I just wanted to share something with everyone, and I hope it helps. Like many women here, I’ve been REALLY curious about gathering some facts on proper care of medical grade silicone. So I decided to turn to someone who works with this material regularly, but is NOT involved with manufacturing menstrual cups or profiting from their sales-- and ask them their professional opinion. I have forwarded the below letter to the head of a custom medical grade silicone molding company (they take custom moldings from hospitals for patients, and create artificial body parts of various kinds), and he sent me his reply.

( Here Are The Details )

I’ve been reading through past posts on here, just accumulating knowledge that will help me throughout the life of my cups.

One thing I’ve taken notice of is the things everyone is using to clean/de-stain their cups. I’ve seen vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, soap containing tea tree oil all mentioned, but the DivaCup website (http://www.divacup.com/en/home/faqs/) under the FAQ’s says: “Please do not use vinegar, bleach or hydrogen peroxide as these will damage the silicone. Follow the instructions in the FAQ ‘How do I clean The DivaCup?’.” And under the ‘How do I clean…’ section, it also says, “Do not use vinegar, tea tree oil, scented soap, antibacterial soap, hydrogen peroxide, bleach or harsh chemicals as these may damage the silicone and ruin the cup.”

The DivaCup website also suggests replacing the cup once a year.

I know these cups are made from medical grade silicone, the same type used to make artificial replacement heart valves. It wouldn’t fly if these valves needed replacing once a year. I realize that, as these cups are reusable, the company does have a vested interest in more people buying more products from them more often, but every other product that does give a lifespan for their cups is closer to 10 years, which I think is closer to the reality of the situation.

Do the cleaning products mentioned earlier actually compromise silicone of the cups? I don’t want to assume that the DivaCup company is saying not to use (what sound like on this community to be ) the best methods of stain removal in the hopes that people will decide to replace their cups when they become stained. But I don’t want to use anything that will damage my cup either.

So my blue ladycup arrived a few days ago, i ordered the small and wow it really is SMALL! I did a test run and dang its very slippery compared to my diva and mooncup uk. In comparison my Diva (small) is the largest of the 3 so i use that for my heavy days, I think i'll be switching between my mooncup and ladycup for my light days. I just love the color though! & it is squishier compared to the others, i haven't trimmed the stem off because i don't think i'll need to due to the small size already. I'm excited to try it out next month.

& 2nd, My diva smells, oh noes. I always boil my cups after my period and that doesn't seem to be cutting it. So i'm trying the soak of vinegar & warm water. I guess I'll check on it in a few hours, I read that hydrogen peroxide is good too but i couldn't seem to find any around the house. I'm hoping that the vinegar will help with the staining tint as well.

I also purchased the diva wash with a coupon i used so it only cost like 5 bucks, anyways it smells very nice! It's very pleasant to use to wash down below, not irritating at all and I've found that it works nicely to help when i shave. yay =D

Hi there,

I've been using my cup 6 months ago, everything works PERFECT =D
I use a boiling stainless steel casserole (not highest quality) and I get always the same when I finish boiling my cup (4 minutes boiling) let me tell you:

There is a thin white layer on the casserole walls where the water was boiling. And also there are small spots in the bottom of the casserole.

The only way to remove them is rubbing/scrarping hard with a brand new scourter, water and dish-washing soap.

The water in my zone is very hard (I live on a sea town)


I wish to know if anybody knows what's that white layer and specially that spots on the bottom!

I'm afraid about them, maybe they can be any kind of fungus or stainless steel degrade?

Another hypotesis: the thin layer is water minerals (like calcium) and the spots are the points where the air go up when boiling so there the thin layer don't appear.

Thanks in advance!!

NEW: I've taken photos today! So you can see it better:





* * *

Thank you everybody for your super-fast answers! Calcium in water seems to be the problem...
I tried to boil the cup with mineral water but it left a harder mineral layer.
I've clean the casserole with vinegar (as you suggested me) and it WORKS! I tell you how I do it: When I finish boiling the cup I get it out of the casserole. Then I add some vinegar to the boiled water, and leave it to rest a few hours. Then I wash it with clean water and the calcium has gone.
Thank you!! =D

Hello, ladies.

I know the DivaCup people say that you shouldn't use hydrogen peroxide or vinegar on your cup; they also advocate boiling for only 2-5 minutes (which might lead one to believe that boiling for longer periods of time is harmful).

Personally, I'm inclined to believe this is all bunk; I've had my cup for two years, have soaked it repeatedly in vinegar-and-water and peroxide-and-water solutions, and have boiled it often (sometimes several times per cycle!) for 10-20 minutes, and have never noticed any problems with the structural integrity of the cup.

But then again, just because I've never witnessed it doesn't mean it's impossible. I know people have experienced general deterioration of silicone cups before...so I guess my question is, did you have a silicone cup which deteriorated, and you believe that it was caused by the use of vinegar and/or peroxide and/or excessive boiling? Comments on cup deterioration attributed to other causes are welcome, as well.

