How to clean your cup is a common first question. Can you use what you have on hand or should you use menstrual cup cleaners? Below we will go over all of the options to help you make a choice that works best for you!
What Can I Use to Clean My Menstrual Cup
Soap & Water
Washing your cup does not have to be complicated. A gentle soap with water is perfectly fine for cleaning your cup. Keep in mind not to choose products with synthetic fragrances or added anti-bacterial agents. These are not vagina friendly and may also damage your cup over time.
I personally love liquid castile soap in a reusable foaming pump. When mixed with clean water (I like a 20/80 soap/water ratio) for a foaming pump the cost to refill goes way down because a little really goes a long way!
Intimate or “Feminine” Wash
While not typically gender inclusive in name or branding, products labeled intimate/feminine wash are typically formulated to be safe to us on the vulva. This typically makes them a safe choice for cleaning your cup. As always, an unscented product is ideal.
Menstrual Cup Cleaners
If you’d prefer to play by the rules, there are a wide variety of cleansers specifically designed for your menstrual cup but here are just a few of the best options. You can also find a list of others on our Amazon List, including wipes for on-the-go!
Diva Wash
DivaCup DivaWash is designed to gently care for and protect your silicone cup, and is naturally pH balanced to be gentle for all skin types. No harsh chemicals and not tested on animals!
Purchase on Amazon.com
Saalt Cup Wash
Made in the USA, Saalt’s menstrual cup wash is specially formulated to clean silicone menstrual cups while and to b gentle for skin. It contains no harsh chemicals irritants, or parabens.
Purchase directly from Saalt or on Amazon.com
Lunette Cleaning Kit
Lunette Feelbetter menstrual cup cleanser contains a gentle vegetable oil based cleansing agent as well as natural cleansing properties from essential lemon and eucalyptus oils (which also lend a subtle scent without the addition of fragrances!)
Purchase directly from Lunette or on Amazon.com
OrganiWash
OrganiWash from Organicup is a pH balanced intimate wash for you body and menstrual cup. It is perfume free, vegan, allergy-certified, and contains only organic and natural ingredients.
Purchase on Amazon.com
How to Clean Your Menstrual Cup
To clean your period cup, use the cleanser of your choice, lather up your hands and cup and be sure to wash all parts of the cup. If your cup has air holes, be sure that they are not clogged (one tip is to fill your cup with water, cover with your palm, and squeeze the cup to force water through the holes). Rinse thoroughly and reinsert your cup or store in a breathable container if not in use.
If you’d like information on washing and sanitizing your cup, check out our article, How to Clean a Menstrual Cup
19 Responses
Great insights on menstrual cup cleaners! I never realized how important it was to choose the right product. I’m definitely going to avoid those harsh chemicals you mentioned. Thanks for the recommendations!
Great post! I’ve been considering switching to a menstrual cup, and the section on cleaners really helped clarify my options. The tips on what to avoid were especially useful. Can’t wait to try out your recommendations!
I usually just rinsed my cup with water, so this gave me some new ideas. The list of what not to use was clear and now I’m interested in trying one of the organic cleaners
I didn’t realize there were that many ways to clean a cup.
Thanks for the clear overview of menstrual cup cleaners. I didn’t know some could be harsh, so I’ll definitely keep those natural suggestions in mind.
I didn’t know there were so many cleaning options for menstrual cups. The tips on what to avoid were really helpful. I used to just rinse with water, but this gave me better direction.
I had no idea there were so many options for cleaning menstrual cups. The comparison chart was super helpful.
I found this post super helpful! I’ve been curious about menstrual cup cleaners but wasn’t sure which ones to trust. The breakdown of the best options and what to avoid really made things clear. Thanks for sharing your insights!
Great insights on menstrual cup cleaners! I had no idea there were so many options available. I appreciate the detailed descriptions of what to avoid—definitely helps me make a more informed decision. Thanks for sharing!