Menstrual Cup Tips and Tricks

Learning how to comfortably use a menstrual cup could come with a bit of a learning curve. There are some things you’ll find yourself no longer worrying about after switching from more traditional menstrual products – “I hope there’s a bathroom so that I can change my tampon”, and some new questions you’ll find yourself wondering about – “Is the stem supposed to do something?”.

Whether you’re just starting out on your menstrual cup journey, or if you’ve been along for the ride for a while, here are five tips and tricks I think you’ll find useful.

1. To avoid stains, rinse your cup in cold water after emptying it. After doing an initial rinse, you can rinse it in warm water, but it’s not necessary.

2. If your cup has stained over time and you’d like to freshen up the appearance, you can mix 3 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide and let the cup soak for a few hours. I just tried this on a 5+ year old cup that I thought was toast and, well, see for yourself!

3. Whisk your cup! Boiling your cup in between cycles is important to keep it clean, and it’s important your cup doesn’t sit on the bottom of the pot while boiling. To easily keep your cup moving and off the bottom of the pot, put it inside a whisk, like this!

4. You know those pesky little holes on the side of the cup? Yeah, you can (easily) clean those. I’m embarrassed to admit that I just learned how to do this a few weeks ago despite using a cup for seven years! Fill your cup with water and place your palm on the top of the cup to create a suction. Squeeze the cup, and the water will shoot out through the holes. Ta-da!

5. Finally, if you anticipate needing to change your cup in a public bathroom, bring a water bottle in! You can easily rinse your cup over the toilet, and even rinse your hands a bit before walking out of the stall.

And there you have it, five tricks from a well seasoned cup user who is still learning these little hacks every day. Happy menstruating.

Roxanne Felig