Finally, people who have used any of these methods without any negative effects on the cup are welcome to comment, too.

so, after much time of not posting...  this month's cycle, i found myself with a stinky cup.  it reeked when i took it out during my shower yesterday to clean...  i briefly remembered something about vinegar and after reading, here is what i did to get rid of the smell.

i put some white vinegar, sea salt, and water into a pot.  Just a splash of vinegar would do, not too much, you don't want your cup to smell like vinegar do you?  after it boiled i put the cup in and kept an eye on it.  i think i let it boil for 10 minutes, occasionally moving the cup so it won't melt on me.

afterwards, i put some excessive amounts of baking soda into a cup and poured in some of the hot water and put the cup in.  swished it around and let it sit.  i added more baking soda and waited some more.  after 5-10 minutes, i took it out and rinsed it.  the baking soda made it feel gritty..  then... sniffed.

it smelled pleasant.  actually, the pleasant smell could be the soap i used after i took the cup out but the scent of whatever bacteria overpowered the floral scent of dial.  but after 'killing' off the smelly bacteria, the floral scent was able to come through.

yep, hope i was able to help someone :)

hot water, salt, vinegar, and baking soda.  i also contemplated rubbing alcohol if the smell didn't go away.  but maybe next time :)

i just joined this group today after doing a search for cleaning the diva cup. mine has always had an unpleasant smell after use. i've always washed it with hot water and soap, sometimes antibacterial soap, sometimes the diva wash. today, after reading a number of posts in this group, i boiled it for 5 minutes, then put it in a container and covered it with apple cider vinegar. i'm probably going to do a full-out assault with hydrogen peroxide and a followup sprinkling with baking soda after that if the smell isn't gone. i don't have a yeast infection, and i do wonder if bacteria is the culprit, but regardless, i'm hoping to find a routine for cleaning the works at getting the smell out, the staining being secondary. 

how long do people soak the cup in various solutions of choice? 

thanks!

-t

I have been reading many of the posts but I have not seen the answer to my question.  What kind of soap do you use to clean the cup after you remove it?  I have a diva cup and I was thinking of buying the diva wash.  I find it to be a little expensive and I would love to hear about less expensive alternatives.

Hello, ladies! I just recieved my Diva on Friday, and I'm itching to test-drive it. Here is my dilemma:
I live in a college dorm, and do not have access to a stove or microwave or any other water-boiling device. (I think my neighbors have a microwave, but I don't know them well, and that sounds like the most awkward request ever - "Hi, I don't know you, but can I use your microwave to boil my menstrual cup?")
I know that the directions (and much of the info I can find on here) say to use gentle, non-scented soap. But to sterilize it for the first time to get all the shipping germs off, can I use an antibacterial soap like Dial? I looked all over the place on here, but didn't find any discussion on using antibacterials. Do I need to buy something else?
As I'm a poor college girl, I'd prefer to keep spending at a minimum. What's my best bet?

So I finished my period, all was happy and well and all...  And I decided to clean my cup... so I stuck it in the microwave with some water (which I have recently read is actually bad, and I should be microwaving the *water* and *then* sticking the cup in the water...)  And I decided to soak it in some vinegar.  So I diluted some apple vinegar that my mom had lying around and I let it soak overnight.  BIG MISTAKE!!  When I woke up my cup stunk of vinegar!  I didn't know what to do... I ended up soaking it in plain water for a few days, hoping that the vinegar would seep out of the cup by osmosis... And it mostly smells better, it doesn't have that acrid vinegar smell anymore, but it still smells faintly appley.  

Is it still safe to use my cup?   Is there anything else I can do to get rid of the smell?  Is there any place that someone can link me to that has consolidated information about various cleaning methods?  I know there are lots of posts on this in this community, but I can't seem to find any nice consolidated information (like that post about folding methods/cup sizes)  (Or the one about different cup brands)  

I just ordered my Diva Cup. I should have it in a few weeks. I'm not really worried about when I get it. The thing is, I don't know anyone who uses one (I'm the guinea pig!) and I have a few questions.

What do you do when you're in public? How do you clean it? Do you carry wipes with you or anything like that?

How do you clean it? Do you just use water or do you use soap and water?

Do you have to boil it or anything at the end of your period?

Sorry if my questions sound dumb...

Hello, this is my first post here :)

So, I am thinking about getting a Mooncup or a Lunette. But I still have some issues. I have looked around here, but did not find all the answers. First of all, I have never had sex, so I am a little concerned I would be able to use a cup. But I guess I would get used to it.

But really there are two things that kind of worry me:

-is it ok to not boil the cup? To make a long story short, I would like to boil it, but I wont be able to. So, I have read that some of you do not do that. But, I do not want to use strong chemicals either, because that would be irritating. Do you think that it is safe to just give it a really good wash? I do not want to risk any infections or something like that.

-another thing is that I have read that some of you ladies experienced heavier periods, bad cramps and your period being longer than usual while using a cup. Does that happen a lot?

Thank you :)

I guess I'm wondering now if that would have killed the bacteria and done the trick. Should I re-sterilize and wash the bag? What have you ladies done to sterilize if you've used your cup during an infection?

