to think using mooncup in a small office with a frequently used loo is a bit gross?

[lessonsintightropes]

I've certainly been educated about the benefits of mooncup and reuseable sanitary supplies on here over the last few weeks. What I fail to understand is how this is remotely practical in an office with a small public toilet. We have separate mens and womens loos, but the female loos have two stalls and a shared washbasin area. The loos get reasonably high traffic as we often have company wide training in our Boardroom. So seriously moon cup users - how do you manage not being caught washing out said device in the sinks? Sorry if this is a bit gross but would like to hear how others manage before seeing whether this is something I could consider using if I can get over the ick factor.

Can I just ask, people that have said it makes their periods lighter/less painful, how does that work? Not doubting, just curious! What is it about tampons etc that make them worse?

Considering putting one on my Christmas list trying one...

I've used my Mooncup for 8 years now & it's still going strong. If I'm in a public toilet I just wipe with toilet paper & reinsert. When I first started using it I used to take damp tissue in the cubicle with me to wipe the Mooncup but I don't bother now. It never smells as I wash it properly morning and night & either boil it or soak it in Milton after each cycle.
I've had some heavy, some light drawn out periods recently (thanks to Mirena & age, lol) & the Mooncup has helped me cope with not knowing what to expect each month.

Glad to hear people are not emptying them in toilet sinks whether they be cubicle ones or general bathroom sinks. That would be very unsanitary especially regarding BBV's.

There are so many people who do not know they have Hep C for example so emptying any bodily fluids down sinks would be unacceptable.

moon cup is awesome, total life changer. Never any problems in public toilets because I don't suffer from heavy periods so can leave it until I get home. It has never leaked and it doesn't smell, at all. I find it much cleaner and more hygienic than tampons. In fact, now that I'm used to the mooncup I find myself a little bit horrified by them.

But as for horror stories about the suction turning your innards inside out or whatever, well, as another poster says, even innocuous products can be harmful when used the wrong way. Women have died from tampon use, tss might be rare but when it happens it's horrific.

LadySnap I think its because the mooncup doesn't "dry" you out, it just catches the blood.

Ladysnapcase mine seems just as heavy but lasts for a shorter amount of time (down from 7 days to 5). My theory is that because the cup is there catching it all there's less discharge/fluid needed to clean everything out.

My cramps are definitely lessened although not completely gone - no idea why tbh unless it's the same theory as above????

My fanny has some sort of sensor in it clearly

Who on earth would be emptying the contents if their moon cup down a sink??!!!! I doubt very few people if any.

I don't understand the scare mongering that is going on, it's quite odd.

I empty down a sink at home - much easier to rinse sink then get rid of the blood in the toilet. IT's only blood, it completely rinses away. I would do the same in a disabled toilet ie sink in toilet cubicle.

I wouldn't waddle out of my cubicle with my trousers around my ankles though and empty out in the row sinks, and then waddle back in

You wash it in the sink so not much difference to empty it down there as well I guess.

People rinse off cuts in normal sinks? You brush your teeth and possibly spit blood and other germs down the sink? I rinse mine in a normal sink so there's still blood?

I don't quite understand that

LadySnapcase - I'd guess the fibres in a tampon irritate your insides more, exacerbating cramps, and they are designed to draw moisture out of you. The mooncup just sits there catching the flow.

Ahh, ok, thanks That sort of makes sense!

also puts fanny sensor on christmas list

Sometimes I have a full cup of blood so I would definitely not be putting that down the sink. Things get caught in the plug catcher and sometimes pipes need declogging. I really could do without having to revisit my menstrual clots if I could help it. If you want to go that in your own home though that's fair enough.

I had a visit to the disabled toilet in a well known supermarket yesterday. Had to use it as I had DS in a trolley so couldn't leave him somewhere to visit the ladies. It was so disgusting someone had left a pool of piss on the floor in front if the toilet and then weed all over the seat too. I had to roll off a load of toilet paper to throw over the wee on the floor then ball up another load to deal with what was in the seat. No wonder people have germ phobias. I don't think I have ever gone into a public toilet and had to deal with blood, so I think most of us cup users are pretty sanitary thankfully.

I nearly alway empty mine in a sink (know all the loos at work and home with sinks in same cubicle) to avoid the blood's thicker than water issue.

Much easier to thoroughly clean a basin/ sink than a public loo with a blood deposit that wont flush.

christ, can't believe I'm talking aout this

Betty I assume you have never had to clean out a u-bend or unclog a pipe that stinks as it's full of hair, old cleansing products etc? You would not want to have to deal with blood too I can assure you. Would be far nicer to put some tissue down the toilet and deposit the blood on top of that and flush.

I feel you are overthinking!
I know I felt the same before I started using mine. Now I think it is wonderful. I didn't have it with me when on holiday recently and found using towels so inconvenient and messy in comparison.

Let's be honest, it is less gross and far less smelly than having a poo!

I should have added to the emptying down sink that my blood doesn't have clots in, so would not get blocked up in a sink.

I concede that trying to wash massive clots down the sink (surely you would have to squash them through the plughole?) may not be the most sensible idea. Not because they are blood, but because of the size and texture.

I get the blood clots in the sink thing but not the germ thing. Surely it is the same as washing your hands after touching a tampon or pad?

I'm amazed at scare stories - and fisting ffs (ridiculous!). Honestly, what a load of fuss, it couldn't be simpler to use once you get the hang of it, much easier than tampons ime - which I could never get the hang of, applicators or not. Bear down to get it out - I have never once had to oink it out with my hands. Leave it in all day and change it when you get home. If your period is heavy, eg first day, change it once and wipe it with a tissue. It won't be too much of an inconvenience just the once. It isn't an inconvenience anyway, it's dead easy once you get into the swing, an absolute godsend.

And no it doesn't smell. Unless there are other ishoos.

What, you can pop it out by just pushing? Have to hoick it out and break the seal first.

I think bearing down breaks the seal before you pull - I'm a hoicker personally.

While I'm back on this thread I would like to make the point that everything you do in the toilet is 'gross'.

I love my mooncup. Wouldn't be without it. I am lucky enough to have light enough periods that I could probably insert it at the beginning and leave it there until I had finished. I don't do that because it does smell unless you change it relatively recently, although that doesn't have to be as frequently as the 4-5 hours they recommend. Older blood exposed to oxygen smells. Many women don't get a perfect seal. They aren't aware of it because the gap isn't big enough to allow leakage. But if air hits that blood, it creates a smell after several hours. It doesn't smell rancid unless you've got an infection, but it does smell.

I would buy a small hand-sanitizer bottle, fill with water and take it in out pocket/handbag whenever you go to the loo.

Maybe I've just got a particularly small punany, not casting any aspersions on anyone else of course.