Questions, answered

Correct. No boiling, ever. The Bfree Cup's surface is physically antibacterial. Every other cup on the market has to be sterilised in boiling water between cycles to stay safe to use — the Bfree Cup does not. No pot on the stove, no sterilising tablets, no negotiating a shared kitchen. This is the whole reason the cup was designed.

During your period: rinse it with clean water and put it back in. That is the routine. What you don't need is boiling water, sterilising tablets, or a special solution between cycles. The antibacterial surface does that work. Wash your hands before you handle it, the same as you would with anything else that goes in your body.

**No — and that is unusual.** Nearly every menstrual cup on the market has a ring of small suction holes under the rim, used to help break the seal on removal. The Bfree Cup has none. Those holes are the hardest part of any cup to clean: residue collects in them, a brush will not fit, and the usual advice is to fill the cup with water and squeeze it through each hole one at a time. No holes means nothing to trap residue and nothing fiddly to scrub — which is part of why a rinse in clean water is genuinely enough.

Up to 12 hours. That covers a night's sleep, a long flight, or a full day at work without thinking about it. On a heavy day you will want to empty it sooner. A cup holds what it holds — 15, 20, or 25 mL depending on the size — and a heavy flow fills it faster.

Yes. It's made from **100% medical-grade silicone** — no dyes, no BPA, no latex. Because the surface is physically antibacterial, it stays clean with a rinse in clean water: no boiling, no sterilising tablets, no pot on the stove. It's made to be worn internally for up to 12 hours at a time, and to last for years. If anything ever feels wrong — pain, an odour, a cup that won't seal — take it out and [email us](/contact). We would rather help you get the fit right than have you give up on cups altogether.

Years. It is 100% medical-grade silicone and it is built to be reused — one cup offers the protection equivalent of hundreds of pads or tampons. If a cup ever arrives defective, tell us within 60 days of receiving it and we will send a replacement.

Bfree sizes are about capacity: - **Size 1 — 15 mL.** The smallest. Suits lighter flows and first-timers. - **Size 2 — 20 mL.** The middle. Suits most anatomies. - **Size 3 — 25 mL.** The largest, built for heavier flows. If you are not sure, take the [Cup Quiz](/learn#quiz). One honest note: a bigger cup is not automatically a better cup. Capacity only helps if the cup sits comfortably in the first place. If you have a low cervix, or other cups have sat too low for you, start smaller than you think.

No — and this is the most common mistake we see. Brands number their cups differently. A size 2 from another brand is not a Bfree size 2. Reviewers have bought a Bfree size 3 because they used a size 2 elsewhere, and found it far too big. Ignore the number on your old box. Choose by capacity and by how your current cup actually fits: if it sits comfortably and you rarely fill it, go smaller than the number suggests.

That is usually a question of cervix height rather than technique. If your cervix sits low, a smaller cup is far more likely to sit comfortably than a larger one. Please don't cut the stem off. Reviewers have tried it and ruined the cup in the process. Email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and tell us what is happening. Sizing and fit is exactly what that address is for, and we would rather work it out with you than have you give up on cups altogether.

Sometimes. We would rather say that than pretend otherwise. Most people need a cycle or two before it feels routine — that is true of every menstrual cup, not only this one. The first insertion is the awkward one. By the third or fourth you stop thinking about it. Give yourself a quiet hour rather than a rushed morning. Wash your hands. Relax, because tension genuinely makes it harder. And if it still isn't working after a couple of cycles, email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) rather than giving up.

These are usually the same problem: the cup has not fully unfolded, so it has not sealed. What helps: - **Try a different fold.** The punch-down fold gives you a smaller, firmer tip to insert. - **Insert it lower, then let it open before you push it up.** A cup that opens in place seals better than one pushed into position still folded. - **Rotate it.** A gentle turn helps it spring out. - **Run a finger around the base.** You should feel a round rim, not a folded crease. A crease means it has not opened. If the cup is opening properly and still leaking, size is the more likely culprit — see the sizing questions above.

Take your time, and don't pull on the stem. The Bfree Cup has a ball-shaped stem. It is there to help you find the cup, not to pull it out by. Tugging the ball drags a sealed cup downward without breaking the seal, which is uncomfortable and does not work. Instead: bear down gently with your pelvic muscles to bring the cup lower, pinch the **base of the cup** — the body, above the ball — to break the suction, then ease it out. If you are struggling, you are probably tense. Sit down, breathe, and try again.

Shipping is free across Canada. Orders ship 1–3 business days after we receive them. Canadian customers can expect their package within 1–5 business days, with a tracking code. We ship to every country Canada Post sends parcels to. International delivery dates cannot be guaranteed, and free international shipping is not tracked — choose a tracked service at checkout if you want tracking. Full details: [Shipping Policy](/policies/shipping).

No. The Bfree Cup is regulated as a medical device, and as a result we cannot accept refunds on it. That is a real thing to sit with before you spend $45, so here is what we do instead: - **Defective cup:** tell us within 60 days of receiving it and we will send a replacement. - **Wrong size, or it just isn't working:** email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). We will work out together whether it is a sizing problem or a technique problem. Full details: [Refund Policy](/policies/refund).

Every purchase helps fund menstrual health education. Bfree grew out of years of fieldwork by Women's Global Health Innovations — interviewing girls and young women in refugee settlements in Uganda and slums in Kenya, and asking what actually stands between them and a normal month. The programs pair cups with education, and unless local custom discourages it they include boys as well as girls. Periods are a female biological process, but they are not only a female issue. More on the work: [our impact](/impact).