Douching is the art of cleaning the vagina or butt. So when should you douche before sex? There is no cut-and-dry answer to this question. You need to determine how fast you dry after douching. Do you need to do it every day or only before sex? Read on if you are looking for answers for when you should douche before sex.
Pre-Sex Douching
The main intent of douching is to ensure the vagina or rectum is clean before having sex. For anal douching, the reason is to ensure there aren’t any feces or odors in our rectums. Vaginal douching is done to avoid unwanted substances and odors, especially after a period.
Some people prefer to douche every day. Others douche when they take a bath, after using the toilet, or before they go to bed. However, the majority of “douchers” do so just before they have sex.
If you are doing it as a pre-sex ritual you need plenty of time. The majority of people may need up to douche two hours before sex. When you douche too early, it may be pointless. Why? Because you may need to go to the bathroom between the time you douche and you have sex.
On the other hand, douching too late may not give you enough time to completely cleanse the fluids and substances. This makes for some less-than-ideal sex. Unfortunately, there isn’t a definite rule about the perfect time for douching.
That said, how you douche is important. You need to know how to properly undergo the process to prevent pain and damage, especially to your butt. So how do you do it?
The Best Douching Procedure
There are many procedures and steps you can use to douche. However, there are a few of these that ensure you get the best results. Use the steps below to get the best results.
Preparation
The steps below show you how to get ready for action with your vagina or butt and your douche of choice:
- Start with a clean nozzle to avoid bacteria spreading
- Don’t use hot water. Instead, find lukewarm water to avoid burning and damaging the mucosal lining
- If you prefer using enema solutions like a Fleet enema, make sure you follow the instructions to the letter
- Make insertion easier by lubricating the tip of your douche.
The Process
There is a slight variation in the process depending on the type of enema or douche you use. The general idea is the same, though. You need to insert the nozzle into your anus or vagina and expel the liquid.
To use an anal or vaginal enema or douche you:
- Stand in your shower before you start. Standing allows the contents of your vagina or rectum and the douche to have a place to land. If you are fooling around without prior plans, you can use a toilet. Not ideal, but it still works.
- When you don’t have access to a shower, put one leg on the shower bench, the bath tub’s side, or on the toilet seat.
- Clean one of your fingers and lubricate it. Place inside your anus or vagina before inserting the nozzle. The moves ensures the hole is ready for the nozzle.
- Place the nozzle of your douche against the wall of your vagina or rectum. Breathe in deeply, and gently and slowly insert the nozzle into your vagina or rectum as you breathe out.
- Press the bag, bottle, or bulb of your douche to spray the liquid slowly. If you prefer shower enemas, begin with low water pressure.
- Let the liquid stay inside for about 10 seconds then let it out.
- Repeat the process to ensure the water coming out of your rectum or vagina is clear. You can also do this until the bulb or bottle is empty.
Cleanup and Aftercare
Take a shower or bath to get yourself cleaned up. You may want to wait an hour or two before engaging in sex. The wait duration is your choice as long as you wait long enough to ensure all the liquid is out.
An hour or two may seem a long time to wait it out. A good way to pass the time is thoroughly rinsing the toilet or tub. You can also use the time to prepare for safer and more pleasurable sex by preparing your condoms, lubes, and sex toys.
How Often Should You Douche?
There’s no definite rule on how often you should douche. Ideally, try to limit it to several times a week. Never douche more than once a day as this may be the start of problems in your anus or your vagina.
What Will Happen if You Over-Douche?
Over-douching increases the risk of damaging your anus, vaginal lining, and intestinal lining. This may happen even if you douche properly and take all the necessary steps. You also risk disrupting your body’s natural cleansing methods and throwing off the balance of electrolytes.
The Takeaway
Douching an hour or so before sex is recommended. However, vaginal douching should be kept at a minimum. The vagina is designed to naturally clean itself. Anal douching may be done more often because the rectum doesn’t have a self-cleaning mechanism. Make sure you use products that have been FDA-approved and don’t have adverse side effects.