Sex is a lot of fun, but it can also be pretty messy. At the very least, you’re dealing with bodily fluids and a good amount of sweat. Fortunately, proper clean-up can be pretty simple! Here’s everything you need to know about what to clean up and not clean up after sex.
The Facts on Self-Cleaning
Before we dive into what to do and how to clean up after sex, it helps to examine why. After all, cleaning isn’t something that you really want to do right after you’ve had sex. Fortunately, you only have to do the bare minimum, unless you’re having super messy sex.
- Infection Is a Risk: Aside from STDs, UTIs can be a risk, especially if you are a woman. While women are at higher risk for UTI, it can happen in men as well. Washing up can also decrease the risk of other infections caused by bacterial or fungal buildup from your environment or even toys.
- Odors: While these are not going to cause an issue right away, latent sweat and bodily fluids will eventually start to smell. While you probably shower soon, if not right after sex, leaving other items, and the sheets for too long can lead to odor buildup.
What to Do Before Sex
While cleaning isn’t a huge deal before sex, you don’t want to be stinky or gross while getting it on with your partner. You definitely want your hands to be clean, and you’ll also want to ensure that any sex toys whether it is a dildo or a vibrator that you use are also clean. If you’re getting creative with whipped cream or flavored lubricants, you do want to put these on clean skin.
How to Clean Up After Sex
Now that you know the “why” when it comes to cleaning, we can talk about the “how.” A lot of it is self-explanatory, but we do have a few tips.
How to Clean Vagina:
Most of the time, a shower will do the trick unless you have sex in water or bath sex; in that case, you just need a quick rinse. There’s no need to use any sort of special soap, and you definitely don’t want to put any kind of cleanser inside your vagina. Contrary to what the beauty industry may claim, your vagina doesn’t have to smell like roses. In fact, chemicals from scented clothing will disrupt the natural balance inside your vagina and may even lead to a higher risk of infection.
If you are naturally tight, sex requires extra lubrication in the form of lubricants, and some of those could get sticky if left alone. So, for your own comfort, you may want to wash afterward.
How to Clean the Penis After Sex:
If you have a penis, a normal body wash and shower will do the trick as well. If you’re not circumcised, you’ll want to peel back the foreskin to make sure bacteria doesn’t get trapped between the foreskin and the shaft.
Cleaning Other Body Parts
When and how you clean yourself can vary depending on the type of sex that you’re having, the amount of “mess” leftover, and how you feel afterward. Remember that your comfort and hygiene should take priority.
How to Clean Toys After Sex
Most sex stores sell a spray-on toy cleaner that can be used for sex toys. You should definitely clean toys before and after sex. If you’re getting kinky, you will want to clean any toys such as ball gags. floggers or dildos. Keep in mind that not all toys are compatible with toy cleaner- use common sense. If you’re looking for more information on the dildo usage, check out this article:
Quick Cleaning Tips
Here are a few quick cleaning tips:
- Pee After Sex: While there’s not much scientific evidence for this, many people swear by this quick cleansing technique. Peeing after sex clears out your urethra of any bacteria that may be trying to invade.
- Throw Down a Towel: If things got particularly messy, and wet, throwing down a towel is a great way to sleep comfortably without having to do a major clean up after sex. If you know that you’ll be getting messy ahead of time, there are plenty of ways to protect your bed and your other furniture.
- Body Wipes: These are great for wiping off sticky sweat and extra lubricants. You can use various types of wipes- including baby wipes- to clean any area that may have gotten dirty- just make sure that you avoid the inside of the vagina and the sensitive parts of the penis.
- Toss Your Toys in a Bin After Use: Have a separate place to store used toys that have not yet been cleaned. This helps ensure that your used toys don’t mingle with your clean and provides a place to toss used toys for later clean-up.
- Be Prepared: Having napkins, tissues, or even paper towels on hand is a great way to address messes and keep them from spreading. Plus, they make wiping down that much easier.
If you know you’re going to get messy, a furniture protector is also helpful.
What to Do If You Get an Infection
There are several signs that can signal an infection, including pain in urination, changes in odor and discharge color, and even lower abdominal pain. When you clean up after sex and you suspect that you have a UTI or a yeast infection, you’ll want to find out how long to wait to have sex after yeast infection treatment from your doctor, especially if it is your first time having this type of infection.
While seeing your doctor is always the best course of action, UTIs and yeast infections may be treated with over-the-counter medication. However, these medications should be taken with care and, if you’re wrong about what you think is causing the problem, it may actually make things worse.
Takeaways
- It is important to clean up after sex, but not an urgent matter.
- If nothing else, peeing after sex can help protect you from infection.
- Keeping toys clean is important, though not all toys require the same type of cleaning.
- Change your sheets on a regular basis; if you have sex that’s particularly messy change the sheets as soon possible.
- Go to your doctor if you suspect that you have an infection, if at all possible.
