New to your period cup, or maybe your menstrual disc, and ready to get started!? Yay! Welcome to the sustainable, comfortable, leakfree blissful period club. 😉 You’re excited and ready to get started, but then you notice, you need to first sanitize your Saalt Cup or reusable menstrual disc - as well as between cycles. And you wonder, what exactly does that mean? How do you sanitize your menstrual cup or disc? Have no fear, it’s super simple. And, we have several different methods that will easily fit into your period care routine.
First, let’s cover what sanitizing means. Sanitize, and sterilize are terms often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings and it’s important to understand so you can properly care for your cup or disc, and yourself.
- Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on a surface to a safe level, typically using heat or chemical cleaners, making it ideal for easy effective cleaning at home. Think of sanitizing your hands.
- Sterilizing, on the other hand, eliminates all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and spores, and is typically achieved through methods like autoclaving or using heavy-duty chemical sterilants for a highly controlled clean. This is what happens in medical settings mainly.
So how can you effectively sanitize your soft cup, regular cup, or disc at home or on the go? You have plenty of options, each one just as effective as the next. It really just comes down to what works best for you.
If you are wrapping up your period and ready to stash your cup away before your next cycle, be sure that your cup is rinsed clean before sanitizing it. Rinse your cup and wash with Saalt Wash to remove any blood or tissue residue leftover on your cup. Be sure to clean your cup’s air holes too if needed. Here’s a handy video tutorial on how to effectively clean your cup’s airholes. If you just opened your new disc or cup, you can skip right to sanitizing.
- Boiling Water: The Classic Method
When it comes to sanitizing your menstrual discs or cup, boiling water is the gold standard, tried and true method. Be sure to use heat protection and be extra careful when working with boiling water. Here’s how to do it without turning it into a science experiment:
- Grab a Pot: Find a pot that’s big enough for your cup or disc to float around.
- Boil It Up: Fill it with water and bring it to a rolling boil—this is your moment to multitask (maybe whip up some tea while you wait!).
- Drop It In: Once boiling, let your cup or disc soak in the boiling water for 4–5 minutes (but not more than 7 min). Use tongs or a whisk to secure your cup ensuring the cup doesn’t rest on the bottom of the pot. Be sure to keep an eye on your menstrual disc or period cup while it’s in there.
- Cool Down: Let it cool before you handle it and then, once dry, stash it in a clean & dry spot, like your cup bag. Or, insert it for use.
Boiling is simple and effective. You likely have all the needed equipment already. But, it may not be the best option if you live in shared housing or a dorm. Or, maybe you just prefer not to take your period products into the kitchen, no judgment either way, we have other methods!
- Compact Sanitizer: The Travel Friendly Method
With our Saalt Compact Sanitizer, on the go reusable menstrual cup & disc cleaning has never been easier! This collapsable sanitizer can easily fit in your backpack, purse, or carry-on so it’s at the ready when you need it. Here’s how it works:
- Microwave: pop open the compact sanitizer, fill with water, add your cup/disc, and place directly in the microwave for about 3 minutes (or whenever the water boils). Carefully remove, (it may be hot) and let it sit for 3 more minutes on your counter. Then, remove your cup, dump the water and let them both cool and dry before storing.
- Without Microwave: You can also add boiling water directly to the compact sanitizer with your cup in it. It’s basically the same process as making quick and easy instant ramen. 🍜 Let it sit with the lid on for 3 minutes, then remove and let it dry just as previously mentioned.
Be careful when handling the sanitizer and your cup/disc. Tongs and oven mitts are recommended.
- Saalt Steamer: The ‘Click of a Button’ Method
The Saalt Steamer is the perfect option for sanitizing your disc/cup in your room, bathroom, dorm, or anywhere with an outlet. No need for boiling any water with this high tech beauty, just add water and go about your business. The heat plate warms up the water to produce steam, which effectively sanitizes your cup or disc in seconds. Here’s how easy it is:
- Plug in your Saalt Steamer. Need an EU or AU plug? Just reach out to our Saalt Coaches at sayhey@saalt.com, they can help!
- Add water to the reservoir, but sure not to overfill it.
- Add your cup or disc on top of the reservoir, then place the lid on top of the Steamer.
- Press the button and let it do its thing. It will produce steam shortly after and stay on until the steaming is complete, then automatically shut off.
- Once off, let your cup or disc cool for several minutes in the steamer before removing. Be sure it is dry before storing.
Pro-tip: the steamer will need to fully cool before using again. Give it about an hour between uses to let the heating plate fully cool and reset.
