How The F$*% Do I Remove My Menstrual Cup?

Written by Cinestie Olson

So, you’ve mastered how to insert your period cup (or maybe you haven’t… we have a solution for that though). You can now reap the benefits of a reusable cup by wearing it for up to twelve hours at a time, reuse it for several months or years, not throw away disposable period products, and save money overall. But now comes the time to remove it, and you’re completely lost. Don’t worry! We created a guide on all things removal and tips to help.

1. Relax

After washing your hands and sitting on the toilet or standing in the shower, it’s time to begin the removal process. The first step is to relax!! Removing anything while flexing your pelvic muscles can make removal harder. Your period cup can also travel up your vaginal canal while wearing it, depending on your cervix height!

If your cervix height is higher, your period cup may be further up into your vaginal canal. To move your period cup down, GENTLY push your stomach muscles down (like a bowel movement) and you’ll be able to feel the base of the period cup.

2. Use the Base as a Guide

After relaxing or gently pushing down your pelvic muscles, you should find the base of your cup by moving your fingers up the stem (DO NOT PULL ON THE STEM! IT’S NOT A PULL TAB!). For most cups, the base is at the bottom of the cup above the stem or loop and has grip rings on it to help with removal! This will be your guide into actually removing the cup from inside you.

3. Pinch and Break the Seal

One of the most important steps to removing your period cup safely is breaking the seal. The seal is what suctions the period cup to your vaginal canal to ensure no leakages and for the blood to flow inside the cup. You NEVER want to just pull down on the cup to remove it - this can seriously hurt you! 

To break the seal, all you have to do is pinch the base or sides of the cup! This will break the suction and allow your period cup to be removed safely. 

Check out this gif from The Grove Collective to show a visual!

4. Dump the Blood

Hooray! You successfully (and safely) removed your period cup. Now you can dump the blood into the toilet, sink, or shower. Make sure to wash your cup (and applicator ;)) before reinserting!

Other Tips and Tricks

If you still find that removing period cups is tricky, here are a few tips to try out!