to ditch my mooncup because it stinks of rotting dead bodies?

[fanjolina]

I've tried, I really have tried to get in with the mooncup.

I've got over the ickiness of blood on my hand (and all over the bathroom when it once 'pinged' whilst full).

But my god, by day 5 - the smell!! It seriously stinks like rotting dead bodies. And it's the mooncup itself (I did a sniff test).

Others can smell it too. I was getting weird looks on the bus this morning and at work today people have been commenting on a foul smell.

I swear that apart from the rubber mooncup my vagina is as fresh as a daisy. It's not rotten - but the mooncup is.

So AIBU to ditch it and return to tampons?

have you washed it?

Clean it!

I've been using the same one for almost 14 years (monthly, obviously!) and it can smell a bit afterwards until it dries out. However, it does not smell while in - surely the blood is fresh and does not smell. If that were the case, everyone would know when anyone on the bus was using a towel.

Have you sterilised it? It really shouldn't smell at all!

Oh my gosh ! I have never tried using one & after reading this I can't say I'm particularly tempted to. I have heard so many people rave about them, I'm sure someone will be along who knows what is going wrong & how to fix it.

I've never had a mooncup although I can imagine that rubbery smell combined with period blood smell (I've always noticed I smell more whilst on)might not be a good combination.

Okay, to be fair, at the end of the period sometimes the blood will have a slight whiff which is less than pleasant. But I agree with a previous poster who has said that you can't smell this when it is inside, only while emptying it and then if you wash the mooncup properly, the smell doesn't stick to it.

I'm with you a bit on the yucky smell, which reminded me of a particularly unpleasant experience post ds 1 (TMI alert) when the sanitary bins in the hospital loo didn't get emptied often enough during a very hot summer .

Anyway, I don't use my mooncup very often because I find it painful to remove, but I found that washing it with soap and water after emptying it each time took away the foul smell, and it was sterilised in the microwave every month.

But no, YANBU to go back to tampons - at least you had a go with the mooncup, and no one ever tells you that they can be a bit stinky, only that they are wonderful and you're saving the planet and saving money etc.

And I'm talking maybe for one day, considering I only have to empty mine once or twice a day (especially at the end) it's not a massive deal to make sure you're at home and not in a public toilet, meaning you can wash it discreetly.

I've been using the mooncup for 3 years and never had this! I rinse and dry it every time I empty it and sterilise it with Milton at the end of each period. Are you sure you don't have an infection?

I am sure that the people on the bus and people at work were not referring to you. I do understand that it makes you paranoid, though. My moon cup also smells on about day 5 and I am usually on for 10 days! But I doubt very much that I or other people can smell it when I wear it.

Could you try boiling it briefly daily? Also, do you wear it 24 hours? I don't wear mine at night, it leaks (I think it is due to my eposiotomy scars). Perhaps if you didn't wear it constantly (if you do, that is) it would smell less.

Personally I think it is a small price to pay for the convenience of a moon cup, not to mention not having to put up with tampons and pads. I hope you don't give up.

I know exactly what you mean! Mine smells too. I'm in a hotel this week so can't sterilise it every day, I just washed it in the sink and left it to "dry" and the whole room was stinking.

Thought about using anti bac hand gel on it but concerned whether it will cause irritation or something

Ugh. Not a good advertisement for mooncups. Won't be investing in one anytime soon!

Geordieminx, could you buy some Milton tablets? You could just add a quarter of one to some cold water in the sink and leave it sitting in that for a few minutes. Any chemist or supermarket would have them.

Mine doesn't smell I've only had it for 3 months but never had a problem with it. It's great

oh god don't use anti bac hand gel on anything that's going up your foof. Its pure alcohol. though you might learn some interesting dance moves you didn't think you were capable of.

do people leave these things in for days at a time ????

Definitely don't have an infection!

It's only the mooncup itself that smells. Always fine until day 5, then it stinks. I have tried boiling it during my period (and had a particularly ouchy experience when I re-inserted it whilst still hot!).

I do wear it constantly - maybe that's the problem? I could maybe use a tampon at nights only.

have used mine for about 6 years and never ever had a problem like this. sterilise at end of period, rinse between uses where possible. if flow is light, still empty and rinse every few hours or it might whiff a bit.

I don't mean to get too personal but are you sure that it is just the mooncup?

There is an infection that leaves you smelling like rotting cat food. (NOT that you're dirty and it's not an std.)

Perhaps sticking a big plastic plunger up yourself for 4 or 5 days straight doesn't create the best environment and allows bugs to breed!

x-post.

Never had a problem! If you are washing it, and emptying it regularly, Why would it smell? It's only blood. At the very most you might get a smell of blood but blood doesn't smell like rotting meat! I think you really need to get looked at by a GP!

P.S. I wear mine constantly, have often VERY heavy periods, and when I'm out I don't wash it, just empty it and wipe it out with tissue.

"At the very most you might get a smell of blood but blood doesn't smell like rotting meat!"

the smell of an unemptied sanitary disposal bin is vile... old blood does smell

I need to buy myself a mooncup.

Are they ok for very heavy periods? you know with a tampon you can tell when you need to change it? it is the same with the moon cup?