Boil at the end or beginning of cycle?

I have read conflicting information about this. Some people say it doesn't matter, you can boil it at the end of your cycle, store it, and pull it out next month for use. Others say that after your cup has been stored away, it needs to be boiled again before use. So my question is: does is really not matter when you sterilize each month?

I would prefer to boil it at the end and then just have it ready for next time, but the paranoid part of me is worried that I'm inviting bacteria/other unpleasant things into my vagina by letting it sit there. When do you ladies boil your cups? Has anyone had issues with boiling it after your period and then using it again (without re-boiling) after storage?

I know it might freak some people out, but I think the only time I will boil my cups is when I first get them or if I end up with an infection and have used a cup during that time. Boiling doesn't really sterilize them, it just sanitizes them and a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol and a rinse when it has evaporated will be just as good for me. I have been doing this at the end of my cycle before putting them up in their bags and then before using them the next time I've just been washing them with hot water and Dove unscented soap to get any fuzzies off.

Boiling to me seems like a hassle, though I did go to the dollar store and pick up a cheap pot and a large whisk, I put my cup in the whisk and let it sit in the pot while it boils for just a few minutes to be sure that it doesn't touch the sides or bottom of the pot. (Also makes it way easier to fish your cup out of boiling water.) I heard of the whisk trick from someone on the LJ site.

Ohh the whisk idea is brilliant! I wonder if I could find one that's big enough for cheap... Hm. I'll have to go shopping and see.

And I'm unsure why, but I have an aversion to cleaning with rubbing alcohol for some reason. I know that it won't damage the cup at all, but I'd just prefer to boil it. I may turn to the rubbing alcohol if I am unable to boil it for some reason. So thank you for the advice.

I would seriously look into a dollar store, I noticed you're in Oregon so they should have a lot of them to choose from. I bought a big plastic hot air balloon shaped one, I don't have to squeeze my cup too much to get it in there, but even if your cup is squished a bit, it should still work.

I don't know if other countries have the glorified disposable store known as Dollar Stores. You can usually find most household supplies in them and they are great for things that you don't really need to last or things that you only need once in a while and won't be heartbroken if you only get 3 or 4 uses out of them.

Very true, I live right up the street from a dollar store, and then there are 3 more in other areas of town. So they are really big around here. Actually we have 2-- the designated "Dollar Tree" and then another called the "99 Cent Store". While the dollar tree is great, the 99Cent Store is MUCH bigger, with ten times more items and varieties in it. So I prefer to go there

Some people prefer rubbing alcohol, but I myself like to boil it. I can usually feel my period comming on, so I will go boil it when I start to feel symptoms. I'm not sure weather or not there is a risk in boiling your cup at the end of yoru cycle and storing it away all month... People are still arguing about that. To me, personally, its just 50/50. he reason I boil mine before my cycle, is because after a whole month goes by, I can just soooo see myself forgetting weather or not I rememebred to boil it last month, lol. But if if do it just before I use it, then I know I did.

I do have a dollar tree near by, although my fiance (who frequents it xD) says they don't have pots/pans. However, he is not the most observant person so I might go by just to check it out myself. lol

And yea, I would prefer to do it just before my period as well. Being on birth control makes it really easy to know when to expect my period. I feel like just letting it sit some where for a whole month is just... "asking for it", I suppose.