Menstrual sponge: how to use and clean it

A menstrual sponge is a sustainable alternative to conventional hygiene products such as pads and tampons. You can read here what other advantages a menstrual sponge has, and how to use and clean it correctly.

Many women still use disposable products such as sanitary towels or tampons during their period. These consist to a large extent of plastic or are wrapped in it. Round 45 billion menstrual products are used worldwide every year and are often disposed of incorrectly. The result: Sanitary towels and tampons are the ones fifth most common type of wastethat washes up on beaches.

Fortunately, there are more and more sustainable alternatives so you can use environmentally friendly products during your period: from Menstrual cups above Period underwear and self-sewn cloth bandages to the menstrual sponge – all of these products will help you avoid rubbish.

In this article, we introduce you to the menstrual sponge as a sustainable method for monthly hygiene. You will learn how to use it correctly, its advantages and how to properly clean your menstrual sponge.

What is a menstrual sponge?

Be used for menstrual sponges fine-pored sponges used. Sponges are often mistaken for plants. In fact, they are animals that belong to the invertebrate multicellular group. This is the menstrual sponge no vegan alternative for monthly hygiene.

You can use a menstrual sponge in different sizes to buy. Usually the sponge is between five and eight centimeters in size and oval shaped. The color of the sponge is yellow to brown. Since it is a natural product, the sponges are not uniform in size, shape and color.

Benefits of menstrual sponges:

• A menstrual sponge is a renewable natural product. It is free from plastic and harmful substances.
• The menstrual sponge is suitable for all women of all ages.
• Unlike conventional hygiene products, menstrual sponges are reusable
• This not only saves you money with a menstrual sponge, but also also avoid packaging.
• Menstrual sponges do not dry out the vagina and are therefore particularly comfortable to wear.
• The sponge sits inside, adapts to the shape of the vagina and is therefore not noticeable to the wearer.

Leaderboard: Organic tampons, washable pads, menstrual cups & sponges

• 1st placeLunette menstrual cup

  4.8

  58

  DetailAvocado Store **

• place 2Kulmine sanitary towels & panty liners

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  17th

  detailKulmine **

• place 3Me Luna menstrual cup

  4.8

  13

  detail

• 4th placeNatracare tampons, sanitary towels & panty liners

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  Detail Avocado Store **

• 5th placeOrganyc tampons, pads & panty liners

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• Rank 6Almo panty liners & sanitary towels

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  detailAlmo **

• 7th placeMasmi tampons, panty liners & menstrual cups

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  2

  detailBioNaturel **

• 8th placeMylily organic tampons

  5.0

  2

  detailMylily.eu **

• 9th placeRuby Cup menstrual cup

  5.0

  2

  DetailAvocado Store **

Use a menstrual sponge – this is how it works

A menstrual sponge works much like a tampon. The sponges absorb moisture and take it inside.

How to use a menstrual sponge:

• Place your menstrual sponge before the first application in vinegar water in a mixing ratio of 1: 2 (vinegar: water) to clean it and neutralize the pH value.
• Then squeeze out all of the liquid and guide the sponge like a tampon one. Use your middle finger to push the menstrual sponge further up into the vagina. There the sponge adapts to your body shape – you shouldn’t feel it while wearing it.
• It hangs like a tampon Wearing time on the strength of your bleeding: In the heavier phase you should change the sponge every two to four hours, after that it is sufficient to change the sponge after four to eight hours. As long as your bleeding isn’t too heavy, you can easily wear the sponge overnight.
• Remove The easiest way to use the menstrual sponge is by crouching. Tense the pelvic floor muscles and press your sponge downwards. Then you can grab the sponge with your index finger and thumb, like you would with a pair of tweezers. At the beginning you need a little practice, but the soaked sponge also slides further down itself.
• Should you Difficulty removing of the sponge, you can also tie or even sew a cotton thread around the sponge.
• Before you put the menstrual sponge back in, wash it with cold water so that the blood does not clot and can be removed without leaving any residue.
• The menstrual sponge is also suitable for Sexual intercourse during the period. Since the sponge is soft and sits in the upper part of the vagina, it does not interfere and enables bleeding-free sex.
• If your bleeding is particularly heavy, you can insert two sponges or the menstrual sponge with washable pads (for example from Kulmine**) combine.

Tip: If your menstrual sponge is too big, you can easily cut it to size. To do this, wet the sponge first. So you can better assess the size.

Cleaning: This is how you wash the menstrual sponge

To ensure that you can reuse your menstrual sponge for as long as possible and that hygiene is guaranteed, you should clean the sponge thoroughly after your bleeding. Note the following points:

• Use only water and vinegar to clean the sponge. Put the sponge in overnight Vinegar water in a ratio of 1: 2 (vinegar: water) to eliminate germs.
• Alternatively, you can use a few drops Tea tree oil add. The essential oil has an antibacterial effect and gives a pleasant scent.
• Then rinse the menstrual sponge thoroughly with lukewarm water. The water should be there definitely not too hot his. Under no circumstances should you boil the menstrual sponge! This kills the sponge, making it hard and unable to absorb any more liquid.
• Put the sponge in a warm, dry place to dry. The bathroom is not a suitable place for this because of high humidity.
• Store the menstrual sponge in an air-accessible place, such as a cotton bag or wash mitt. Since the sponge is a living organism, an airtight box is not suitable for storage.

Buying a menstrual sponge: What to look out for

Menstrual sponges are also called Levantine sponge because the fine-pored sponges are mainly harvested on the Levantine coast. The eastern part of the Mediterranean is known as the Levantine Sea – from Turkey to Syria, Israel to Libya.

The sponges that you can buy and use as a menstrual sponge are important for that ecological balance of the seas. Sponges filter the sea water to eat and thus contribute to a healthy climate.

Therefore, you should make sure that you only buy hand-picked sponges from controlled growing areas. Care is taken to ensure that the root is preserved and that the sponges can continue to spread naturally so that the species is preserved.

To buy: Menstrual sponges are available from various suppliers. The ones shown here are (in alphabetical order) from Almo **, Marie nature, Kulmine ** and Bloodmilla.

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• Menstrual leave: helpful or nonsensical?