Accessories

Reusable period products are low-maintenance, but they are not no-maintenance. A cup or disc needs to be cleaned properly between uses, sterilised between cycles, and stored somewhere dry and breathable in between. The right accessory turns each of those jobs from a chore into a thirty-second habit — and makes the difference between a cup that lasts a couple of years and one that lasts a decade. Below is a plain guide to the accessories we stock, what each one actually solves, and how to use them.

Which accessories do you actually need?

Be honest about which category you fall into before you add anything to your basket:

• Essential from day one. Somewhere clean, dry and breathable to store your cup or disc between cycles, and a reliable way to sterilise it. Most cups ship with a small cotton pouch, which covers storage at home — a hard case is the upgrade for bags and travel.
• Worth it if you are out a lot. A hard storage case. If your cup travels in a handbag, backpack or school bag, a soft pouch will not protect it from keys, crumbs and everything else in there.
• Worth it if boiling is a hassle. A steam steriliser. If you share a kitchen, live in a hostel or boarding situation, or simply do not want to be watching a pot at the end of every cycle, this is the accessory that removes the friction.
• Worth it if insertion is the barrier. A disc applicator. For beginners, long nails, limited hand mobility, or anyone who would rather not use their fingers, an applicator makes the difference between using a disc and giving up on one.

Nobody needs all of them. Start with what removes your specific friction.

Storage cases — keeping your cup clean between cycles

The most common mistake with a menstrual cup is storage. A cup that goes into a sealed plastic bag or a zipped make-up pouch while still slightly damp will develop odour and discolouration, and silicone degrades faster in those conditions. Cups need airflow.

A dedicated storage case solves the other half of the problem: protection. A cotton pouch keeps a cup breathable at home, but it does nothing when the cup is loose in a bag. A hard case like the CupMate storage case gives your cup its own compartment, shields it from everything else in your bag, and keeps it discreet — no one glancing into your handbag knows what it is.

How to store your cup or disc properly:

1. Sterilise at the end of your cycle.
2. Let it air dry completely — not "mostly", completely.
3. Place it in its case or breathable pouch, not in an airtight bag.
4. Keep it somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight until next month.

A case earns its keep most for students, commuters, gym-goers, travellers and anyone whose cup lives in a bag rather than a bathroom cupboard.

Steam sterilisers — the fastest way to clean a cup properly

Every menstrual cup and disc should be sterilised at the end of each cycle. The traditional method is boiling for 3–5 minutes in a pot of water, keeping the cup from resting against the base. It works perfectly well and costs nothing — but it needs a free pot, a free hob, and your attention, and a forgotten cup boiled dry is a ruined cup.

An electric steam steriliser replaces all of that with a button. You add a small amount of water, put the cup in, close the lid and let the cycle run. There is no pot to watch, no flame, nothing that can scorch, and it is compact enough to live in a bedroom or hostel room rather than a shared kitchen.

A steam steriliser is worth it if you:

• Share a kitchen, or live in a hostel, boarding house or shared flat where boiling a personal pot is awkward
• Want privacy — sterilising in your own room rather than in front of housemates or family
• Use more than one cup or disc, or there is more than one user in the household
• Have ever forgotten a cup on the hob (it happens to almost everyone once)
• Prefer a repeatable, timed cycle over judging it by eye

Whichever method you use, the rules are the same: no bleach, no vinegar, no dishwashing liquid, no fragranced or antibacterial soaps, and no scrubbing with anything abrasive. These strip and degrade medical-grade silicone. Water, mild fragrance-free soap, and heat are all you need.

Menstrual disc applicators — who they are for and how to use one

A menstrual disc applicator is a slim reusable tube that holds a folded disc and places it correctly, so you do not have to insert it with your fingers. It solves a genuine barrier rather than being a gadget.

An applicator helps if you:

• Are new to discs and have not yet built confidence with insertion
• Have long nails, acrylics or gel nails
• Have limited hand mobility, reduced grip strength, or find bending and reaching difficult
• Would simply rather not use your fingers, at home or in a public bathroom
• Struggle to get the disc far enough back — the most common reason a first disc attempt fails

How to use a disc applicator:

1. Wash your hands and the applicator with clean water and mild soap.
2. Load the disc. Pinch the disc in half lengthways and seat it into the applicator following the instructions supplied with your applicator.
3. Get comfortable. Sit, squat, or stand with one foot raised, and relax — the same positions that work for insertion by hand.
4. Insert downwards and backwards, aiming towards your tailbone rather than straight up.
5. Push the plunger to release the disc, then remove the applicator.
6. Tuck the front rim up behind your pubic bone with a finger. This step still matters — it is what holds the disc in place.
7. Clean the applicator with mild soap and water, dry it fully, and store it with your disc.

An applicator is for insertion only. Removal is still done by hand: bear down gently, hook a finger under the front rim, and draw the disc out level. There is more detail on our menstrual discs page.

Your care routine at a glance

• Every time you empty — rinse with clean water, or mild fragrance-free soap and water where available.
• End of every cycle — sterilise by boiling 3–5 minutes or running a steam steriliser cycle.
• After sterilising — air dry completely before it goes anywhere near a case.
• Between cycles — store in a breathable pouch or hard case, somewhere dry and out of sunlight.
• Every few cycles — check the air holes near the rim of your cup are clear, and inspect for cracks, tears or a sticky texture.

Replace a cup or disc if the silicone becomes sticky or oily, discolours deeply, cracks or tears, or holds an odour that will not wash out.

Travel, school and boarding checklist

Accessories matter most when you are away from your own bathroom. A workable kit:

• Your cup or disc, plus a spare if you have one
• A hard storage case — the single most useful travel accessory
• A small bottle of water for rinsing in cubicles without a basin
• A few reusable pads or a pair of period underwear as backup
• A steam steriliser if you are away for a full cycle and will not have kitchen access

For boarding school students in particular, a hard case plus a couple of reusable pads covers almost every situation without needing privacy in a shared bathroom.

Common questions

• Do I have to sterilise my cup? Yes — once per cycle, at the end. Rinsing is enough between uses during your period, but a full sterilisation between cycles is not optional.
• Boiling or a steam steriliser — is one better? Both sterilise effectively. A steriliser is about convenience, privacy and not needing a free hob, rather than a better clean.
• Can I use soap on my cup? Only mild, fragrance-free soap. Avoid antibacterial, fragranced and oil-based soaps, and never use bleach, vinegar or dishwashing liquid.
• Can I store my cup in a ziplock bag? No. Silicone needs airflow. Use a breathable pouch or a proper storage case, and only once the cup is fully dry.
• Will an applicator work with any disc? Applicators are designed around standard disc dimensions. If you are unsure whether it suits the disc you own, message us before ordering.
• Is a storage case really necessary? Not at home, where a cotton pouch is fine. It becomes worthwhile the moment your cup starts travelling in a bag.

Shop the rest of the range

• Menstrual cups — medical-grade silicone cups in Extra Small, Small and Large, worn for up to 12 hours.
• Menstrual discs — higher-capacity internal option in Medium (42ml) and Large (60ml), ideal for heavier flow.
• Reusable pads — washable cloth pads that button around your underwear, and the easiest reusable to start with.
• Period underwear — underwear with a built-in absorbent gusset for light days and backup.

Cuppie ships menstrual cup and disc accessories across Kenya in plain, discreet packaging, with M-PESA checkout and Pay on Delivery available in Nairobi and environs. We deliver same-day within Nairobi and in 1 to 3 working days countrywide. Browse the accessories above, or message us on WhatsApp if you are not sure which one you need.