Prioritize Your Vaginal Hygiene With These Dos and Don’ts

Practicing proper vaginal hygiene is important to all vulva owners of all ages. It can start as early as the little girl can walk and learn how to clean herself up. Because listen, she’ll need to know how to care for her vulva and vagina area seamlessly and not affect its natural state. It’s always better to start young for these kinds of health practices.

But in case you’re older, it’s not too late to further prioritize your vaginal hygiene. In fact, it’s something you take with you as you go on life. Don’t let any old-fashioned or conservative influence tell you otherwise! The vagina is a natural body part that should be celebrated, not seen as a vulgar thing.

And with that, this guide will provide you the dos and don’ts of vaginal hygiene, along with the benefits of prioritizing it in your life.

What is Vaginal Hygiene?

Simply put, vaginal hygiene consists of the different practices and beliefs that keep our vaginal area healthy and protected. Some standards that make up a healthy vagina usually consist of:

1. A unique odor smell that only the vulva owner knows
2. Clear or white vaginal discharge that holds no odor (varies per person)
3. Elastic vaginal inner muscles

Moreover, it focuses more on the inner hygiene and health of your vulva. To briefly educate, the vulva refers to the entire genital area (mainly external), while the vagina is one part of it. Specifically, the vagina is mainly internal, keeping things hidden and private. Like sure, there’s an outer vaginal opening, but most of their job happens inside. Hence, we must prioritize it just as much as we care for the external part.

Benefits of Having Proper Vaginal Hygiene

A happy and healthy vagina = a happy and healthy you. 

Read up on the great advantages of incorporating healthy vaginal hygiene practices in your life through this section.

1 You prevent yourself from severe infections and illnesses.

Practicing proper vaginal hygiene reduces the buildup of bacteria and sweat, which increases your immunity from getting sick and keeps your pH balance in check. It also gives you a keener eye when you experience any unusual activity within your vulva and vaginal area, consulting with a professional right away and taking early precaution measures. Overall, you get to live a longer and happier life as you’re attuned to your health down there and take action when necessary.

2 Sex is more enjoyable.

Practicing any proper vaginal hygiene practices can enhance the elasticity of your vagina and the blood flow around it. Those factors are important for arousal and promote overall good sexual function within your genitalia, making them responsive and present as you do the deed. 

Fake orgasms and painful sex? We don’t know them.

3 You learn more about your body.

Your vagina is different from other vulva owner’s vagina. Discovering this intimate part of our body is uniquely our own, wherein what makes you feel good may differ from others. And even how certain vulva parts, like the clit and both labia, vary in appearance.

4 You can experience smoother childbirth.

One big function of the vagina is to provide a path for a baby to make their exit during delivery. Hence, it’s also called the birth canal. Since a healthy vagina consists of strong elasticity, it’ll be able to stretch and dilate just enough for a baby to pass through.

Healthy Practices To Maintain Proper Vaginal Hygiene

Finally, on to the main event! If you’re someone who wants to take better care of their vagina, regardless of age, then browse through this lively section. And you better take notes so you don’t forget! 

1 Wash the external area carefully.

I know we mentioned vaginal hygiene, but how you clean the external area of your vulva is crucial to your vagina. The vagina is still part of the vulva!

Moreover, washing the external vulva area carefully means using warm water and gentle, unscented soap daily. Just like we advise using unscented menstrual items, using unscented soap for your vulva prevents any chemicals from affecting your skin and potentially having contact with your inner walls. So soak it in water, dab some gentle, unscented soap on it, spread it around, and then wash it again. 

But again, only on the outside! The vagina itself is a self-cleaning organ, resulting in discharge you’d see in your underwear from doing its job.

Back to the tip, do it until you’re satisfied and there are no more soap suds, and then dry it with a soft washcloth. Preferably, a cotton one for a gentler approach. 

Now speaking of cotton…

2 Stick to cotton underwear.

Cotton is soft and hypoallergenic, free of chemicals or irritants when worn. They also make your body, especially your coochie, breathe! Hence, it gives you that cool and airy feeling down there. Unlike tight clothing, they can make you uncomfortable at some point in your day as they cause friction or chafing when you wear them. So invest more in cotton underwear and clothing in general for daily, practical use and to keep your vaginal hygiene intact.

