October 18, 2021

How To Wash Your Vagina: The Do’s and Don'ts of Cleaning Yourself

If you have a vagina, you’ve probably learned from a young age that you need to keep yourself clean. A clean vagina is a happy vagina, after all! 


But you’ve probably also heard some advice about cleanliness that maybe isn't the best. Because of the obsession with being perceived as nice and clean, some advice goes way overboard, which can result in damage, discomfort, and disruption to your vagina. 


So, let’s break down some basics. 

how to clean your vagina. what to do and what not to do

DON’T:

  • Wash with soap. This may sound counterintuitive since we use soap to wash every other part of the body, but actually, soap can be harmful to your vagina, and specifically, your vaginal pH. Your vagina is acidic (lower than 7 on the standard pH scale), so alkaline soaps will disrupt the natural balance of your body. 
  • Use wipes. While this could be seen as a quick and easy fix if you’re feeling a bit musty, vaginal wipes can be quite rough on you. These wipes contain preservatives, chemicals, and fragrances (none of which are vagina-approved). 
  • Steam your vagina. While trendy, applying hot steam to your vagina will do nothing to make you any cleaner - in fact, all you’ll be risking is a burn, which can be quite painful or dangerous!
  • Scrub too hard. Be gentle with yourself! When washing your vagina and vulva, all you really need is your hand; washcloths, loofahs, and pumice stones (ouch!) can carry bacteria and can cause tears in the skin if applied too harshly, so probably better to skip the abrasive materials and keep it simple. 
  • Obsess over the hair. While hairlessness is often associated with cleanliness for women, that isn’t necessarily the case! In fact, there are some cleanliness and safety benefits for letting your natural pubic hair come in. Of course, this is up to personal preference, but if you’ve been shaving and waxing down there because you think it’s necessary to stay clean, feel free to take some time off! 
  • Douche. Douching (the act of inserting fluids forcibly into the vagina to clean it) is mostly out of practice these days, and for good reason. Not only does douching increase your chances of harm to your vagina and your general health, but it also doesn’t even leave you any cleaner. As we discussed, your vagina has a specific pH that it rests at to keep things clean and healthy; douching flushes out all of that healthy bacteria and leaves you at risk for vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. 

    • DO:

     

  • Use comfortably warm water and your hand. That’s it!

    •  

    In reality, your vagina is self-cleaning. Your body has evolved perfectly to keep things running smoothly down there - vaginas are actually “self-cleaning.” 


    Vaginas, as discussed already, have a balance of bacteria (sometimes referred to as “vaginal flora”) existing inside the acidic ecosystem. While bacteria might sound bad, these are “good” bacteria, which exist to keep you healthy and running! 


    The vagina cleans itself regularly, getting rid of anything that shouldn’t be there in the form of vaginal discharge. Of course, if you notice anything is amiss with your discharge or your comfort level down there, check with your doctor to make sure everything is in balance. 


    Meanwhile, while it is not suggested that you do not wash your vagina, lightly and gently washing the vulva is okay, as long as you are being safe. Because this is still a delicate area, use washes and materials formulated strictly for this area; intimate washes developed for safe use around the vulvar region will keep you feeling fresh without putting your vaginal balance at risk. 


    After your daily water wash, sticking purely to the exterior vulva region, pat dry with a clean cloth and moisturize with a vagina-safe moisturizer. These products will be specifically marked as being non-disruptive for your sensitive areas. 

    Using a moisturizing, protective, revitalizing cream like REJUVENATE is a safe bet for keeping yourself clean and soft post-shower. Just a pea-sized amount of cream brings with it hydration, protection, plumping and tightening effect to the vulva and pubic skin.  This keeps you feeling fresh, safe, and clean, without the need for any harsher washes that can be rough on your skin.

    Written by REJUCREAM TEAM

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