How to Clean Your Vagina – Self-Care Tips

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Ladies, you’ve probably heard a lot of “advice” from friends, family, and TV about how to clean your vagina. One of my favorite embarrassing punchlines comes from an old Lysol commercial — spraying or rinsing with lemon cleanser will get your nether regions squeaky clean.

Uh. No. Wrong.

However, even if Nowwe still find misleading ads that promise the cleanest hoo-haw known to man if you buy their product.

Let’s look at real, healthy, and safe ways to maintain vaginal hygiene.

1. Quick Anatomy Review

First, we need to clarify that the areas we are discussing fall into two categories… in and external.

outside (Your vulva) is made up of the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vestibule, vaginal opening, glands, etc. The urethra (the part where urine comes out) is also included because it’s there too.

internal The vaginal canal is the muscular tube that leads to the uterus. It is where the baby is born and where blood flows out during menstruation.

So, when you want to take a shower, keep this in mind…

You should clean up external but no in. Why? Let’s look at the next point.

2. Your vagina is self-cleaning

When you reach puberty, your vagina begins to Lactobacillus This is a “good bacteria” that produces lactic acid. This acid maintains the pH of the vagina and helps create an environment that is inhospitable to many bacteria and other harmful substances.

Lactobacillus also combines with vaginal fluid and cervical mucus, which sometimes flows out of the vagina as “vaginal discharge” – This is what we call “self-cleaning” and is an essential function of the body.

So any cleansing methods that people espouse are actually damaging your body. They disrupt the natural and delicate environment, which itself already knows what they are doing.

Remember, your vagina is an oven… one that wants you to Don’t worry about it.

3. Avoid douching

You’ll see them everywhere— You should stay away from them (Unless your doctor specifically prescribes certain medications for you).

Flushing for the sake of “keeping it fresh” means introducing chemicals and other foreign fluids into an already functioning environment and screwing it up.

And, in addition to disrupting the natural pH, you also run the risk of causing further infection.

For those products that claim to “regulate the pH value of the human body”, These promises mean nothing.

If your lactobacilli are working, you don’t need to cleanse or worry about pH. If your pH is off, then your lactobacilli are not working and no matter how many times you rinse, that won’t fix it. You need to see a doctor.

4. Forget about steaming

Sorry, Goop fans. Vagoo steam baths do nothing.

First, when there is nothing in the vagina (like fingers, penis, toys, or a baby being born, etc.), the vaginal muscles contract. Therefore, the steam does not actually enter the vagina, and certainly not the uterus (as the product promises). Even if it could, it would do more harm than good.

5. How to clean your vagina – external odor

The “smell” that some people find offensive is vaginal discharge (which has a distinct odor) mixing with sweat from around the crotch area. And, the more you sweat, the stronger the odor is likely to be.

This is the part of your body you can clean.

Where: The vulva area we mentioned earlier is also About the vaginal opening, perineum (the area between the vagina and anus), bikini line, and around the clitoral folds.

6. Stay away from harsh soaps

Body wash and other soaps can contain harsh chemicals and scents. The same goes for vaginal deodorants and wipes. These additives can cause irritation. Even irritation that can sometimes be mistaken for the dreaded yeast infection

All you really need is warm water and a towelbut if your brain really needs soap, find the gentlest, most natural, unscented soap you can (and use it only occasionally, not every day).

Oh, and speaking of bathing, the general consensus is that bathing is fine for your lady parts as long as you don’t use any bubbles or bath bombs etc (sorry, Lush lovers).

7. Change your underwear every day

You will sweat and secrete. That is why you should change your underwear. Daily – not this “backwards and forwards” BS you hear some men talk about.

Oh, and the same goes for your workout clothes—make sure you change them right after your workout.

Why? Bacteria thrive in warm, moist places. It’s best not to encourage bacteria growth.

8. Choose the right underwear

While lace panties and sexy thongs may be tempting, they’re not actually very practical. Thongs sit tight against your skin, which can risk bad bacteria entering your urethra (which can then lead to a UTI — ugh!), and all those synthetic materials don’t breathe.

This is another way to keep your vagina healthy and reduce odor – breathe.

The best choice is cotton.

9. How to clean your vagina – clean your buttocks last

This applies to many things (as we’ll soon see). But the most important thing to remember is Anything involving anal is saved for lastWhich include clean.

We don’t want to introduce any harmful bacteria into the vaginal opening or urethra – this could lead to infection or (at the very least) increase odor.

10. Wipe your buttocks properly

Another way to avoid cross contamination is to Wipe from front to backThis may seem strange to some, but (just like with cleaning order and underwear) you don’t want to transfer germs to your warm, dark playground.

11. Keep sex toys clean

I’m shocked at the state of care some people take in their sex toys — or the state of the toys themselves. In addition to purchasing body-safe materials like 100% silicone, stainless steel, or ABS plastic, Clean toys before and after each play session They should also be stored properly.

notes: Things like jelly contain a lot of chemicals that can damage your vagina.

Also, if you are going to use anything to insert into the buttocks, insert it into the buttocks only. Do not cross contaminate.

Want to know how to properly clean your sex toys? Read this article… Clean and Clean! 30+ Essential Tips on How to Clean Your Sex Toys

12. Remove hair wisely

No one’s saying you can’t go through a normal hair removal process – in fact, sometimes thick, long pubic hair can absorb sweat and create odor.

It’s totally fine to trim your pubic hair.

However, keep in mind that other types of hair removal can cause irritation or even infection (especially if the person doing the hair removal doesn’t really understand what they’re doing).

For example: Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Unlike a mandatory halt to douching, there are no rules against hair removal. Just proceed with caution.

13. Use menstrual products with caution

Some tampons use harsh or dangerous chemicals in their manufacturing process. For example, some brands may contain phthalates, also known as “endocrine disruptors,” which can interfere with your hormones. Be sure to switch products up frequently.

• Organic, unscented tampons are a better choice
• Try reusable cotton pads
• Learn about menstrual cups

14. Be careful with condoms and lubricants

Some people suffer from latex allergies, which can be very inconvenient. So if your partner uses latex during sex, you could get a severe rash or irritation.

Make sure the condoms you buy are designed to fit your body.

As for sexual lubricants…

There are many inferior products on the market – the pH is wrong, the additives are dangerous, the osmotic pressure is problematic. Generally speaking, it is best to use a water-based lubricant (preferably Lovense does a great job) or a silicone-based lubricant if you need a longer-lasting lubricant and aren’t using it with sex toys.

Avoid anything flavored, cooled, or heated.

notes: There is so much more to learn about lubricants that I cannot possibly cover it all in this article. I recommend reading the following link And speed it up.

Learn more about sexual lubricants here: The Best Lube – Slick Stuff Comprehensive Guide

15. Proper sexual hygiene

Drink a glass of water before and after sex Great for maintaining vaginal health urinating after sex (Even playing with sex toys).

This helps ensure that harmful bacteria can’t get into your other openings and cause an infection.

16. There is the smell… and then there is smell

Remember all this… Some Odors from natural secretions and sweat – these will go away with a simple wash. However, if you find the odor pungent, continuousthen you should see a healthcare provider.

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Vaginal cleansing may sound like a lot, but it’s really just a few basic practices, avoiding most products, and common sense. Also, and most importantly, any woman over the age of 25 should have regular vaginal exams. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor at your next visit.

Do you have anything else to add? Please share in the comments!