10 Reasons Why You Need To Switch To a Menstrual Cup

See that little purple thing? It's one of the first and easiest zero-waste swaps I made on this journey, and every month, I'm reminded how amazing this soft, medical grade silicone cup truly is. It has simplified my life in so many ways! Here's some of them.

Let me know if I've convinced you to give it a try!


1. Easy on waste - the only waste this guy will make is the packaging it came in unless you can buy it unpackaged like I did at www.packagefreeshop.
com. One period cup, on average, replaces 720 tampons that will end up in a landfill. Period pads take 500+ years to decompose in a landfill!

2. Easy on my wallet - just like the waste, you'll save money every month. I've probably saved about $210 over the last three years.
 No more pads, no more tampons!

3. Easy on time and energy - no more last minute panic. no more late runs to the drug store. It's a one and done type thing.

4. Easy to mind - Gives me the sense of always being prepared - I don't need to worry about having anything else on me, and I’m set for half the day. You can wear it for 12-hour intervals so there's no need to count hours and worry overnight. This is such a relief.


5. Easy to choose - just make sure you choose the right size. The smaller one is for women who haven’t had children, the larger one for those of us who have.

6. Easy to insert - just use the instructions on this one. I fold mine in half and insert it with upward pressure. It's normal to have to reinsert it a few times to get it feeling just right. Sometimes your body just needs a few minutes to acclimate. Get to know your body and give in to slow.

7. Easy to use - I usually empty, rinse, and reinsert mine twice a day. As soon as I'm out of bed and an hour or two before bed. Remember the cup holds for up to 12 hours. If your flow is heavy, you'll need to do this one or two more times a day. Your body usually tells you when it’s time to empty. Sometimes I use a reusable pad and sometimes I use a wad of toilet paper to help me navigate the heavy flow days and it helps to keep me dry. A few useful tips: If you are leaving the house and you won't have a private bathroom available, empty right before you leave so you won’t have to do it in a public restroom without a private sink. If you forget to do that, and you find yourself in need of emptying your cup, empty it in the toilet and reinsert. Wipe your fingers off on some toilet paper, and then wash your hands when you’re out of the stall. It’s not ideal, I know, but next time you’ll remember! When you get back home you can clean up as usual.

8. Easy to clean - Every time I empty my cup, I rinse it with cool water and wash it with tea tree bar soap; tea tree oil has natural, non-irritating and antibacterial properties. After each cycle, I boil it on the stove for 3-5 minutes keeping it submerged the entire time.
 Don’t leave your cup unattended during this cleaning method.

9. Easy to store - it stores best in a little cotton pouch to allow air flow.

10. Easy to replace - with some menstrual cups lasting up to 10 years. Your cup will tell you when to replace it. It may have a foul odor, any build up of blood or white powder residue, a tear or crack, regardless of leaking, and/or a grainy texture.

Buy one for yourself here: my own menstrual cup!