Customers who have not boiled or used harsh chemicals on our cups have reported their cups lasting five, seven, ten—even fifteen years. On the other hand, women who boil their cups, or use harsh chemicals to clean them, often reorder within a much shorter time. Although we are grateful for our customers and would certainly benefit from frequent re-orders, that is NOT our style, and there are other important reasons we vote for prolonging the usable life of our cups!
These two methods are just as effective as using high temperatures and harsh chemicals, BUT without harming the integrity of the high quality material used to make our cups.
AND, it is a well known that vinegar is, indeed, a sanitizing agent—just as effective as the harsher methods of cleaning and sanitizing, so there is no reason to use harsher methods to achieve the same result.
There is no need to spend more money or produce more waste from plastic containers buying a “special” cleaner for your cup. Our Earth does not need more waste!
We use the highest quality natural gum rubber and medical grade silicone available and the producers of both materials highly recommend NOT using high temperatures or harsh chemicals for cleaning or sterilizing. Harsh cleaning and sterilizing methods like these will quickly degrade and weaken ANY material, thus reducing the number of years it will last.
Discoloration is natural and will vary in degree depending upon the user’s body chemistry, medications she might be taking and the water conditions in her geographical area, all of which might also play a role in lowering the life expectancy of any cup. Some women will experience various amounts of discoloration, while others will not experience ANY discoloration.