Cleaning at the end of the month

[wildgirlza]

Hello again

Comments

[jwthemathster]

I don't care to boil my cups either. I will do my usual thorough soap and water cleaning, then soak my cup in a 3% peroxide plus equal part water mixture for about 15-30 minutes (longer doesn't hurt, either if you forget about it).

Sometimes I'll rub the cup with rubbing alcohol (no need to soak in it) afterward, but I don't feel it's necessary every time. I've used it if I've dropped my cup some place like in a dirty public sink or floor(I'm a bit of a germ phobe, so I do carry alcohol wipes in my purse in case of a mishap).

I don't use vinegar, since my thought is that it is acidic. I would rather not introduce any cleaning method that is not of a neutral pH.

[manuka91]

Interestingly, the pH of the vagina is acidic at about pH4, so using vinegar would be perfectly safe and quite healthy for your vagina if you wish to use it. Just a thought!
I use a pH balanced, unscented feminine wash to clean my cup and don't bother with boiling.

[jwthemathster]

So good to know, thanks for sharing! Vinegar does make perfect sense as an alternative. I suppose, should we run out of our "normal" cleaning method for some reason (be it soap, peroxide, etc.), there's always an alternative to be used for our peace of mind.

[curlydeva]

I also don't care to boil my cups either. I only did it on the initial purchase and then after that I just use hot soapy water and let it air dry and store in my little cotton bag. I have also used the vinegar and water and it works OK never had any problems. I prefer that over alcohol.

[jwthemathster]

Oh, I just thought of another helpful hint. Sometimes the air holes will collect menstrual residue. I find that those little, spooly shaped inter-dental brushes (like for those who have braces or dental appliances) are the perfect fit. A wooden toothpick works okay, too.

[kuradi8]

Think of it this way: How clean does a fork have to be for you to stick it into your mouth?

I wash mine with plain old hand soap and water, then rinse well. Then give it another rinse before using again. About once a year, I give it an overnight soak in some (US strength 3%) peroxide -- just for aesthetic reasons, to eliminate some of the dingy-ness.

[faranth22]

I just rinse with plain tap water between changes and then soak in half hydrogen peroxide half water between cycles. Been doing that for about a year and a half with no ill effects.

[okwaho_okara]

I pretty much do this too, except at the end of each cycle just rinse w warm water. Peroxide (50/50) about every 4 months just to clean and also to get rid of staining.