What i'm really pissed about is now it's period time and I really want to use my cup because I've been using pads for my infection and I'm all raw. (I HATE PADS!) However, vaginal infections + my diva = bad idea. GRRR.

x posted

hello people!

i just joined, i ordered my mooncup yesterday and im very excited :-)

one question- is there an alternative way of cleaning to boiling?
i live with 3 guys, (no girls, and no relation) so they wont want to know about my period, at all! Boiling in a saucepan would just be abhorrent to them, not to mention one is a vegetarian and gets icky about meat on plates :-)

i read online somewhere about a woman who uses a denture bath and sterilising tablets, any ideas on this?
or is just putting it in a cup of boiled water good enough?

Hi gals. I'm going into my third period with my Divacup and am having a bit of a problem with the cleaning. I have extremely sensitive skin and also have sensitive girl bits, I have never been able to take baths or use bubble bath, I'm allergic to most pads and creams/lubricants and am even allergic to my boyfriends semen. Hilarious yes, but painful too! My first month left me a little irritated and my second month left me in pain, so I went to visit my doctor. I'm her first patient who uses a menstrual cup! She was pretty excited about that. :) Turns out that I don't have any infection, but my insides are being irritated by the soap I'm using to clean my cup. I was using a plain ivory bar soap and rinsing for a few minutes in hot water. I'm wondering if there is a way to clean my cup without soap? Would it be possible to rinse it in hot water, then boil it to sterilize it and reinsert it without using soap? It would be a bit of a hassle but still worth it to use the cup. Or does anyone know of a very mild soap - or a hypoallergenic (no additive) vegan type soap that I could look into? My vagina appreciates the help!

just a question asked out of sheer curiousity:

does it matter which type of vinegar you use in your soaking solution? i know that apple cider vinegar douching can be used as a home remedy for yeast infections. but, you have to specifically use apple cider vinegar. can you use white vinegar for the solution, or should it also be apple cider vinegar?

only wondering, really.

Hello!

My cycle just ended, and I put my Divacup in a 60/40 water-to-vinigar solution last night before bed. My intention was to soak it over night, and then throw it in a pot of water to boil while I took my shower. Well, my little brother woke me up and asked me in a panic if I could drive him to school because he missed his bus. Needless to say, the morning was rushed, and the Diva didn't get boiled. She didn't even get out of the glass. My question is this:

By the time I'll get home today, she'll have been soaking in the 60/40 water/vinigar for 18 hours. Is this okay, or do I need to swallow my pride, call my older brother, and ask him to dump the water? Thanks!

(crossposted to vaginapagina and menstrual_cups)

Hey everyone,

I've looked through the memories pretty well, and I've found some solutions, but I'd really like to just have all of them (and maybe some new ones) in the one post, concerning my exact issue.

Well my DivaCup started discolouring at the end of my first period (just finished my fifth). It's gone a bit yellow, and it's only really noticable when you put it against white light. I'm not terribly concerned with this, because if I was I would have done something about it by now, but I thought I'd try and un-discolour it now if possible. I jsut like it looking nice and white/clear.

My main issue. Well before my last period I wore the cup a few days before it because i thought it was coming then and not later. I wore it while on a school camp (winter festival), just an overnight thing. I didn't haev my period at the time. However due to that I kinda left it in for a bit more then 24 hours, an when I finally took it out and had a whiff it stank. I've heard of people talking about smell after leaving it in for 24 hours, so I thought there may be solutions for that hear. The only memoried thread about smell only really has to do with not washing it properly I think. I think I wash mine properly, I just left it in a bit longer then I should have.

I just rinse it under hot water basically. I havn't boiled it, or soaked it in vinegar/sterilizing solution/tea tree oil/baking sode etc..
What solution do you think would be best to get rid of this smell (which seems to have lessend after this period) and the discolouration at the same time. I'd prefer soaking it in a bakingsoda and water, vinegar (sp?) and water, or tea tree oil and water solution. What do you think abotu mixing two or all three?
Which solutions have worked best for eliminating or lessening 1) discolouration and 2)smell due to leaving the cup in too long?

Thanx

So..

I left it in it's little vinegar bath a bit too long. Two days too long. It's a very medium-light shade of brown now. Should I be worried?

How do you girls disinfect your keeper? I have used vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in addition to the washing/scrubbing of it, soaking it in water/vinegar or water/Hydrogen Peroxide mixtures for a night... but I was wondering if anyone has used tea tree oil? i read somewhere about it, but i can't remember where.

any advice? I mean I know we aren't supposed to use any sort of petrolium or anything on it because it would erode the rubber.... but i was wondering if the oil that the tea tree extract would erode it too? is it just petrolium products that erode rubber or do other oils as well?

If not, then how do you use it? I know you can't put it in water and then put the keeper in because it wouldn't affect it since oil and water dont mix...

If any of you have any experience with disinfecting the keeper with tea tree oil or know how to from reading it anywhere please leave me a comment because i'd like to know.