What Is a Menstrual Cup?

So you’ve decided to learn how to use a menstrual cup. Welcome to the world of comfortable, healthy, eco-friendly and affordable feminine care. Before we get started, here are a few suggestions and tips for beginners.

1. Start with the right sized cup.
2. Relax. The tenser your body is, the harder it is to insert a menstrual cup or remove one. Eventually, you’ll develop your preferred method of insertion and removal, but we suggest squatting above the toilet.
3. Worried that you didn’t put it in properly? Wear a panty liner until you’re comfortable knowing how to use a menstrual cup.
4. Always keep your cup clean and dry. We recommend using our Cleaning Case as a way to clean and store your cup. Unlike a cloth bag that dirties quickly or a plastic bag that does not provide airflow and can contribute to bacteria growth, the Cleaning Case is made from 100% silicone and features a unique closure to let your cup breathe and dry in your bag—all while staying protected.

Wondering if you should be using a cup in the first place? Check out our article on IUDs.

How to Insert a Menstrual Cup

How to insert a menstrual cup is the big question for women new to sustainable feminine care. Though it may take a few tries to get the hang of it, inserting your EverCup will soon become second-nature.

Step 1: Wash Your Hands Before you Use a Menstrual Cup

Remember that you are putting something inside your body. The best thing to do is to keep your hands as clean as possible. This means washing them with mild or unscented soap.

Step 2: Fold It

There is more than one way to do this so experiment to find what works for you. We suggest pinching the opening of your cup and folding it into a C shape. You can make it even smaller by pushing the rim down into your cup.

Step 3: Squat

Though how to use a menstrual cup is up to you, we recommend squatting to aline the vaginal canal. This helps you insert it at the correct angle.

Step 4: Insert the Menstrual Cup

Hold the cup in your dominant hand while using your other hand to separate your labia. This is when it’s important to relax your vaginal muscles. Slide the cup rim-first into your vagina. Your cup will naturally open as it goes in. Including the stem, it should be fully inside the vagina.

This means that the stem should be approximately 15 mm away from the vaginal opening or within the first knuckle of your pointer finger. It is okay if the cup goes in further as long as you are comfortable. How to insert a menstrual cup depends on every woman’s unique body shape.

Once you’ve learned how to use a menstrual cup properly, you shouldn't feel your cup at all. If you experience discomfort or leaks, remove it and re-insert.

Step 5: Check that It Opened Up Inside Your Vaginal Canal

Though your cup should have opened once inserted, feel free to double-check by squeezing it inside your body. It should feel round—having regained its natural shape—inside your body without any folds. If you do feel a dent, you can rotate it or remove it and try again.

Step 6: Enjoy Period Freedom for up to 12 Hours

The EverCup was designed to make periods easier. This means that it’s perfect for physical activities like running and swimming, great for going to work or school, and perfect for a worry-free night’s sleep. Make sure to remove your menstrual use at least every 10 to 12 hours, or at least twice a day.

How to Use a Menstrual Cup: When Do I Remove It?

One of the many benefits of an EverCup is the ability to safely and comfortably wear it for longer stretches of time than a pad or tampon. We advise women to remove it at least every 12 hours, though you may need to empty it more regularly depending on your cycle.

You’ll naturally develop a rhythm for how and when to remove it. Start off by removing it more frequently to understand how much it can hold. This will also help you adjust to inserting it and removing it. Most women lose between 6 and 8 teaspoons of blood during their period, and no more than 12 teaspoons, according to the National Health Service.

Step 1: Wash Your Hands

Use a gentle soap to wash your hands again.

Step 2: Relax your Muscles to Remove a Menstrual Cup

Removing a menstrual cup is harder when your body is tense. The best thing to do is to take a deep breath and relax your muscles. Many women find that that it’s helpful to push as if having a bowel movement to move the cup lower.

Step 3: Pinch It Gently

Feel for the stem with your thumb and index finger. Pinch near the base of the cup to break the seal. Make sure that the seal is broken before pulling to prevent suction. If you are having trouble finding it, see above.

Step 4: Slide It Out Slowly

Remove your menstrual cup slowly so that you don’t empty the content. Keep the cup as upright as possible.

Step 5: Empty Your Period Cup

Use a toilet or the sink to empty your cup. Rinse it with clean, warm water if you are near a sink and re-insert it.

How to Clean Your EverCup

There are several ways to clean your EverCup. Part of our mission is to provide menstrual products and education to women in the Global South. As part of that, we’ve developed a Cleaning Case designed to make it easy, discreet and affordable to clean your EverCup. It is also compatible with all menstrual cups on the market.

How Often Should You Clean It?

It is important to clean your cup with boiling water at least once every cycle, in addition to rinsing it out with warm water daily. If you do not have access to clean water in which to rinse it, make sure that you boil your cup more frequently.

A big part of how to use a menstrual cup correctly is knowing how to clean it. There are two main ways to clean your EverCup:

1. Fill your Cleaning Case, which contains your menstrual cup, with boiling water.
2. Let the EverCup sit within the Cleaning Case for 5 minutes.
3. To empty the case, pinch its handles together to pour the water out.
4. No matter how you clean your menstrual cup, make sure that the four holes are clean.