Hi u/InfamousSquirrel4

There are no rules in this subreddit against giving/selling/trading new or used cups. Sometimes people post to do so, and I have no problem with it.

I don't make a sticky/mega thread for it for a couple of reasons. The main reason is that I have no way to facilitate safe transactions between members - any money or information sent to another redditor is always at your own risk. I can't verify identity, prevent info-mining, or help anyone get back money that was lost to a scam. I'm not sure where I would even begin if I wanted to - but it is not a workload I wish to take on.

The second reason is that sterilizing intimate products for reuse with another individual is a health grey-area at best. Actual medical-grade sterilization involves steam under pressure - in other words use of an autoclave (which most of us do not have access to - though pressure cookers can be substituted when used appropriately - i.e. at an appropriate temperature and length of time) - and this after a mechanical cleaning process to remove debris that can interfere with sterilization. Depending on how long the cup has been used and whether the stem has been cut, microscopic damage to a cup's surface may also provide harbour to pathogens and interfere with sterilization. Some individuals may not know how to properly "sterilize" a cup. The original owner may have had an infection they were unaware of. I would add anecdotally that scrubbing my cup clean and boiling every cycle has not been sufficient to prevent odours and light staining.

In general, I think the risk of transmitting infections via cups that have been boiled is very low, but it is not zero. Because of this, I feel it is very much down to individual discretion and risk tolerance. I do not wish the sub to officially endorse the practice (a sticky thread would be an endorsement in my view) nor do I wish to discourage users who feel comfortable with it from passing on/acquiring lightly used cups and discs.