How to Clean Your Vag: Essential Steps (And What Not to Do)

how to clean your vag

how to clean your vagWe hope you have heard that you shouldn’t clean your vagina, and that is why you are reading this. You are probably wondering what you should do instead, right? 

First, let’s clear up some language issues: the “vagina” is the internal canal and you should keep all liquids and creams out of there. Yes, a tiny bit of lube that is non-irritating to your tissues is fine to use when you need to insert something into your vaginal canal when you are unaroused, like the Kegelbell insert, but otherwise, even water has chemicals that can disrupt your pH balance.

So really, staying fresh has to do with keeping the vaginal canal in as natural a state as possible, and only cleaning the external vulva lightly. Read on to learn how to clean your vag as well as our favorite vaginal wash products.

How To Keep Your Vagina Fresh and Clean

We are going to share some top tips for how to clean your vag and what to avoid to keep things safe and clean.

Vagina Washing Dos

Here are a few tips for how to clean your vag safely without disrupting anything.

Tip #1: Wash the Vulva

So the vulva forms the lips of female genitalia, and sometimes debris can collect on the surface, especially if an area is often hidden deep in a fold. Taking a wet washcloth and wiping down the skin is sufficient to remove the debris from the labia. Avoid using perfumed soaps, or scrubs, or chemical creams.

Tip #2: Wash Front to Back 

Just like going to the bathroom, it’s important to clean your vagina the same way you would wipe. The reason for this is so that you don’t accidentally introduce unwanted bacteria from other parts of the body to your vagina. So, be sure everything is clean and that you’re washing from front to back.

Tip #3: Keep the Vagina Free and Clear

The main reason why people have lingering vaginal odors is if the pH balance of the vaginal canal is disrupted. This can happen if a foreign substance is introduced, such as semen, scented products, lotion, soap, lubricant, oils, unclean fingers/fingernails, unclean objects, and douches or sprays. The pH could also be disrupted by medications, diet, dehydration, or wearing incontinence pads constantly.

Vagina Cleaning Don'ts

Here are some things to avoid doing when cleaning your vag to maintain a natural balance.

Tip #1: Don’t douche

For a long time, society seemed to promote the practice of douching for how to clean your vag, and in case you haven’t heard –– it’s not good for your body! Douching might be the absolute worst thing you can do for your vagina. Your body naturally knows how to clean itself according to your own unique pH level, and chemicals (even water) can upset this natural balance.

Tip #2: Don’t let shaving cream get into your urethra or vagina

how to clean your vagOne of the culprits that disrupts the ecosystem of the vulva and the vagina is shaving cream when women shave their pubic region. The chemicals in the cream can too easily slide into the sensitive areas around the urethra and irritate the tissues. 

We invented the most benign and gentle vulva wash shave jelly that is made of organic aloe vera jelly with coconut, olive, and rosehip oils with zero fragrance. When used as a shave gel, it protects, cleans, and moisturizes in one simple product. 

Tip #3: Don’t use super hot water or harsh products

When people look for a solution to how to clean their vag, there, unfortunately, are a variety of bad products and recommendations out there. This can result in people using harsh products or super hot water that damage their body’s natural balance and pH levels. We recommend always erring on the side of caution, and if you’re not sure if something is safe, consult a medical professional.

Vagina Washing FAQs

Get the answers to your burning questions about cleaning your vagina below!

Should I wash the inside of my vagina?

Hopefully, reading this article will keep you from thinking of putting water or soap of any kind inside the vagina ever again. Going forward, your mantra should be that washing the vulva is fine to do, but the inside of the vaginal canal should be left alone.

What vagina cleansers are good to use?

Here is the good news! A washcloth and warm water is for the most part all one needs to clean the vulva. Some people may wonder what the best vaginal soap is, but our recommendation would be our intimate wash gel

When you want to shave the pubic area and the vulva, we invented a shave jelly made of the simplest blend of aloe and oils for when one wants to shave the pubic area. Our unique shave jelly works as a protective shave gel, a cleanser, and a moisturizer in one.

How can I keep my vagina smelling good?

The two best things you can do to keep your vagina smelling clean are to avoid vaginal infections and pH disruption. To avoid infection, you have to be vigilant about what you allow in the vaginal canal. Ask if those fingernails are clean, see the object being washed before inserted, think twice about saliva entering the vaginal canal as that can add foreign bacteria to the ecosystem.

To avoid pH disruption you need to keep chemicals and water away from the vagina. No deodorant sprays, no perfumes, no perfumed soaps, no detergents, no douches… avoid anything going in there, and whatever does, scrutinize it. 

As our friend Dr. Howell, The Vagina Rehab Doctor, likes to say, a big source of vaginal pH disruption and infection comes from having unprotected sex with a partner who is having unprotected sex with others. Doing so introduces new strains of bacteria constantly, which makes your body struggle to maintain equilibrium as it tries to fight the new bacteria.

At Kegelbell, We Believe Au Natural is the Best Solution

We hope that these tips are helpful in helping guide your decisions on how to best clean and take care of your body. With so many different products, tools, and recommendations out there, it’s important to trust your sources of information and know that they’re looking out for you!

That’s what we believe in at Kegelbell. We believe that knowledge is power, and that people with vaginas need to have more knowledge about how their bodies work and how to best take care of them. Explore more pro tips on how to take care of your vagina or how Kegelbell is helping women take back control of their body. Learn more.

Vagina Gym Includes

Kegelbell® The Vagina Gym® Original Kit

$109.95

Why Use Kegelbell®:

- Improve bladder and bowel control

- Reduce the risk of pelvic organ prolapse

- Treat Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD)

Get Started