Menstrual Cup Hygiene Issues? Make Sure It’s Clean!

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One of the talks about the menstrual cup is its safety for women who are using it. 

Although TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome is a rare occurrence, it is still the center of concern for most women ever since the first outbreak that happened centuries ago. It is an infection caused by an invasion of bacteria through a mucous membrane or from an unsterilized menstrual cup.

In addition, other menstrual cup issues concern how an individual cleans and store the product. With this said, let us talk about menstrual cup and its hygiene issue to make sure it is clean and safe for use.

Cleaning Before First Use

So, perhaps you already have bought your first menstrual cup, would you test it out immediately fresh from its container? I hope not. 

Thus, before using it for the first time, it is essential that you immediately practice sanitizing the cup. With this said, depending on the instruction of your chosen menstrual cup, you should first submerge the menstrual cup in an open pot of boiling water for at least 5 to 10 minutes.

And that's it! The first step for your first use. Now, let's proceed on properly cleaning menstrual cup.

Cleaning During the Cycle

It is during your cycle that you should double the sanitation of the menstrual cup since you will be using it every day for a week or days. With this said, it is recommended that you wash your menstrual cup for at least twice a day, ideally every 4 to 8 hours during your weekly cycle.

What you need to do first is wash the cup with water after emptying it. If you prefer, then you might want to use soap, one that is scent-free, water-based, oil-free soap that is specially designed for menstrual cup cleaning.

Just a reminder, never use ordinary soaps to clean your menstrual cups since it might harm the cup, risking its deterioration. Not only that, you might be even risking your health if you do otherwise.

Cleaning at the End of the Cycle

Do you think that your menstrual cup duty ends at the end of your cycle? Nope. Sterilizing your menstrual cup before, during, and after each cycle is highly recommended. All you need to do is to wash it as how you do it normally simply. 

However, you need to sterilize your menstrual cup before storing it away. This is why you need to boil the cup for about 2-10 minutes. Be careful when you are boiling your cup as it might sink to the bottom of the pan and might melt. 

With this, you might also be interested in buying menstrual cup cleaning products. The said products are solely made for menstrual cup items like menstrual cup sterilizers and microwave sterilization bags. 

How to Properly Store Your Cup

To properly store your cup, after you sterilized the item, you need to make sure it is properly dried, may it be through air dry or sundry. Then, once dry, store it away in a carry pouch. 

Take note that it is not recommended to be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag. This is because the air must be able to circulate the cup for the moisture to evaporate properly. You can buy airtight containers or zip-lock plastic bags in grocery stores or supermarkets. Hence, storing a menstrual cup shouldn't be a problem.

Properly Wash Your Cup!

To properly wash your menstrual cup, it is essential that you know the dos and don'ts when you clean it so that you can prolong its lifespan and avoid any unnecessary health risks.

Use a scent-free, water-based soap, or you can also use those that are specially designed menstrual cup wash or wipes. It is an important thing to follow since it risks your menstrual cup to deteriorate. This happens when you wash the item with a regular soap that can denature the medical silicone and soften the cup slightly.

Additionally, do not use to clean the menstrual cup with scented or fragranced antibacterial soap, vinegar, tea tree oil, oil-based soaps, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, hand sanitizer, bleach, and other harsh chemicals.

Takeaway

All in all, menstrual cups are your friend whenever Aunt Flow comes into town. It should not risk your health nor make things complicated for you. For this reason, you need to know and follow the recommended actions that are stated above.

Lastly, before using any menstrual cups, you should know and read the instructions that come with it beforehand. It acts as a precautionary action that would help you avoid inevitable mistakes in using and taking good care of your menstrual cup. Not only that, but it also helps you in understanding the product better.