Female Intimate Hygiene

I was having little vaginal itching as I woke up this morning. Maybe due to the new fabric liquid, mom said. (I wore freshly washed night dress last night)

While in shower I cleaned down there and I was fine

This brought a questions in my mind.

Ladies, what's your opinion on feminine intimate hygiene washes?

Do you use them. If yes, how frequently?

If no, then what care do you take for the intimate area?

I don't use any of those washes. I feel the body should not be disturbed with external products especially in sensitive areas unless specifically advised. I just use lukewarm water to wash myself there.. During periods I do it more than once

These products have just come 4-5 years back. So there is definitely going to be different opinion of ladies of different age groups

I thought it's a good topic to discuss

You are absolutely right with what you are doing. Warm water, no harsh soaps or washes or a washcloth, is the best. Unless something chronic comes up, then I would go right to the doc and get the proper instructions. It's not like the skin anywhere else on your body. PH and all of that is really important, and easy to throw off I guess. But proper hygiene is extremely important.

The vagina needs no "cleaning out."

The only time I may douche is after morning sex so I don't drip all day long and I use ONE, repeat ONE squeeze of a small 8 ounce rubber bulb to do a quick rinse with plain water or with 5 ml (one teaspoon) of vinegar added.

The best way I clean my vagina every day is by standing under the shower and sticking one or two fingers inside and swirling them around for about five seconds under the running water. That will do very well to clean you and not change your vaginal bacterial flora. As an alternative, I may jump on the American Standard bidet after "afternoon sex" when I don't want or have time for a shower and I do the same finger motions as in the shower.

My husband and I do not use condoms, so I always have a bit of "old semen" in my vagina but thorough washing of my vulva and swirling fingers inside cleans everything very well. My husband and other men I've had 😎 will tell you that my pubes smell the same as my face, which is essentially odorless. No stinky fish odor for me.

The old days of the two quart medicated douche for vaginal cleaning are LONG GONE.

Daily, I use a feminine wash, warm water, and a wash cloth and just gently clean externally. Sometimes I'll douche after my periods are over but just with warm water.

I'm mid menopause, at 54.

I am aware as women get older their odour may be different.

I have noticed that I have a heavier discharge some days.. Comes with my hormones being erratic and messing with my cycle.

I have never used a douche. As I think they only change your PH balance and give you more problems.

But lately I have used feminine wipes, usually after every use of the bathroom. I shower every morning, but these wipes seem to keep me fresh even the days where I have a heavier mucous discharge.

Then I'm ready to join in any fun and games I come across, and know that my vagina area is squeaky clean..

I don’t do any cleaning other than my normal everyday bathing with soap and water.

I just use soap and water. Have never had a problem. I just clean the outside. As far as cleaning the inside, I do not. I may use the shower head but not to douche, that's for surel. I only do a douche when I notice a smell.

I had a hysterectomy a few years back, so I am only dealing with menopause.

As for what kind of soap-we just use Dawn dishsoap. If its good enough for a duck, its good enough for me. It's also cheap, and probably a neutral ph.

I do get vag infections from time to time but that's due to antibiotics.

Running water like when I am under the shower and a finger or two. Soap for the outside. I douched once. That was after we took some boxes home from mom and dads and there was a new unopened box of powdered douche. We opened the box and discovered that the jar inside still had the paper sealed under the top. I have never had any odors or even a yeast infection. I have known many women even girls who have had odors and yeast infections to include my sister and her girlfriend. Everyone's body is made different. Some women are sensitive to certain dyes in clothes and materials. Some are sensitive to soaps. I was the tomboy between my sister and I. My sister was the one always getting injured. I swear she can look at certain things and get an infection. (that was an exaggeration) But she has to wear white cotton crotch panties or she will be prone to getting a yeast infection. She cannot even wear dyed mesh crotches in bikini bottoms. Forget about her going commando in jeans or any other dyed bottoms. Certain foods can set your ph off also. But no I have never used any feminine washes or powders. The vagina is self-cleaning pretty much.

For me douches seem gross, destructive, and unnecessary. That said, I would never begrudge anyone the right to do it if they wanted to, but I think it is unnecessary unless you are with a dirty partner. Males partners should be clean and disease free. The vag does sufficient natural cleaning on her own and balancing everything out. Douche is overkill. Perhaps penises might benefit from them-a special nozzle for that tiny hole, foaming cleanser scrubbing it all out with bubbles?

