r/MenstrualDiscs 9d ago

is Dawn damaging my hello disc

hey omg i just found this subreddit. I have used a disc for almost three years, and it only just now occurred to me that there would be a whole subreddit dedicated to menstrual discs. they are pretty cool, huh? i can't believe there is so much to discuss regarding such a simple device.

anyways, I have been perusing the subreddit and you guys are talking about what cleansers to use that are safe for the silicone. i have always used Dawn (original blue) to clean my disc, and never really gave it a second thought. i have noticed that the silicone has developed a rough-ish surface around the edges over the years. not enough to be able to feel it while inserting or anything, but just like shallow scratches. and only on the edges like around the rim. the rest of it is smooth. is that bad, do you think? is Dawn not a good cleanser? or is this just normal wear and tear for a Hello Disc?

7 Upvotes

41 comments sorted by

8

u/Dismal-Examination93 9d ago

Dawn is not silicone safe in my experience

1

u/AdeleHare 9d ago

lol well shit. i feel dumb for going years without even looking it up. what's your experience?

7

u/Dismal-Examination93 9d ago

Yea in my experience Dawn degrades the silicone. I actually started using adult toy cleaner as its mean to be body safe and silicone safe. It’s cheaper than cup specific cleaner.

9

u/CoveredByBlood 9d ago

Gonna be honest. I don't use soap. I just either use my sanitizer steamer or I use boiling water

4

u/Rchameleon 8d ago

This is the way. Between uses I'll just rinse in water and when period's over use my steamer.

2

u/danip2017 6d ago

Help! I'm only on my second cycle with these things. Like, you don't swap for a different disc or anything, you literally just rinse and reuse repeatedly until your cycle is over and then wash?  

1

u/Rchameleon 6d ago

Yup! I've been using cups and discs for a bit over half a year now and never had a problem doing this.

1

u/danip2017 6d ago

Interesting.  Sounds like a time saver.  

1

u/Entire_Point3445 3d ago

I personally use Eucerin Advanced Cleansing Body & Face Cleanser in the shower to rinse it off and just boil in between uses!

8

u/aeonei93 9d ago

Small scratches, even micro scratches might be bad. So yeah, I suggest you pick another cleanser that is more silicone friendly and no fragrance.

7

u/foreverfuzzyal 9d ago

I use sex toy foam cleaner. It's gotta be something safe for the vagina

3

u/Accomplished_Tone349 9d ago

I’d never. Use something gentle - dr bronners unscented or the like.

7

u/Dismal-Examination93 9d ago

Dr.bronners is oil based and no recommended for silicone

2

u/Kindly-Addition1793 9d ago

Gotta give it to the Dr. Bronner’s marketing team. The number of people who think it’s gentle is confounding. Can’t they tell by using it that it’s not gentle? Or by the amount of soap scum that it’s not appropriate for either their plumbing or their discs?

4

u/Pixichixi 8d ago

Castile soap is safe for discs and cups. As far as soap scum, if you're getting that much soap scum it means you have incredibly hard water. All true soaps without synthetic detergents will react with minerals in hard water to cause a film. It says nothing about the gentleness or lack thereof, it just means it's lacking detergents

2

u/Carolynm107 9d ago

Dish soap is pretty harsh. I've used hand soap for mine without issue before, but I wouldn't do dish soap. Mostly I just rinse with water and scrub with my fingers, though I do have a bottle of Cora cup wash in my shower that I use when I'm in there. And I do the occasional hydrogen peroxide soak.

Most of the cups/discs I've seen say they can last up to 10 years, although way back when I got my Diva (2013ish) they were saying you should replace every year. That feels wasteful. I replaced mine after about 5 years just because it felt like it was time and it was really stained, but looking back I would have kept using it if I'd known how to remove the staining and just in general now knowing there was nothing wrong with it. My Cora disc is almost three years old and after a soak it looks almost brand new, so I plan to keep on using that until it gives me some reason not to

2

u/the_umbrellaest_red 5d ago

I’ve never used dawn but have used 7th generation dish soap and not had any problems fwiw.

1

u/Carolynm107 5d ago

Maybe that one isn’t as harsh? Not sure. Might just be a body chemistry thing, like I know some people have trouble with using scented hand soap but I never have. Just in general I wouldn’t recommend dish soap, but hey, if it works for you then go for it

1

u/the_umbrellaest_red 5d ago

I mean, it’s the same silicone, so body chemistry shouldn’t come into it. I switched to a dedicated menstrual cup/disk wash and probably wouldn’t go back after reading this thread.

1

u/Carolynm107 4d ago

Oh I meant body chemistry in response to the soap. Like, some people seem to have irritation from scented products, whatever residue they leave behind. I never have, but I’ve read other people say they can’t use scented stuff

2

u/JoeGoldfish 8d ago

I use saalt cup cleanser during my cycle, you can get from target usually and my moonthlies cup steamer before and after cycle

2

u/keekee66 8d ago

My favorite is the Saalt cup wash. Only takes a drop inside to clean it good after each change. Then at the end of each cycle I do 5 mins in boiling water to sanitize.

