{"id":293,"date":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.lovenselife.com\/uncategorized\/how-to-clean-your-vagina"},"modified":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-06-05T00:00:00","slug":"how-to-clean-your-vagina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lovense.com\/sex-blog\/sex-passion\/how-to-clean-your-vagina","title":{"rendered":"How to Clean Your Vagina – Tips to Take Care of Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ladies, you\u2019ve probably heard plenty of \u201cadvice\u201d from friends, family, and television about how to clean your vagina. One of my favorite\u00a0cringe-worthy nuggets comes from old Lysol commercials \u2013 that spraying or douching with the lemon cleaner would leave your lower lady parts squeaky clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ew. No. Wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, even now<\/em>, we still find misleading advertisements that promise us the cleanest hoo-haw known to man \u2026 if you buy their product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at the real, healthy, and safe ways to maintain your vaginal hygiene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. <\/strong>QUICK ANATOMY REVIEW<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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First, we need to clarify that the areas in question come down to two categories \u2026 inside<\/em> and outside<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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THE OUTSIDE<\/strong><\/span> (your vulva) consists of mons pubis,\u00a0labia majora,\u00a0labia minora,\u00a0clitoris,\u00a0vulval vestibule, the\u00a0vaginal opening, glands etc. The urethral opening (the part where pee comes out) is also included because it\u2019s there too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE INSIDE <\/strong><\/span>(your vaginal canal) is the muscular tube that leads to the uterus. It\u2019s the part where the baby comes through and blood comes out when you have your period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when you want to wash, remember this \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should clean the outside<\/strong> but not<\/em> the inside.<\/strong> Why? Let’s look at the next point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. YOUR VAGINA IS SELF CLEANING<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When you hit puberty, your vagina starts making lactobacilli<\/strong>\u00a0which is a \u201cgood bacteria\u201d that produces lactic acid. This acid maintains your vaginal PH level and helps create an environment that is inhospitable to many bacteria and other nasties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lactobacilli also combine with fluids from your vagina and cervical mucus and sometimes flows out of your vagina, aka \u201cvaginal discharge\u201d \u2013 which is the “self-cleaning” we’re talking about and an essential bodily function.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, any of these cleaning methods people will swear by, are, in fact, doing damage to your body. They\u2019re disrupting the natural and delicate environment that already knows what it\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, your vagina is an oven \u2026 an oven that wants you to leave it alone.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. AVOID DOUCHING<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You\u2019ll see these everywhere \u2013 and you should stay away from them <\/strong>(unless your doctor specifically prescribes you something).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Douching for \u201cfreshness\u201d means you’re introducing chemicals and other foreign fluids into an environment that is already doing its job, and then screwing it up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, aside from f-ing up the natural PH levels, you also run the risk of causing further infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the products that promise to \u201cwork with your body\u2019s PH\u201d, these promises mean nothing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your lactobacilli\u00a0are doing their job, you don\u2019t need to clean or worry about PH. And if you\u2019re PH is off, there\u2019s a problem with your lactobacilli\u00a0and no amount of douching is going to fix that. You would need to go to a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. FORGET STEAMING<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sorry, Goop fans. Vagoo steaming does nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, the vagina muscles will scrunch close when nothing is in them (like fingers, a penis, a toy, or a baby coming through etc.). So, steam isn\u2019t really going to get in there, and it certainly can\u2019t get into your uterus (like the product promises). Even if it could, it would be more harmful than helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. HOW TO CLEAN YOUR VAGINA – OUTSIDE SMELLS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The \u201csmell\u201d that bothers some people is the vagina discharge (which has its own distinct scent) mixing with the sweat around your crotch. And, the more someone sweats, the more it might smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the part of the body that you can clean.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHERE:<\/strong> <\/span>The vulva area that we mentioned before, also around<\/em> the vagina opening, the perineum (the part between your vagina and anus), the bikini line, around the folds of your clitoris, and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. STAY AWAY FROM HARSH SOAPS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Shower gel and other soaps can contain harsh chemicals and scents. The same goes for vaginal deodorants and wipes. These additives can cause irritation \u2013 even irritation that can sometimes be mistaken for the dreaded yeast infection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All your really need is warm water and a washcloth<\/strong>, but if your brain REALLY needs soap, find the most gentle, natural, unscented kind you can (and only soap occasionally rather than daily).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and on the note of baths, the general consensus is that they\u2019re fine for your lady parts, as long as you don\u2019t use any bubbles or bath bombs etc. (sorry Lush lovers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. CHANGE YOUR UNDERWEAR EVERYDAY<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You\u2019re going to sweat and there\u2019s going to be some\u00a0discharge. It\u2019s for this reason alone that you should be changing your underwear daily <\/em>\u2013 not this \u201cfront-to-back-and-reverse\u201d BS you hear some men talk about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, and the same goes for your gym wear \u2013 make sure you change right after your workout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Bacteria thrive in warm, damp places. Best not to help it along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. CHOOSE THE RIGHT UNDERWEAR<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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While lacey panties and sexy thongs might be tempting, they\u2019re really not practical. G-strings are close-fitting to the skin and run the risk of helping bad bacteria get into the urethra (and then getting a UTI \u2013 ugh!) and all these synthetic options aren\u2019t breathable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s another thing that will help keep your vagina happy and smelling less \u2013 breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best choice is cotton.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9. HOW TO CLEAN YOUR VAGINA – BUM LAST<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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This applies to many things (which we will get too soon). But the most important thing to remember is that anything that involves the anus is left for last<\/strong>. Which includes<\/em> cleaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t want to pull any bad bacteria into our vagina opening or urethrae \u2013 this can lead to infections or (at minimum) an increase in smelliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. WIPE YOUR BUM PROPERLY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Another way you can avoid cross-contamination\u00a0is to\u00a0wipe from front to back<\/strong>. It might feel weird to some, but (just like the cleaning order and underwear) you don\u2019t want to relocate bacteria into a warm, dark playground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. KEEP YOUR SEX TOYS CLEAN<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I\u2019m appalled at the state some people keep their sex toys \u2013 or the state of the toys themselves. Aside from buying body-safe materials (such as 100% silicone, stainless steel, or ABS plastic), washing your toys before and after each play session<\/strong> is vital. They should also be stored properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE:<\/strong><\/span> Things like Jelly are full of chemicals that will damage your vagina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, if you\u2019re going to use anything in the butt \u2013 it should only be for the butt. Don\u2019t cross-contaminate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Want to know how to clean sex toys the RIGHT way? Read this<\/span><\/font><\/strong>… Buzzy and Clean! Over 30 Essential Tips on How to Clean Sex Toys<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. BE WISE ABOUT HAIR REMOVAL<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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No one is saying you can\u2019t go about your normal hair removal processes \u2013 in fact, sometimes thick and long pubes can trap sweat and contribute to smell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s quite alright to keep your pubes trimmed. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, keep in mind that other types of hair removal might cause irritation and possibly infections (especially if the person doing it doesn\u2019t really know what they\u2019re doing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FOR EXAMPLE:<\/strong> <\/span>Group A Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, or Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike a hard-stop on douching, there\u2019s no forbidding hair removal. Just proceed with caution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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13. BE CAREFUL WITH PERIOD PRODUCTS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Some tampons have harsh or dangerous chemicals that are used in their making. For example, some brands might have phthalates, also known as “endocrine disruptors” that can disrupt your hormones. And make sure to change your product often enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n