As a bonus tip, you may even opt to wear no underwear, especially at night when you’re getting ready for bed!

3 Wear loose clothing.

We shared the importance of wearing the right clothing for your cooch, specifically cotton. Now, we want to add another piece of clothing: loose (cotton) clothing. It’s another way to let your coochie breathe and feel relaxed, not worried about rough fabrics rubbing against them. 

It’s extra perfect when you’re getting ready for bed or even at home, lounging around, and unwinding for the day. But you can also incorporate them in public, wherein you can have loose pants with a tight top to look balanced. You decide how to mix and match, but remember to avoid friction and keep things smooth and light.

4 Change out of wet clothes.

Whether it be from swimming or working out at the gym, you must have fresh clothes on standby. That way, you avoid accumulating bacteria from the chlorine-filled water and sweat from full interaction with your vagina. Plus, it doesn’t feel comfortable when they stick to you for long periods of time.

This tip is also relevant with underwear, wherein if you notice a lot of discharge released in your current one, it helps to have extra in case.

5 Stick to unscented menstrual items.

Menstruation is a natural process in a vulva owner’s body that must be attentively taken care of. One way is through your menstrual items, such as a pad or tampon. As much as possible, purchase the ones that come without any unique aromas or fragrances so it doesn’t irritate your vagina and meddle with your pH balance. Experiencing strong, heavy flows during your menstrual cycle is already a challenge enough even if they weaken, so don’t add to the challenge with scented products.

6 Follow the changing times of your chosen menstrual item.

If you’re a pad user, the average time of using one ranges from 4-5 hours before changing it. Then, if you’re a tampon user, it can last from 4 to 6 hours until you replace it with a new one. 

Doing this tip refrains you from feeling discomfort as you go along your way and also keeps things clean, avoiding staining your underwear. However, if you keep it for too long, it may possibly put your health at risk. This can happen for tampon users, wherein there’s a rare yet severe condition called Toxic Shock Syndrome, which occurs due to a bacterial infection.

So swap your menstrual items on time, gals! If you need to set an alarm on your phone, do so. Do it for you and your vaginal hygiene!

7 Eat vagina-friendly foods and drinks.

You are what you eat! If you value eating vagina-friendly foods, that means you prioritize having a strong vagina and even your vulva overall. It’s also a natural way to keep it healthy and even smell better.

Some examples of vagina-friendly foods and drinks include:

1. Soy
2. Leafy Greens
3. Avocados
4. Bananas
5. Sweet Potatoes
6. Water (hydrate!)
7. Herbal Tea 
8. Kombucha
9. Plain Yogurt (prevents yeast infection)
10. Assorted Nuts (e.g., almonds and peanuts)

8 Engage in safe sex practices.

This tip on vaginal hygiene should be a given! Safe sex needs a safe, healthy vagina ahead of time. For one, you should stick to unscented lubricants free of chemicals and dyes. The same goes with condoms if you’re having sex with a penis owner, wherein the condom also won’t cause an irritating reaction to you.

During sex, switch condoms per round to avoid the spread of bacteria. It also helps to have a clean towel on standby to clean up any discharges.

9 Pee after having sex.

Connected with the previous tip above!

Don’t get too lazy to do this post-sex tip related to vaginal hygiene, no matter how exhausted or lazy you may be. Bloom OBGYN shares that urinating post-sex is a safe way to release any bacteria from your vagina and even avoid contracting a sexually transmitted infection. This tip applies to both partnered (e.g., penetration, oral sex, outercourse, etc.) and solo play (e.g., masturbation, using sex toys, etc.).

10 Wipe your down there properly when you’re in the toilet.

How you clean yourself after doing your thing in the toilet can affect your vaginal hygiene. First and foremost, use soft tissue paper, as rough ones may irritate your entire vulva owner. Second, we’d advise wiping from the front to the back. Doing it the other way interacts with your anus, which has a lot of bacteria, especially post-number 2. You may even dab your tissue paper with warm water to clean that area further, getting rid of more bacteria. Afterwards, dab it dry with a fresh tissue paper.

