Inserting a menstrual cup takes a little practice, but the basic technique is straightforward: fold the cup to make the rim small enough to slide in, aim toward your tailbone at a 45-degree angle, and let it pop open to form a seal. Most people get comfortable with the process within two or three cycles. Here’s how to do it right from the start.
Prep Your Cup Before First Use
Before you insert a brand-new menstrual cup, sterilize it by placing it in a pot of boiling water for up to 10 minutes. This kills bacteria that may have accumulated during packaging and shipping. Between cycles, rinse the cup thoroughly and boil it again for a few minutes before storing it. During your period, a simple wash with warm water and mild, unscented soap before reinserting is enough.
Choose a Fold That Works for You
Folding the cup compresses its rim so it’s narrow enough to insert comfortably. There’s no single “correct” fold. Try a few and stick with whichever feels easiest to hold and lets the cup pop open reliably once inside.
C-Fold
Pinch the rim flat between your fingers, then fold the cup in half lengthwise so the two edges meet. The rim forms the shape of the letter C (or U, depending on how you hold it). This is the most common starting fold, but it creates the widest insertion point of the three options here.
Punch-Down Fold
Hold the cup upright and press one side of the rim down toward the base with your thumb, creating a narrow pointed tip. This makes the insertion point significantly smaller and firmer than the C-fold, which many beginners find easier to work with.
7-Fold
Pinch the cup flat, then take the top right corner of the rim and fold it diagonally down toward the opposite side of the base, forming the shape of the number 7. The result is a compact, asymmetrical tip that slides in smoothly. Hold firmly near the base so the fold doesn’t spring open in your hand.
How to Insert the Cup
Wash your hands with soap and water. Find a comfortable position: sitting on the toilet, standing with one foot on the edge of the tub, or squatting all work well. Relax your pelvic muscles. Tension is the most common reason insertion feels difficult, especially the first few times.
Hold your folded cup with one hand, rim facing up. With your free hand, gently hold your outer labia apart. Slide the folded cup into your vagina, angling it toward your tailbone at roughly a 45-degree angle. This matches the natural direction of the vaginal canal. Pushing straight up is a common mistake and will make insertion uncomfortable.
Don’t push the cup in too far. The stem (or the base of the cup) should sit no more than about half an inch inside the vaginal opening. If the cup rides up too high, it can settle near your cervix, cause leaks, and make removal harder. The cup sits lower than a tampon does.
Once the cup is inside, let go of the fold and allow it to pop open. You may feel a slight sensation as it expands against the vaginal walls.
Checking the Seal
A proper seal is what prevents leaks. If the cup hasn’t fully opened inside you, blood will slip past it. There are several ways to check:
- Spin test: Gently grip the base of the cup (not the stem) and try to rotate it. If it spins freely, the cup is fully open and sealed.
- Tug test: Lightly pull the stem downward. If you feel resistance, the suction has formed. If the cup slides easily, it probably hasn’t sealed.
- Feel the rim: Run a finger around the base of the cup. If it feels round and smooth with no dents or folds, it’s open. If you can easily slide your finger all the way up to the rim without any resistance, the cup likely hasn’t suctioned to the vaginal walls yet.
If the cup hasn’t opened, try sliding a finger along the outside of the cup and pressing gently on any folded sections. You can also pull the cup halfway out and push it back in while nudging it with a finger to encourage it to pop open. Some people find that a quick Kegel squeeze after insertion helps the cup settle into place.
Why Leaks Happen and How to Fix Them
The most common cause of leaking is the cup not being fully open, leaving gaps between the rim and the vaginal wall. The fix is the seal-checking routine above. Beyond that, there are a few other culprits.
Inserting the cup too high pushes it past the optimal position at the base of the vaginal canal. If you notice the cup migrating upward, try a firmer cup or one with a slightly different shape. On the flip side, the cup sliding down can indicate weak pelvic floor muscles, which Kegel exercises can help strengthen over time. Very strong pelvic muscles can also compress the cup and break the seal.
Check the small holes near the rim. Most cups have four tiny holes that help regulate suction. If any are blocked by dried residue, the seal won’t form properly. Fill the cup with water, cover the opening with your palm, flip it over, and squeeze. Water should flow through all four holes. A toothpick or small brush clears stubborn blockages.
Sometimes the answer is simpler: the cup is full. On heavy-flow days, you may need to empty it more frequently than every 12 hours. And if leaks persist despite correct insertion, you may need a different size. Most brands offer at least two sizes based on flow volume and whether you’ve given birth vaginally.
How to Remove the Cup
Never pull the cup out by the stem alone. Yanking without breaking the seal creates a vacuum that’s uncomfortable and can cause a mess. Instead, bear down gently with your pelvic muscles to bring the cup lower, then reach in with your thumb and index finger and pinch the base of the cup. That pinch breaks the suction. Once the seal releases, angle the cup slightly to one side and guide it out.
If the cup has traveled higher than you can easily reach, don’t panic. Relax, take a few breaths, and bear down as though you’re having a bowel movement. This pushes the cup lower. If you still can’t reach the base, slide one finger up to the rim and press inward on it to let air in, which breaks the suction. You can also fold the cup while it’s still inside (pressing the rim down into a punch-down shape) to make it smaller and easier to remove.
How Long You Can Wear It
A menstrual cup can stay in for up to 12 hours before you need to empty, wash, and reinsert it. On lighter days, that 12-hour window is realistic for most people. On heavier days, you’ll likely need to empty it every 4 to 8 hours depending on your flow and cup capacity.
Leaving a cup in beyond 12 hours raises the risk of bacterial growth. Research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that menstrual cups can support the growth of the bacteria responsible for toxic shock syndrome (TSS), partly because the cup’s shape introduces air into the vaginal canal. TSS remains rare with cups, just as it is with tampons, but the same precautions apply: empty on schedule, wash the cup thoroughly between uses, and sterilize it by boiling between cycles. Using a smaller cup when your flow allows it and alternating between two cups so you can boil one while using the other are both practical steps to reduce bacterial buildup.