Cleaning the menstrual cup: how it works

You have probably heard of menstrual cups that are very environmentally friendly because you can use them again and again. You can find out how to properly clean the menstrual cup here.

Cleaning the menstrual cup - it's that easy

More and more women are switching from tampons and insoles to plastic-free menstrual cups. They cost more to buy, but if you care for them properly, you can reuse the cup for years. By the way, you produce much less waste than with conventional feminine hygiene products. But you may have concerns about switching to it because you are not sure whether you can get this thing clean again. But don't worry: cleaning is really easy, there are only a few things to consider.

• Before using for the first time, you should put the cup in boiling water for about 20 minutes to disinfect it well. The cup should never stick to or float on the floor. You can easily prevent both by placing the cup in a whisk and then hanging it in the boiling water. You should also do this step each time before using the cup again so that it remains well disinfected.
• During menstruation, it is sufficient to rinse the cup with water for cleaning. It is important that you rinse first with cold and then with warm water, otherwise discolouration can occur.
• If you are on the go and do not have a wash basin right next to the toilet, you can clean the cup with a little water from a bottle or use cleaning cloths specially designed for the cups. If you don't have that with you, it's okay to wipe the cup with toilet paper or just urinate on it. Urine is sterile in healthy people.
• After menstruation, you can boil the cup back in water with a little vinegar. This has a disinfectant effect and also helps get rid of discoloration. Any grooves or lettering on the cup are best cleaned with a toothbrush.
• The ventilation holes in the menstrual cup must also be cleaned carefully. This works best with a toothpick that has been dipped in alcohol or with small brushes for interdental spaces.
• If, despite all caution, the cup begins to discolour, you can soak it in three percent hydrogen peroxide solution (best obtained from the pharmacy), lemon juice or vinegar for an hour. If that doesn't work either, you can boil the cup in water with a teaspoon of baking soda. You can get rid of particularly stubborn discolouration with a toothbrush soaked in a water-soda mixture.
• If you opt for a cleaning method in which the cup comes into direct contact with acid or chemicals, you have to boil the menstrual cup with water afterwards so that no residues remain that could irritate your mucous membrane.
• Of course there are also a number of liquid soaps and disinfectants specifically for the menstrual cup, but these are not necessary. With simple home remedies, the menstrual cup is easy to clean so that you can enjoy it for a long time.

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In the next article we will explain how you can avoid even more plastic.