The question of whether to douche or not to douche surprisingly does not have an easy answer. If you’re wondering “should I douche?” here’s an easy guide to help you make the right decision.

What is a Douche?

A douche is a device used to introduce a jet of water to the inside of a part of the body so that it can be washed. Douching is done for either medical or hygiene reasons. You can douche either your vagina or anus. People douche for a variety of reasons but mostly hygienic.

Vaginal Douching

The first question to answer is which area you are planning on douching. If you are planning on douching your vagina, the good news is it is not necessary! Vaginas are self-cleaning! Most women douche for the following reasons:

• to get rid of unpleasant odors in the vagina
• to prevent pregnancy
• to wash away bodily fluids, such as menstrual blood or semen
• to reduce the chances of contracting a sexually transmitted infection

Douching, however, has not been shown to achieve any of these goals. While douching can remove bacteria from the vagina, it can remove good bacteria as well as the bad bacteria. This can allow the bad bacteria to grow resulting in irritations and infections. It will also NOT prevent pregnancy or reduce your chances of getting an STI.

If you are going to vaginally douche, do so only occasionally. Use a product like the Selopa Squeaky Clean Douche and only water, never any type of chemical or solution. Freshen up with a product like the Coochy Cream Feminine Intimate Spray and you’re good to go!

Anal Douching

Anal douching is flushing your rectum out with water. This is common before and even after engaging in any type of anal play. While not necessary, if you are concerned about feces making an appearance during anal sex, you can safely douche before hand.

Because your body has a delicate balance of electrolytes and healthy bacteria, we recommend using only water to douche. If you intend on using a saline solution with your douche, you may want to set out a good amount of time to let it entirely flush from your colon. We sell douches which use a reusable rubber bulb with a nozzle on the end that’s inserted into the rectum. To douche safely, follow these steps:

1. Begin with a clean nozzle and douche to avoid the spread of bacteria.
2. Use water that’s a little less than lukewarm to avoid burning the mucosal lining.
3. Apply lubricant to the tip of the douche to make insertion easier.
4. Stand in the shower so the contents of the douche — and your rectum — have a place to land. You can also do it over the toilet.
5. Stand with one leg up on the toilet, the side of the tub, or a shower bench for easier access.
6. Get your hole primed for the nozzle by using a clean, lubed finger to relax it before insertion.
7. Gently hold the nozzle against your anus, take a deep breath, and slowly and gently insert it while breathing out.
8. Squeeze the douche bulb, bottle, or bag to slowly squirt the liquid. If using a shower enema, start at a low setting to keep from releasing too much water at once.
9. Hold the liquid inside you for a few seconds before letting it out.
10. Repeat until the water running out of you is clean or until the bottle or bulb is empty.

The whole process should take under an hour so if you are going to engage in anal play, you will need to prep a little. Again, you don’t NEED to douche before anal play, but if it will make you feel more comfortable, go for it! And unlike vaginal douching, you can safely do it several times a week.