru)

When your period is over, you should always boil your menstrual cup to kill germs and bacteria. You can read how to do this above. Here you can proceed in the same way as when cleaning it before first use. However, a ten-minute bath in boiling water is completely sufficient. The microwave is also ideal for regular cleaning, as described above. In fact, it is not enough to simply pour boiling water over the menstrual cup, as this does not sterilize it sufficiently.

Tip: White and transparent menstrual cups in particular can discolor over time. This is not a problem from a hygienic point of view, but if it bothers you, you can do something about it. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when boiling. Alternatively, according to the Nabu, you can soak the menstrual cup in a little vinegar or citric acid and leave it to work for a short time. It is important that you rinse the cup well afterwards so that no residue remains on it.

Store the cleaned and dried menstrual cup in the cloth bag provided until your next period.

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