Douching

Douching...Don’t Do It!

Douching is the process of cleaning or rinsing out the vagina with a variety of products including vinegar, baking soda, soap and other household liquids.

Why do some women continue to think this is a good idea?

• It smells clean
• Their mother told them to do it
• It helps clean out blood after a period
• It cleans out sperm after sex so that a woman cannot get pregnant
• It reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections

All of these statements are FALSE!

The truth is that douching:

• Causes more vaginal bacterial infections
• Does not keep you from getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted infection
• Is not necessary to clean blood after a period

What is a good way to clean the vagina?

• The vagina does a good job of cleaning itself naturally.
• A woman’s normal fluid gently cleans the inside of her vagina all the time.
• Do not use special sprays, soaps or powders. This can be irritating to the tissues of the vagina.
• For the outside of the vagina, rinse with clean warm water and mild soap.
• Soak in a warm tub of water. Do not use bubble bath.

If you have a discharge that has a bad odor, contact your physician.