How to clean up well after sex includes things you should do, or avoid, after sex to maintain healthy genitals. Read on to find out more about washing down, douching, hydrating, the right clothing, avoiding infections, getting tested, and more:
Wash-down
You don’t have to rush out of bed into the shower immediately after sex. However, you still need to clean yourself gently after sex to protect yourself and your partner from infections like the urinary tract (UTIs). So washing the area (not inside) of your genitals with plain warm water can protect you from diseases. Use mild soaps, but if your skin is sensitive or you have an infection, soaps can dry out or irritate the area. And if you’re a man with a foreskin, gently pull it back and wash.
Keep Clean-up Simple
Alongside douches are other things you find in drug stores such as different brands of wipes, creams, and sprays that claim to assist you in “refreshing” your private areas. Some are made with harsh soaps, detergents, shampoos, perfumes, or lotions that can make your skin break out. Therefore the advice is to stay with gentle rinsing with warm water after sex. Avoid scented tampons, pads, powders, and sprays, especially if you’re prone to infections.
Don’t Douche or Flush
Flushing or douching is cleaning inside your vagina after sex with water or prepackaged fluids. But douching can lead to more infections. This is because flushing your vagina upsets the natural balance of bacteria that protect your vagina. Therefore, the best way to take care of your vagina after sex is to leave it alone. Your vagina cleans itself naturally. Also, a mild smell is normal and not a sign of any problem.
Empty Your Bladder
It’s important to drain your bladder after sex but not before you’ve enjoyed a romantic hug with your partner. Because the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of your body, can harbor bacteria during sex, and this can raise your chances of an infection. But when you urinate, you flush those germs out. If you’re a woman, when you wipe, do it from front to back to stop the spread of bacteria.
Drink a Glass of Water
Since it’s a healthy idea to urinate after sex, don’t forget to rehydrate by drinking a glass of water. When you stay hydrated, you’ll urinate more which provides you the opportunity to flush out more bacteria out of your body before infections can flare up.
Avoid Tight Clothing
Avoid tight clothing. Instead wear loose-fitting clothing because hot, sweaty places are the perfect spots for bacteria and fungi to thrive. So wear underwear and clothes that let air in. Women should avoid panties and girdles that are too tight. For instance, cotton is breathable and absorbs moisture. Hence, cotton underwear is a better choice for men and women. Or better still avoid underwear when you go to bed.
Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands is the best way to get rid of bacteria you may have picked up from touching your genitals or your partner’s. So to stop infection from spreading, wash with soap and water, and make it part of your post-sex clean-up routine.
Treat Any Yeast Infections
It’s not only women who get yeast infections, men get it too. To avoid passing yeast infection back to your partner during sex, treat symptoms like thick white discharge from the vagina or penis, itching, and burning before the next time you have sex. Talk to your doctor if you think you have a yeast infection.
Get Tested
If you’re sexually active, especially if you’ve been with a new partner, it’s a good idea to get tested for STDs. Testing is the only way to know if you have one since, most of the time, these infections have no symptoms. Also watch for symptoms, like discharge, pain, blisters, sores, spots, or lumps around your genitals.
Be Extra Careful If Pregnant
Though sex is usually safe during pregnancy, you’re more likely to get infections like UTIs during this time. So it’s even more important to take care of the basics after sex — pee afterward, wash around your vagina, and drink water. Inspire your partner to do the same.
Don’t Share Sex Toys
Don’t share toys with others because that can send germs back and forth. If you do plan to share, try to cover the toy with a new condom each time you use it. After you’re done with your sex toys, how to clean up well after sex includes cleaning each toy after every use according to the cleaning instructions on the package, since if you don’t your toys can spread STDs, bacteria, viruses, and other infections to your partner.
Abiola is the founder of Indulge™ group of companies, a healthy-living focused group. A passionate believer in a healthy lifestyle, living in the United Kingdom made it easy for her to pursue a health and fitness regime. She is the Managing Director/CEO of Indulge Nigeria Limited and Indulge Cares Nigeria Limited, both companies promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle for the prevention of illnesses and diseases. Abiola is available on https://www.indulgeinhealthyliving.com/
