4 Simple (but important) Things to Do to Keep Your Vajayjay Clean
Keeping the Vajayjay Fresh
When countless feminine hygiene products are flooding the online market place it’s easy to fall into the rabbit hole of natural skincare. How do I keep my natural pH balanced? Seriously, what exactly is a paraben? How do I get my vagina to smell like cookies fresh out of the oven?
We will keep it short and simple with this handy guide on how to keep your hoo-ha in tip-top shape! By starting with a quick breakdown of its nuanced anatomy followed by some helpful tips, you can trust that your lady bits will be feeling fresh and fabulous!
Most Important Things You Need to Know
Did you know sometimes when people say vagina, they actually mean vulva?
What others commonly refer to as the ‘vagina’ is comprised of several distinct female sex organs.
You can see the vulva, surrounding area of the grand entrance to the vagina, by just standing in front of a mirror or bending down to touch your toes. The vulva is the underrated life of the party which includes the labia (lips), mounded area (mons pubis), clitoris, and start of the vagina and urethra.
The literal vagina refers to your vaginal canal and ends at the beginning of the uterus.
Much like their owners, the vagina is complex and self-sustaining. Acting as a self-cleaning oven containing healthy bacteria (lactobacilli) hard at work eliminating unhealthy bacteria by producing a slightly acidic substance.
The overproduction of unhealthy bacteria is what leads to infection and inflammation.
So, how do I help keep the bad bacteria out?
Although the vagina cleans itself naturally, we love a self-sufficient queen, our daily activities, hobbies, exercise habits, and even diet can impact the vagina’s ability to carry out its innate duties.
Fear not, you don’t need to trade in your favorite cheeky thongs for cotton granny panties or avoid hot tubs and pools altogether. There are steps you can take that will help you meet your vagina halfway.
Personal practices that are do-able
It’s good to understand that your body has your back and knows what it’s doing, but in the meantime, what steps can you take to help fend off harmful bacteria? The National Vulvodynia Association provides some helpful tips to safely and effectively clean your vulva area without disrupting your body’s natural processes.
1. Panty-raid your own underwear drawer
Time to take stock of what materials you’ve been strangling your lady bits in for the past several months *cough* years.
Toss:
Synthetic and tight-fitting fabrics.
Keep:
Cotton underwear.
Trade-in those suffocating synthetic fabrics for breathable cotton (or cotton-crotch) panties.
Toss:
Pantyhose.
Keep:
Thigh highs or knee-high hose.
Don Draper might be one of the only ones disappointed, but hey, it’s about time for an upgrade.
Toss:
Fabric softener.
Keep:
Fragrance Free Detergents that are dermalogically approved.
Save the fancy fabric softeners for clothes other than your delicates or you might have an uprising in your underwear!
Also, be sure to double rinse your undergarments to thoroughly wash all of the remaining soap out.
2. Update your toiletries
The golden rule of keeping a clean and healthy vagina is to avoid artificially scented products. Take stock of your bathroom and make sure that your toiletries are safe to use and vagina approved!
Toss:
Bubble bath, perfumed or paraben-containing hygiene products including creams, soaps, and toilet papers.
Keep:
Unscented and pH balanced soaps and products paraben free, plus 100% cotton feminine menstruation products.
Additionally, you can still opt for clean smelling products that are not artificially scented, for instance there was a study which concluded that lavender can be used as an antifungal agent.
But parabens are no joke. The Environmental Working Group Senior Scientist Tasha Stoiber Ph.D. suggests “parabens can disrupt hormones in the body and harm fertility and reproductive organs, affect birth outcomes, and increase the risk of cancer.”
If you’re having trouble picking products that contain the above criteria, shop our vegan natural skincare and feminine hygiene since they are pH balanced, void of parabens, artificial fragrance free, and SLS free.
3. Reboot your personal hygiene
It’s not just the products you use every day but also how you use them. The Center for Young Women’s Health recommends using lukewarm water and mild soap when washing your vulva. Thoroughly wash and rinse the labia, hood, and all crevices surrounding the external vulva area. Be sure to remove all excess soap and after just pat dry with a soft towel.
Avoid cleaning the inside of your vagina because it will flush out all of the good bacteria and negatively impact your pH balance which could lead to vaginitis! (oh gosh no)
If you need a quick pick-me-up and don't have access to a shower, consider packing a refreshing cleansing spray to get the job done!
4. Plan several steps ahead
Planned Parenthood claims that a moist vulva is a breeding ground for trouble. Remember if you’re going swimming to take off those wet bathing suit bottoms and switch into some dry clothes as soon as possible!
This includes sweaty tight-fitting exercise clothing. You go girl for getting that workout in! Now it’s time to reward yourself by slipping into your favorite comfy loose-fitting house pants to indulge in the latest episode of the Real Housewives.
Or maybe you have a hot date lined up? Prepare your nightstand with a water-based lubricant and make a mental note to use a quick rinse or wash to clean your vulva after!
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In vagina we trust
When it comes down to it, steer clear of heavily scented soaps and products that claim to make your vagina smell like a whole rose garden. Instead, look to Moody Sisters vegan and natural feminine hygiene products that include transparent pH balanced ingredients. Taking care of your vagina is a great step in following the self-care process by appreciating and loving your body enough to seek ways to keep things moving along smoothly.
Isn’t it empowering to know your body inside and out?
Related Solution Guides for your Moody Problems
References & Citations:
Cleveland Clinic. “Vulvar Care.” March 23, 2018. Accessed July 12, 2020. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4976-vulvar-care
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Vulvovaginal Health.” Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/womens-health/vulvovaginal-health
NHS. “Keeping your vagina clean and healthy.” Oct 18, 2018. Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/keeping-your-vagina-clean-and-healthy/
National Vulvodynia Association. “Self-Help Tips.” Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.nva.org/for-patients/self-help-tips/
Behmanesh, Fereshteh et al. “Antifungal Effect of Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) and Clotrimazole on Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study.” Scientifica vol. 2015 (2015): 261397. doi:10.1155/2015/261397. Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4621348/#B6.
Stoiber, Tasha. “What are parabens, and why don’t they belong in cosmetics?” Environmental Working Group. April 9, 2019. Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.ewg.org/californiacosmetics/parabens
Center for Young Women’s Health. “Vulvar and Vaginal Care and Cleaning.” June 5, 2019. Accessed July 12, 2020. https://youngwomenshealth.org/2017/04/19/vulvar-and-vaginal-care-and-cleaning/
Planned Parenthood. “How do I prevent vaginitis?” Accessed July 12, 2020. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/vaginitis/how-do-i-prevent-vaginitis
We're here to tell you all you need to know about the vagina - including the do’s and don’ts of washing it.