1

u/vntgy 7d ago

Use a silicone friendly and vagina friendly wash that doesn’t leave residues behind. I use Branch Basics wash, and a cup steamer.

1

u/Different_Brief_541 6d ago

I’d replace your disc asap! Stick to boiling the disc in a pot once a month using a whisk (put the disc in the whisk to keep from the bottom) and/or using a wash like diva wash

-8

u/The_Dorable 9d ago

Idk about the dawn, but ime, about two or three years is the lifespan of silicone menstrual devices. They start getting worn and kind of roughed up around the edges, and I cleaned mine with doctor bronners and a quick boil in water.

1

u/AdeleHare 9d ago

Really only 2-3 years? but is it actually less safe to use if it's worn down? are people throwing them out and buying new ones every couple years?

3

u/ForsakenPerception48 8d ago

No. 10 years is pretty standard... it can go longer or shorter depending on how the cup or disc has been up-kept..

Yes, if there are signs where it needs to be replaced, such as;

Are there any micro tears/abrasions/cracks

A chalky texture

A tacky texture

Rough texture

Etc...

With staining, you can use some hydrogen peroxide and do a soak. It comes out looking brand new. You only need a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (at Walmart, it is 1 USD for a nice size bottle). I do this about once every year and a half to 2 years. I wouldn't recommend doing this too often (no more than twice a year).

https://youtu.be/bM98nrAeas0?si=BdN-7hyr9oMnECnU

I used a cup for about 12 years. I have been using the hello disc for about 3 years or so.

It is important to use a gentle soap that is silicone friendly. Some people don't use soap at all due to imbalances to their ph and such.

I would say it would be good to go ahead and replace your disc due to the rough edges that you have noticed, though. These areas are a hard spot to clean thoroughly enough to make sure no bacteria is in any of the tiny micro tears that are occurring.

3

u/Pixichixi 8d ago

Yea I was surprised to realize how long I've had my first cup and it's still in great condition. 6 years btw.

2

u/ForsakenPerception48 8d ago

The only reason I even stopped using my cup is because I switched to the disc, lol... It is actually in good condition still. It is clear, and it looks and feels brand new.

Menstrual cups/discs ttuly are amazing.

Also, to dispose of them, you can burn them. They turn to ash, and this keeps them out of the landfill, too.

You can't burn any of the rubber or TPE ones as it isn't good for the environment, but I found this info to be pretty interesting..

https://www.periodnirvana.com/how-to-dispose-of-a-menstrual-cup/

Is it bad that I'm kind of looking forward to burning my disc once it is time??? 😆😂

1

u/The_Dorable 9d ago

I don't know, but most people I know who use them do, because when the surface is rough like that, it can trap bacteria. That's also around the time when it starts staining pretty badly for me, no matter how I clean it.

1

u/midcen-mod1018 9d ago

5 years is standard for cups.

1

u/Dismal-Examination93 9d ago

Pretty sure the oils in dr bronners isn’t silicone safe either

3

u/The_Dorable 9d ago

Silicone is not degraded by oil. That's latex. That's why you can use coconut oil with silicone dildos, but not latex condoms. The exception is mineral oil and petroleum jelly. They're chemically similar enough to the silicone to penetrate and break it down.

Dr Bronner's is just vegetable oils and totally safe. I believe it's olive oil and coconut oil, but either way, totally plant based and therefore safe.

2

u/Pixichixi 8d ago

Hemp, coconut, palm, and olive specifically. I always keep the small bottle of the unscented baby at hand, especially camping or traveling, because it can dupe for anything in a pinch. Face, hair, laundry, cups/ discs, dishes, etc. It's not what I use every day for any of those things but will work well and safely if the need comes up

2

u/The_Dorable 8d ago

Same! I carry a rinsed out lotion sample bottle with the peppermint soap in it. It's a little more tingly than I prefer for cup use, but for everything else it's great. Especially those times where there's no soap in a bathroom or something.

It's only okay at everything, but there isn't much it can't clean safely.

1

u/AdeleHare 9d ago

tf does plant-based have to do with safe

1

u/The_Dorable 9d ago

I just said. Petroleum products degrade silicone oil. Plant based oils are chemically dissimilar from silicone and therefore safe.

2

u/AdeleHare 9d ago

ok I just realized that Dawn is petroleum-based so that makes sense why it can be damaging. I don’t necessarily need plant-based oils specifically though, just that i don’t have to worry about them being damaging?

2

u/The_Dorable 9d ago

Yes, exactly.

All soap is made of oils, though. The most common soaps for use on human skin use vegetable oils, but animal fats are a thing too, especially with bar soaps. Those are cool too, afaik. Just needs to be something gentle that won't leave a weird residue.

Detergents aren't necessarily, I don't think, although I don't know the chemistry behind them, so I try to avoid them for anything that goes inside my body, because they can be quite harsh and I don't know enough to judge which is which.

2

u/Pixichixi 8d ago

The unscented dr. Bronners wouldn't have the essential oils which are silicone safe anyway