A Comprehensive Guide To Using A Menstrual Cup

If someone asks me if they should switch to a menstrual cup, the answer will be a resounding yes*! Using a menstrual cup is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my body. I haven’t used a disposable menstrual product in 4 years and I’ve never felt more confident about period management.

Since I’ll be talking about a pretty intimate topic, I understand if it bothers you! Feel free to read something else, maybe this post about PFOA?

*Unless you have an IUD or a condition that prevents you from using a cup, that is. In that case, please consult your doctor!

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• What is a menstrual cup?
• How do I clean a menstrual cup?
  • Before first use
  • During cycle
  • Between cycles
• How do I use a menstrual cup?
  • Insertion
  • Removal
• How often should I empty it?
• Troubleshooting
• My preferred cup
  • The Mooncup UK (MCUK)
• Back-up: Reusable cotton pad
• Friendly reminders
• Benefits of using a menstrual cup

This post contains affiliate links, if you buy the products through these links, I get a small commission at no cost to you.

What is a menstrual cup?

A menstrual cup is a small and soft cup made of silicone or latex that’s designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation.

Instead of soaking up blood as tampons and pads do, a menstrual cup collects the blood, which you can then empty into a toilet.

There are little holes at the top of the cup that’ll create a suction effect so the cup stays in place. It’s so secure you can swim, do yoga, run, and definitely sleep when using it. You know, all the things you do when you’re not menstruating!

Oh, except sex. You can’t do that with the cup in you. If that’s a concern, consider a menstrual disc, it’s a similar product shaped like a disc that you insert deeper into your body.

They can be reused for years

Menstrual cups are reusable. Properly maintained, they can last many years and will remain safe to use since they can be boiled and sterilized. It can and should be the cleanest thing you own.

However, do make sure the cup you’re getting is made with medical-grade silicone since they are biocompatible and are safe to use in contact with living tissue.

There are latex cups on the market too so if you prefer something biodegradable, that’s a good option. Of course, please make sure you’re not allergic!

First off, how do I clean a menstrual cup?

Before inserting a menstrual cup, be sure to clean it first! When you buy a menstrual cup, there’ll be a little instruction booklet included on the cleaning and usage of the cup.

Before first use

Follow the instruction on cleaning before first use. Typically, it involves boiling it in water for 5 to 7 minutes.

During the cycle

During the cycle, you can just rinse it out with water after you empty the contents. Sometimes, the holes get clogged, be sure to flush the holes out to ensure a good seal and hygiene.

To flush the holes out, fill the cup with water, cover the rim of the cup with your palm, then press the cup to force water out of the holes.

If you’d like to wash the cup, make sure you use mild, unscented soap and rinse well. Oils or harsh soap can damage the cup or cause vaginal irritation.

Between cycles

Between cycles, you can clean it the following ways:

• Boil it for 5-7minutes in a designated special pot, or
• Wash it with unscented mild soap, my soap of choice is Dr Bronner’s Pure-Castille Liquid Soap (Baby Unscented). A little goes a long way so a bottle lasts forever! Or
• Use an alcohol rub, but be sure to rinse it before use

Be sure to clean the holes of blood and debris too. You can use a little brush for that.

Leave the cup in a sunny and airy place to dry to minimize odor.

How do I use a menstrual cup?

Note: If you’ve only used a pad and never used a tampon before, the important thing to do is relax, otherwise your muscles may get too tense for insertion.

Insertion

1. Wash your hands with soap and water, make sure your cup has been cleaned properly.
2. Fold the rim of the cup in half, then fold it in half again so the opening of the cup is c-shaped. This is the C-fold.
   There are two other methods of folding the cup.*
3. In a half squatting position, part your labia, then slide the cup into your vagina, angling toward your tailbone, not straight up. It should sit low in the vagina. If your muscles are relaxed, it won’t hurt.
4. The cup will pop open. Slide a finger in and feel around the walls of the cup to make sure it’s fully open – it should be smooth all around. It may even spin as you slide your finger around it, that’s okay. Give it a little tug. It should stay in place.
   Also, you shouldn’t be able to feel it at all! Magic!

A note on cervix

The cervix is the opening menstrual blood flows out from. If you feel your way around in there and felt a nub, that’s your cervix. Correctly placed, the cup will sit below the cervix.

So, when you’re inserting your cup, it’s important to ensure that that your cervix isn’t outside of the cup. Otherwise, the blood will flow right out.

If you can feel your cervix beside your cup, simply take the cup out and reinsert!

A note on the cup’s stem

Most menstrual cups come with a ribbed end (the stem) to facilitate removal. When properly inserted, the stem should sit right inside your vagina.

Depending on your anatomy, the stem may stick out or jab your tender flesh down there. When that happens, you may need to trim the stem. Make sure you only trim a little at a time or it may make removal more difficult.

Note: Your instruction booklet will let you know if you’re supposed to trim the stem on your cup.

Removal

1. The same thing with insertion – relax.
2. Using your freshly washed thumb and index finger, reach in and pinch the bottom of the cup. This should break the seal and you’ll be able to remove the cup.

When the cup rides too far up, use one hand to pull on the ribbed end of the cup, and reach in with the other hand to pinch the base of the cup.

You can also bear down on it if that works for you.

If the suction is too strong, reach in with one finger and feel around the rim of the cup. Loosen the seal by pressing around the rim of the cup, then pinch and remove!

Don’t worry that the cup will get lost. It won’t. In the event the cup is sucked on too tight and you can’t get it out, relax, walk around a bit and try again when you’re not sore or tensed.

How often should I empty it?

This depends on your flow and the size of the cup you’re using. If your flow is heavy, you may need to do it every 3 to 4 hours until the flow lessens.

