I'm new to this community and cups in general (at least, in terms of using them myself). I've been thinking about buying a cup for a while and decided to buy a box of insteads on a whim yesterday. So far, I'm very happy--unlike some of the other posters I've read here, they fit comfortably and don't leak at all, except when I'm on the toilet. (I started on a medium-for-me flow day, and in general I have a lighter-than-average flow throughout my period.) The only problem I've been having is removing it, since pulling on the bottom rim tends to just pull it into my pubic bone, and hooking my finger on the inside of the top rim inevitably leads to spillage, but I figure I'll get a system with some practice.
My biggest qualm with them is the waste, and after reading posts here, I decided I'll try to reuse them through each cycle. I do have a couple of questions for those of you who do use them multiple times that I couldn't find answers to.
1) I've noticed most people here who reuse their insteads put a bigger emphasis on cleaning/rinsing it between uses than people who go with reusable cups. What do you do when you're in a public restroom? Wipe it out? Bring a water bottle to rinse it out? Dump it and reinsert?
2) The information says not to leave it in for more than 12 hours. Assuming I'm not filling the cup in that period of time, is it okay to leave it in for longer? If I'm already reusing it, it doesn't seem to make a big difference if it stays in for a longer time, rather than taking it out after 12 hours, rinsing it with warm water, and putting it right back in.
Thanks!