11 Get tested regularly.

This tip on vaginal hygiene is especially applicable if you’re a sexually active person and had or have casual sexual relations with numerous partners. There are sexually transmitted infections that may appear asymptomatic, so consulting early makes it possible to detect them right away. But on top of this, it’s also important to be transparent with your sexual history with them and vice versa. That way, you’re on the same page with one another and establish trust.

12 Consult with a gynecologist.

Having regular check-ups with a trusted gynecologist can improve your vaginal hygiene massively, especially when their advice is personalized to aid your own vulva in the long run. Aside from seeing how well your health is going, more important reasons to see a gynecologist include:

1. Any unusual odor from your vagina (like fishy or really stinky odor)
2. Odd changes in menstrual blood color (e.g., pink, black, grey)
3. Feeling dryness, soreness, or pain
4. Unfamiliar bumps or sores
5. Unusual vaginal bleeding
6. Vaginal itchiness, especially the vaginal opening
7. Experiencing painful sex
8. Postpartum discomforts and conditions (e.g., vaginal laxity)
9. Precaution from any illnesses (e.g., vaginal atrophy, vulvodynia, cervical cancer, etc.)
10. Abnormal-looking vaginal discharge

Overall, consulting with a gynecologist shouldn’t only be done when you feel like something is off with your vagina. Treat it like your regular annual check-up, seeing how it’s functioning so far, how you can improve it, and what practices to continue.

What To Avoid When Maintaining Proper Vaginal Hygiene

From knowing what to do for your vaginal hygiene, we need to balance things out by knowing what not to do. That way, you’ll prevent yourself from any damage, mild or severe, reversible or irreversible. 

1 Don’t douche.

Healthline defines douching as “the act of washing the vaginal canal with a water-soap or water-vinegar mixture.”

As a result, it can damage the natural balance of bacteria in your vagina, leading to infections and irritation. Please don’t do this if all you want is a good-smelling vagina when the vagina can clean itself!

2 Stray away from harsh, scented items.

Anything with scent or chemicals that are marketed for your coochie should be avoided if you don’t want to hurt it. Such items include menstrual items, laundry detergents, lube, and feminine washes.

These items can mess with your pH balance, which can enhance the growth of bad bacteria in the vagina. Then in the case of feminine washes, please note again that the vagina is a self-cleaning organ. It’ll naturally handle any dirty substances in your body, which come out as those random discharges that you’d see on your underwear. There’s no need for an extra cleaner, which may do you more harm than good.

3 Don’t steam it!

There’s this odd practice called vaginal steaming wherein a vulva owner sits over a boiling pot of water with herbs such as basil, rosemary, and mugwort. It’s said to reduce stress, increase childbirth healing, and alleviate menstrual symptoms. However, these claims and others not mentioned here are false and unproven.

Vaginal steaming can mess around with your natural pH balance, cause an imbalance in your hormones, and even burn your precious area if you’re not careful enough. Even with such great herbs infused in the water, it’s best to ingest them to actually get benefits from them. Just not as steam that’ll meddle with your self-cleaning organ.

4 Avoid sharing sex toys with anyone else.

Yes, sharing is caring. But not at the expense of your vaginal hygiene! Your sex toys are yours, wherein even if they opt to clean before and after or put a condom on it, you shouldn’t lend it to anyone else. There’s still that possibility of passing bacteria and mind you, your sex toys are your intimate belongings! Just like underwear, it’s only for your use alone. No negotiations there!

This tip also applies the other way around, wherein you shouldn’t borrow your partner or anyone else’s sex toys!

Takeaway

Vaginal hygiene is an essential aspect of a vulva owner’s life. Taking care of their vagina impacts a lot of their bodily functions and their lifestyle too. From sex to their daily routine, knowing more about works for their vagina keeps them connected, intact, and healthy. We hope this guide gave you better insights on how to further care of your vagina, reader!