Most brands to my knowledge encourage us to empty and rinse the cup every 8 hours, but you can get away with 12 hours – once in the morning, and once at night.

When in doubt, follow the recommendations provided by the brand itself.

Troubleshooting

There’s a learning curve when you start using the cup. I’ll say give yourself three cycles at least! If you’re experiencing a lot of leaks even after 2 cycles, it could be one of these reasons:

• you have a heavy flow and need to empty the cup more often
• you have a low cervix and it is dipping into your cup, causing blood to leak when the cup isn’t full. In that case, empty it more often
• your cervix is positioned outside the cup. Reinsert and make sure your cervix is cupped
• the cup is too small/the cup isn’t suitable for your anatomy

Cups come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, shapes, and capacities. Don’t give up if your first cup doesn’t work!

My preferred cup

When I bought my first cup, it didn’t work well for me. It was probably too small, or my muscles or the cup suction was too weak, it would slide around and start leaking. I was really disappointed.

The Mooncup UK (MCUK)

So I tried a different brand. After doing some research, I found that the MCUK has a decent capacity and really stays in place because of its great seal.

I bought it, it pretty much worked right away, and the rest was history!

What I like about it:

• Made in the UK from soft medical grade silicone. It comes in a box with a Fairtrade® unbleached organic cotton storage bag and an instruction booklet. I also love that the cup isn’t dyed.
• It has a great seal. Some people complain about it because it hurts to break the seal, but it didn’t cause me pain. I love how secure it is.
• I love that it has ridges at the bottom of the cup to facilitate gripping.
• It’s soft but firm and holds 3 times more than a regular tampon. Isn’t that impressive? Since it’s non-absorbant, it won’t dry out vaginal walls or leave fibers behind.
• Like all undyed medical-grade silicone menstrual cups, it is hypoallergenic and contains no dyes, perfumes, BPA, phthalates, plastic, bleaches, or toxins!
• I’ve been using mine happily for 4 years, even though there’s some staining, there’s no odor! The cup itself is still holding up really well and I expect it to last many more years.

Get your own trusty MCUK here!

Back-up: Reusable cotton pad

Reusable cotton pads or period underwear are the menstrual cup’s best friends.

The cup can leak on heavy days if you didn’t empty it in time. After all, it is slippery in there and our body shifts and settles. Though it leaks, it doesn’t gush if you use it properly.

Until you become familiar with your flow, it’s best to have “back-up”.

I love my GladRags reusable cotton pads. Cotton pads are surprisingly comfortable even in times of leakage. They’re also great if you’d like to free-bleed on the lighter days.

I’ve been using the same batch of GladRags for 4 years and they’re holding up well. The buttons are intact, there are no tears or fraying. The prints are a little faded but they aren’t stained, which is awesome! It probably helps that using a menstrual cup means not as much blood gets onto the pad.

You can get them here:

If you’d like the organic cotton version:

These are made in USA too, if that’s important to you.

It can feel a little thick though. That’s where Thinx period underwear excels at. Wearing my Thinx basically feels like wearing good quality underwear! It’s really expensive though. Good thing it’s totally optional because reusable pads work.

But, if you want to buy a pair of Thinx underwear, you can get $10 off if you buy Thinx through Kathryn Kellogg’s link. I don’t make money through this link, just want to save you some money!

Friendly reminders

Menstrual blood isn’t that gross. Don’t be afraid to touch your own blood. Our menstrual cycle is the reason life is possible!

You may want to keep your nails at a reasonable length to avoid scratching yourself during insertion and removal.

Otherwise, don’t be afraid of sticking your fingers into your vagina. Some ladies I’ve talked to are uncomfortable with this. In Singapore, the use of tampon hasn’t really caught up, let alone the menstrual cup. Well, it’s our body! Love it and work with it!

If you need to use a cup in a public restroom, look for a handicapped toilet with a sink in the stall. That’ll make things infinitely easier for you. Otherwise, bring a bottle of water to rinse off your hand and the cup after you’ve emptied its contents.

Benefits of using a menstrual cup

Know your body better

Ever since I started using the menstrual cup, I’ve become so much more acquainted with my body. Also, I understand my flow better. And with that comes the ability to monitor changes in my cycle.

No more worries

When I used sanitary pads, I remember dreading standing up if I’ve been sitting for a while. I’m sure you know what I mean if you menstruate and use a pad. That’s the high-risk moment for stains and leaks.

With the cup, I no longer worry about staining my clothes, or the bed at night. It’s freeing! I don’t miss worrying about stains at all.

Comfortable and better for the body

No more crinkly, damp, and un-breathable plastic pads that sometimes cut into the thighs. Or tampons that dry out the vaginal wall and leave who-knows-what chemicals in us.

Properly inserted, you can’t even feel the cup!

Environmentally-friendly

Did you guess this is why I wrote about the menstrual cup? ;P

I love that I won’t be contributing a bunch of dirty disposable plasticky pads to the landfill! Has it ever crossed your mind that parts of those sanitary pads or tampons don’t biodegrade? Ugh. This is why I love the menstrual cup so much. It’s so much better for the environment.

Economical

Menstrual cups are expensive upfront, but buy one and they’ll last for years and years and translate into savings.

Minimalist-friendly

Would you prefer bags/boxes of disposable sanitary products or one menstrual cup and several reusable cotton pads/period underwear?

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So yes, using the menstrual cup is life-changing. I totally love it and wouldn’t want to go back to my old ways.

If you aren’t already using a menstrual cup, I hope you will give it a try! There are plenty of resources about the menstrual cup on the internet if you’d like to find out more. Of course, you can leave your questions in the comments and I’ll try my best to answer them!