I'm a cuckold male , that is my wife dates men with my premission, while I'm in chastity. Well thats another story, but it works for us.

When Sarah returns from a date , for the last 5 years she has been with only one male on a regular basies. He dorsn't date anyone elese . Sarah if on birth control and since the are monogumus , she allows him in bareback . When she comes home she will have me set up her douche bag with warm water and a tablespoon of vinerga . She said she needs this because he pumps in so much cum through the night, thst if she didn't clean she would drip all of the next day.

I was brought up in a time when douching and enemas were the norm. With that said, I did and still do, have a separate bag for douching and one for my enemas. I also have a douche bulb for a quick rinse. I only douche with clear warm water and never more then once a week. Never had any issues. I like the clean feeling both inside and out.

To douche or not, that is the question. I know most gynecologists will tell you that it's not needed but how many even have a vagina? I feel cleaner when I do especially as Susie pointed out after morning sex. When I working, I couldn't fathom sitting around the office or in airplane oozing the after effect of morning sex. Yuck City!

When I was growing up my mom was a firm believer in having a clean vagina to stay healthy and she reinforced that into me. Douching at the end of my period was and is very common for me. I’ve done it all my life starting with my very first period. I used to douche a couple times a week to keeps things clean and sweet smelling, but I don’t do that so much anymore.

For those who have douched or still douche, do you use disposables or a reusable bag or bulb? For the latter, do you prefer a bag or a bulb, and why?

Both my girlfriend and my sisters grew up with mothers and grandmothers who douched and taught them to do likewise. My girlfriend will use a bulb syringe if she doesn't have much time to douche and does it seated on the toilet or squatting over the bidet or I will help her in the shower as she stands with one foot raised and placed on the ledge. Her preference is to use the bag and lie in the tub using her fingers to close the lips around the douche nozzle to slowly fill her vagina. Then she holds it in for a little bit and lets it all gush out, repeating this until the bag is empty. Besides adding vinegar or lemon juice to the warm water, she also uses herbal douches her mother taught her. She and my sisters enjoy douching and have never had any problems. I love to help my girlfriend douche.

I just use warm water for intimate hygiene. Following what my elder sister told me

I use a diaphragm for BC which is rare in the US today. As with most women in the past who used a diaphragm, I douche with a salt/vinegar and water solution when I remove it. If I don’t douche when I take it out I leak semen and jelly all day. If I am going to be at home and not out and about I generally just remove it and wear a sanitary pad and then a liner after most of the goop comes out of me. By late Sunday I can smell that distinctive just been fucked smell. It is strong and hard to miss.

Dita

@Dita Is there a risk of pregnancy if removing the diaphragm without douching?

Pecannutjob

Modern spermicides are very effective so if you leave your diaphragm in at least 6 hours after the last semen injection you don’t have to take a douche when you remove it. But then of course, I am faced with leakage and have to use a pad. In fact if my husband and I do it in the morning, I will often just pull it out in a stall in the ladies room at the 6 hour point. I keep a baggie in my purse just for that purpose. I don’t like to play tennis with it in.

Back in the early days of diaphragm usage 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and into the late 50’s many of the vaginal jellies and creams sold for use with a diaphragm we’re not as effective killing sperm. That is why in the earlier days the standard was to leave the diaphragm in for 10 hours after intercourse and always douche with a vinegar and water solution; half the bag before removing the diaphragm and half the bag after removal. The recommended solution was rather stronger than today, 4 to 5 tablespoons of vinegar to the quart. For certain every wife who used a diaphragm had a douche syringe close buy! 10 hours is not very convenient for the wife. For sake of argument say her husband finished at 11 PM, she could not douche and remove her diaphragm until 9 AM in the morning at the earliest. A lot of wives probably left it in all day until they came home from work.

Dita

@Dita Very interesting. I had read about American women of the 1950s getting taught how to use a diaphragm, being told to buy a douche bag, etc. but had not figured it was so cumbersome (I had figured it was cumbersome, but not the extent of it). No wonder the Pill was so popular when it appeared.

Just body wash on a wash cloth on the outside and plain warm water and husbands helping hands, especially after sex, got to take care of your wife, especially after a wonderful roll in the sheets