When it comes to how to clean your vagina, there’s a lot of questionable advice and products out there. You’ve been told that your nunu needs some vaginal soaps for cleaning, some of you use the “steamy” method- involves sitting on a steam bath with a variety of herbs. (Speaking from experience, i almost burn my inner thighs and clitoris trying this method, but story for another day). Vaginal steaming isn’t a good idea. There is no scientific evidence that it works, and it can be harmful. The big question is, do you really need to wash your nunu? And how?
No, you don’t need to wash your vagina, but you do need to wash your vulva. Let’s recap some basic anatomy. The vagina is the inner canal inside your body.
The term “vulva” refers to the outer parts around the vagina, such as the:
- clitoris
- clitoral hood
- inner and outer labia (vaginal lips)
While you shouldn’t wash inside your vagina, it’s a good idea to wash your vulva. When you use soaps, sprays, or gels — and yes, even water — to wash inside your vagina, you disrupt the bacterial balance. This can result in bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and other irritation.
How do you wash your vulva?
The best thing to cleanse [your vulva] with is plain warm water. If you’d like, you can use a mild soap that won’t irritate the skin — but this isn’t necessary. Choose a soap that’s unscented, mild, and colorless. Fragrance soap can irritate the sensitive skin in and around the vulva.
Spread your lips apart and gently cleanse around the folds, using a clean washcloth or your hands. Avoid getting water or soap inside your vagina.
In addition to washing your vulva, it’s a good idea to wash the anus and the area between your vulva and anus every day.
It’s best to wash “front to back” — in other words, wash your vulva first and then your anus. Otherwise, bacteria from the anus can spread to your vagina, which can cause infections.
Regular douching is unnecessary. People can help keep the area clean and healthy by:
- using barrier methods, such as a condom, to reduce the risk of pregnancy and STIs with a sexual partner
- keeping the vaginal area as dry as possible, which may involve changing underwear if it becomes wet with sweat, menstrual blood, or other fluids
- urinating after having sex, to avoid developing a UTI
- wiping from front to back after urinating
- refraining from having vaginal sex straight after having anal sex, as this can spread bacteria from the anus to the vagina
I have been advised to use feminine wash or sprays, are they okay for my nunu?
In truth, these products are both unnecessary and harmful, as they can irritate your vulva and vagina. Your nunu doesn’t need any of these items to be clean, and it certainly doesn’t need to smell like a rose garden!
If you’re wondering, But what about those vulva-cleansing products that specifically say they’ll help with my pH?, don’t be fooled.
But there’s an odor! Will everyone be able to smell it?
No vagina is odorless, nor should they be. Vaginas have many possible smells, from coppery to sweet. The smell of your vagina might change depending on your diet and menstrual cycle.
If the smell is pungent and unpleasant, contact a doctor or other healthcare provider. Your vagina might smell distinctly like a vagina, and that’s OK.
It’s unlikely that someone else will be able to smell it unless they’re very close to your vagina — so your sexual partner will probably smell it.
Here are some other ways to keep your vagina healthy and happy.
- Wear 100 percent cotton underwear, and steer clear of synthetics like nylon and acetate.
- Same goes for pantyhose—avoid nylon, which traps heat and moisture, making it a hot spot for organisms to grow. Instead, wear cotton tights or nylons that have a cotton crotch.
- Throw new underwear in the wash before you wear it.
- And speaking of washing it, use soap that’s gentle and stay away from fabric softeners
- Stay away from scented hygiene products like douches, sprays, deodorants, bubble bath, and talcum powder.
You might have heard that the vagina is like a self-cleaning oven a pretty accurate metaphor. Washing your vagina can also affect your vagina’s ability to clean itself. So if you want a clean vagina, leave it alone to clean itself!