ATTENTION MEN: TMI warning. If you wish to NOT be disturbed, here’s your fair warning: stop reading NOW!
I really like my menstrual cups. They’re safer than using tampons for my monthly friend, they’re cheaper, and (once I initially got the hang of it), easy to use.
Just about every menstrual cup manufacturer sells their own version of washing fluid. However, these washes are usually made using very simple, basic ingredients. But the price at which these washing fluids are sold is not so nice, especially for all they are. I personally have never used or purchased any of them and my menstrual cups have been working well and keeping in tip-top shape for a very long time, all by using a few home cleaning ingredients.
So, as is my custom prior to giving a cleaning recipe, here’s a break down of the ingredients I used and why I selected them:
- Filtered Water. Basically, you want to use water that is safe for drinking. No chemicals or additives in it. Considering where the menstrual cup is gonna go, I’m sure you understand why this might be important!
- Lemon Juice. This helps to sterilize while at the same time helping towards keeping some things PH balanced.
- Orange Essential Oil. This adds a little bit of pretty smell and also helps to break up any yuckies.
Pretty simple, huh? These three basic, all-natural ingredients work together to make your menstrual cup all nice and squeaky clean. It’s not the only way you should care for your menstrual cup, but it’s definitely a cheap, inexpensive cleanser to clean the cup each time after emptying it.
To learn all the ins and outs of how to care for your menstrual cup (plus to learn about other eco-friendly monthly friend products), please be sure to check out my Green Monthly Friend Guide.
Homemade Menstrual Cup Wash
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. filtered water
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 5 drops Young Living orange essential oil*
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a fine mist spray bottle. Shake. Mist lightly onto menstrual cup then wash off immediately with warm water. Do not allow cup to soak in mixture. Shake before each use.
Hi!
I love this! I haven’t tried it yet, because I just bought my first menstrual cup. I have a question about the Orange essential oil. Is it okay to use Lemon instead. That is the kind I have on hand, and I just love the smell. Plus, I know lemon is really good at killing bacteria. Thanks!
Hi, Danielle. Yep, you can sub it with lemon e.o. Just be sure it’s a high-quality brand like Young Living or DoTerra, not the cheap kind. 😀
What will happen if you use a cheap essential oil ?
Hi TJ,
Thanks for this info! I’m new to the eco friendly menstrual products and I want to start off on the right foot. Would you recommend freshly squeezed lemon juice (without the pulp of course)? And how long can this mixture last? Doesn’t it have to be stored in the fridge between cycles or made fresh each month?
Looking forward to trying it 🙂 thank you!
You’re welcome. 🙂 I would use fresh from lemons and make a new batch every month.
Hi TJ
I really like your recipe for a menstrual cup wash that still keeps vaginal Ph in mind! It’s exactly what I was looking for.
But while I was reading the blog post, I wasn’t completely sure what you were talking about.
This is my two cents. We are women who get periods. We menstruate. Our uterus sheds it’s lining, and blood evacuates our bodies via our vaginas. This is something most women experience. None of the words I said are impolite or wrong. But you wrote an entire blog post about cleaning a menstrual cup without mentioning periods, blood, vaginas, or menstruation. That is impressive, but also incredibly vague. I don’t think you should censor yourself.
The way I see it, if we censor something that happens to most women every month, it makes it look like there is something wrong with us. But periods are supposed to happen!
I know I didn’t always think this way, so I thought I’d share this way of thinking. I don’t want you to think I’m attacking you. I just don’t want you to be uncomfortable with your own body, because it seems like everywhere we look the media, doctors, and society as a whole are constantly telling women to be ashamed of our bodies and that they are not normal because they are not male.
From the obvious example of photoshopped magazine covers to the fact that most medical studies are done on males, so women’s heart attack symptoms are less well-known and understood. Many women who experience heart attacks are disregarded.
I think periods should be embraced. They mean we can bring life into the world, the most magical thing that can happen. Periods mean women are magic. There is no reason to hide them.
Thanks for the recipe!
Kyla
Hi, Kyla. Thanks for the input! I didn’t mean anything by my wording, just trying to keep it polite. 🙂 Have a great day!
can i use tea tree oil instead ? its the only one i have :/
Hi, Patricia. I would not. The reason behind using orange essential oil is that it keeps a woman’s pH levels balanced. Using tea tree is definitely not recommended. Also, pay close attention to the quality of the essential oil. If it’s from a drugstore, discount store, health food store it’s likely not high quality. Based on my research, Young Living essential oils are the optimal choice, especially for this cleanser.
I’m concerned about going against the directions on using oil to wash it. The directions say only glycerin. How long have you used EOs?
Hi, Marissa. If your menstrual cup says to use only a certain thing, then for sure use that. 🙂 I have been using essential oils for about 2 years now.
Hi! I was wondering if I could skip on the essential oil? Or are there any alternatives? Thank you!
Hi, Micaela! You could, but it wouldn’t have the exact same effect. It should still get it clean though.
Hi TJ,
It’s ok to reduce the amount of the ingredientes in half?
(ex.: 60ml Water, 7ml lemon juice and 2 drops of orange essential oil)
I’m new with the essential oils (and the menstrual cup to!) and i’m not sure if i can use that amount in a single cycle…
Hope you understand what i mean, i’m Portuguese and my English is not very good!
Thank you!
Hi, Sofia! You mean halve the recipe? Yes, that’s perfectly fine! 🙂
Hi do we wash the cup after each cycle or each time we go to toilet also how do we wash Do we put it into a cup sorry new to this
Why is it so important to rinse immediately? Why can’t you let the solution sit in the cup ?
Hi. Thanks TJ.
Can I check with you. You’ve said it’s ok to orange and Lemon YL essential oil. Can I use Lavender or Peppermint instead? Those are what I have on hand. Thanks.