In our real life, sex is not as glamorous and beautiful as in movies and erotic scenes. There will be sweat, saliva, and intimate secretions on your body. After sex, there is a natural desire to wash and clean up.
It is also important to protect yourself from the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections. Practice good sexual hygiene to keep your body clean and healthy. It is easy and simple for every person. Let’s talk in more detail next.
Shower After Sex
Oddly enough, not a single scientific study confirms the benefits of washing after sex. If you want to take care of your hygiene, just rinse the genital area with water. Use a neutral, mild soap, but be careful not to get it on the inner labia or glans. Only water should be used in these areas.
Moreover, using specialized cleansing products such as vaginal douches and feminine sprays may only lead to genital irritation.
Douching after sex is not recommended. This may increase the risk of infection.
Vaginal douching disrupts the natural balance of the vagina, which can cause bacterial vaginosis and increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Simply rinsing the anus with water is sufficient, although some waters may contain high levels of chlorine or other minerals that may not be suitable for some people.
So, the main rule of cleanliness after sex is that the simpler it is, the more effective it is.
Urination After Sex
The best thing you can do after sex is go to the toilet and pee. Urination is a cleansing process. It is useful not only after sexual intercourse but also after any stimulation of the genitals. Women can urinate before sex and immediately after sex. There is a small distance between the urethra and the anus, which increases the risk of bacteria entering. When you pee after sex, urine flushes bacteria and germs out of the urethra, thereby minimizing the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.
Men are also advised to urinate after sex, especially after anal penetration, to clean the urethra and head of the penis.
The time after sex when you need to urinate cannot be precisely determined. The sooner you do this, the better. If you don’t feel the need yet, you can start by relaxing and drinking water, but don’t wait several hours before going to the toilet.
To reduce the risk, use these tips on how to avoid infections of the urinary tract and yeast:
- Before using sex toys, make sure they are clean. This is really important. Many people don’t do this, and it can cause various infections.
- Don’t switch from anal to vaginal sex without changing the condom or cleaning your penis or sex toy with mild soap and water. For anal play, use separate sex toys that you do not use for oral sex or vaginal penetration.
- Don’t switch from analingus to vaginal sex.
- If you often get urinary tract infections after sex, clean your vaginal and anal areas with water before sex to remove as much bacteria as possible.
- Change to dry, breathable underwear throughout the day, especially if you have heavy vaginal discharge.
- Do not stay in wet clothing such as sportswear or swimwear.
- If you continue to experience frequent urinary tract infections after sex, contact your doctor to discuss taking medications or supplements that may help you.
Body Water Balance
Dehydration is a serious condition that can have a variety of effects on your sexual life. Not only can this lead to erection problems, but it can also contribute to vaginal dryness. The skin in the genital area can also become dehydrated, which can cause itching and pain during sex.
Therefore, to maintain the natural hydration of the vagina, it is important to avoid dehydration. Regularly drinking enough water can also improve your physical and cognitive performance, preventing fatigue and improving alertness.
How to Keep Sex Toys Clean
To clean the surfaces of sex toys:
- Use running water.
- Liquid hand soap or castile soap is preferable. You can use antibacterial soap, but it is not necessary. Avoid harsh soaps, such as dishwashing soaps.
- After cleaning, dry the toys using paper towels or clean washcloths.
To deep-clean sex toys:
- Use a saucepan with boiling water. You can disinfect various toys by first cleaning their surfaces and then immersing them in boiling water for a few minutes.
- Use bleach and a spray bottle (or other container to hold the bleach solution) to boil and bleach toys to kill most pathogens.
- If your dishwasher is suitable for disinfection infections, use it. Otherwise, it is better to boil or bleach the toys.
- Air-dry intimate devices using paper towels or clean washcloths.
Additional cleansers:
- If necessary, use sex toy wipes or cleaning sprays. In most cases, regular soap and water will do.
How Long to Clean and Wash Sex Toys
The time it takes how to clean sex toys will depend on the method you choose. Cleaning the surface of toys will take one to three minutes per toy, not including drying time. To completely disinfect toys, boil them for about three minutes. Whitening takes approximately 10 minutes. If you choose to use a dishwasher (which is possible in some cases), consider the full rinse cycle time, which may vary.
How to Properly Store Sex Toys to Keep Them Clean
Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned your toys, it’s important to store them properly so they stay clean until next use.
Many sex toys are sold in fabric bags, cases, or boxes in which they can be stored when not in use, but for non-absorbent toys, any resealable pouch or case will do. This will protect your toy from dust and lint.
It is recommended to store silicone anal toys in breathable materials (not plastic) to reduce odor. Toys should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place, such as a shelf or drawer. Avoid direct sunlight and places where it might get wet, such as the bathroom.
Although non-motorized toys made from hard silicone, borosilicate glass, and stainless steel are generally very strong and durable, according to clinical experts, a toy should be thrown away if it has “visible cracks in the plastic, acrylic, or glass”, as such defects can make the toy not only dangerous to use but also difficult to clean. The same goes for rips and tears in silicone toys.
Whether you use sex toys alone or with a partner, thoroughly cleaning your sex toys after each use is extremely important. If you use a dirty sex toy, you risk contracting a sexually transmitted infection.
If you want to be absolutely sure of cleanliness, you can also clean them before sex. How to clean sex toys depends on the material they are made from, so follow the instructions on the packaging.
Here are some general tips for keeping sex toys clean:
- Immerse waterproof silicone sex toys without vibrators or mechanics in boiling water, then wash them with mild soap.
- Soak waterproof plastic, glass, metal, cyberskin, and rubber sex toys in warm, soapy water.
- Wipe battery-powered or leather sex toys with a warm, damp cloth and soap.
- If you share sex toys during the same session, use a condom each time you use it.
- In general, do not reuse sex toys with partners unless they can be completely disinfected (such as high-quality glass or metal).
- Check sex toys regularly for cracks in the material where germs could be hiding.
- Try to avoid toys with small indentations or gaps between protrusions.
- Rinse toys several times between uses to ensure that porous materials are not harboring bacteria.
- Use high-quality glass or metal toys that are non-porous.
- Make sure the toy is completely dry before storing; otherwise, moisture will provide an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.
- Keep each toy in a separate bag, and do not allow them to come into contact with each other, dirt, or lint.
Conclusion
Maintaining good sexual hygiene helps maintain health and prevent the spread of infections. Complex post-sex cleansing routines are not required when you follow simple practices such as washing your genitals and anus with water, staying hydrated, and urinating after sex. If you always keep your hands, body, and sex toys clean, you’ll be well on your way to healthy hygiene practices.