I don’t know about all of you reading this, but for a good amount of my life, I was washing my vagina completely wrong. The sad thing is that we have to find this information on our own rather than being taught in sex ed or otherwise. But it is never too late to change your washing habits!

Vaginal Washing 101

The way to wash your V… is not to wash it at all (WHAT?!) Let me explain. 

The vagina is actually self-cleaning. We can’t say this enough! That’s why we always recommend avoiding things like douches or cleansing sticks. This can upset the balance of your vaginal pH and can actually cause infections instead of fighting them off.

You may think that your vagina smells and that she needs a wash on the inside but try to steer clear of doing that. If the smell continues, it may be the result of an infection so consider seeing your physician.

But we do understand that it does get a little toasty down there throughout the day, just like the rest of your body. Although our main recommendation is to wash with warm water, using a mild pH-balanced cleansing bar is a great optional way to clean your external areas, like your labia (aka the lips). Apply the cleansing bar and rinse away with warm water. And VOILA, you can have yourself a happier V.

P.S. If your V feels irritated or there is still a strong odor after using this washing method, please contact your gynecologist to make sure that it is not an infection!