How to Use a Menstrual Disc

More than 1.8 billion people worldwide have periods. Menstruation is a completely normal thing, and people have different ways of dealing with it. Some traditional ways are with pads or tampons, but these days, other methods such as menstrual cups and discs are becoming more popular. 

If you're thinking about trying a menstrual cup, you might be wondering about the process of how to clean a menstrual cup. After all, such a cup is reusable and there is a right and wrong way to go about cleaning it so it remains safe for your body. But where should you start?

Keep reading and learn more about menstrual cups, how to use them, and how to clean them. 

The Process of Cleaning a Menstrual Cup

There are many factors to consider when cleaning a period cup. What many people don't know is that they should clean their period cup before inserting it for the first time. While a new menstrual cup is likely already clean, it may still have some stray bacteria from where it was manufactured. 

Of course, the last thing you want to do is insert foreign bacteria into your body. A good way to clean your cup for the first time is to boil it in a pot of water for around 10 minutes. Boiling the cup is the best way to ensure that any bacteria on its surface is destroyed. 

Boiling it for 10 minutes is the ideal amount of time, as it will give the hot water plenty of time to kill the bacteria. If you boil it for any less time than this, some of the bacteria may survive in the cup. But how should you clean the cup when you start to use it on a daily basis?

When using the cup, it is important to clean it every day, if not multiple times a day. The danger of not cleaning your cup is that it will develop bacteria. If bacteria start to grow on the cup and you keep inserting it into your body, the bacteria could cause a vaginal infection. 

The Details

Such an infection can be mild or severe and it is best to avoid the risk of infection altogether. Cleaning the cup at home is the easiest way to clean it. After the cup is full, empty its contents into the toilet.

After that, take the cup and rinse it under warm water at the sink. Be sure to use plenty of soap when cleaning it, preferably a gentle type of soap without any fragrance or harsh ingredients. Once the cup is clean, you insert the cup again, but make sure your hands are clean before doing so. 

If you are unable to rinse the cup with water or if you are in a public place and are unable to do this, you can settle for wiping the cup down with a paper towel or toilet paper. However, once you are back home and able to give the cup a proper clean, you should do that. 

Keep in mind that you don't need to boil your menstrual cup or period disc every time you use it. You only need to boil it once in a while or if the cup starts to develop a bad smell. 

Other Things to Know About Cleaning Period Cups

There are certain things you should avoid when cleaning period cups. In particular, you should avoid using certain cleaning products. For example, avoid the use of bleach when cleaning your cup. 

Many people think that bleach will do a good job of cleaning this kind of cup. Indeed, bleach would remove all the bacteria from the cup and render it very clean, but it would not be safe to reinsert the cup into your body as long as there are still traces of bleach on it. Inserting a bleached cup into your body could seriously irritate and even damage the lining of the vagina. 

To avoid this harm, you should never use bleach or other similar, harsh chemicals to clean your cup. Hydrogen peroxide is another substance that you should avoid. This substance will similarly irritate the vagina. 

Even if you rinse off the cup after using hydrogen peroxide in it, there may still be traces of this chemical on the cup that could irritate the vagina. Other substances to avoid include vinegar, baking soda, and antibacterial soap. You should only ever use mild, scent-free soap to clean your cup. 

What to Know

In a pinch, you can use soap that is scented but keep in mind that the fragrance may irritate the vagina to a minor degree. And what should you do when you're not using your period cup? In that case, you should find a nice place to store it. 

Most likely, your period cup came in a small bag. If so, then you can store the cup in there after it is completely clean. If the cup did not come with a bag of its own, you can always wrap it in some cloth or a special bag. 

Always make sure that you use a breathable material to store the cup, otherwise, moisture and bacteria may build up around the cup. 

How To Clean a Menstrual Cup

How to clean a menstrual cup doesn't have to be difficult, but there are certain factors you should consider. For example, you should boil the cup before you use it for the first time to make sure that it is free of bacteria. After using it, you should always rinse it off with soap and clean water before reinserting it. 

To learn more about period cups and discs, contact us here.