How to Keep Clean, Fresh and Smell Good All the Time in Your Private Area

Updated on July 19, 2011
B.N. asks from East Elmhurst, NY
18 answers

How to keep clean, fresh and smell good all the time in your private area, tips for products or personal hygiene habits. i dont have infections or bad smell or discharge but I need some ideas for change and refreshness

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S.H.

answers from St. Louis on

okay, here's what my OB/GYN recommended to me:

no douching, unless there's an issue with discharge.

no powders....they can cause UTIs. (That's why powder should never be used with diaper changes. I've had many babies in my daycare end up at the dr over this....as a result of "mom" deciding powder was needed.)

feminine wet wipes are okay, but should not be overused....because they are "wet" - when you need to be dry.

& he said that basic cleanliness comes from daily soap/water washing, trying to not get the soap "in" anywhere. Thoroughly pat dry.....& that's it.

Now for my thoughts: I have found that as long as I use a good laundry detergent, one that does not trigger my allergies.....then that's the only thing I really need to feel fresh!

4 moms found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Summer's Eve has a sheer floral cleansing flushable cloth for sensitive skin. So soft and moist. Can use daily. Ph balanced, dematologist and gynecologist tested. Can use daily if needed. Not to pricey either. Love them, really makes you feel clean and fresh and no dryness either.

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I'm sorry - your question just got me thinking about how we joke about dogs sniffing each other's behinds all the time and it just got me laughing.
Does anyone ever wonder why men never seem to worry about how their private area smells?
I mean, yes, we tend to be more moist and we need to be aware of the complications that can bring on, but there's not a single product out there for deodorizing a man's crotch.
Aftershave is just not going to work down there.
It's an untapped market!
If ad's for erectile dysfunction medications have become common place, it's time for ad's about 'male freshness'.

11 moms found this helpful
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M.T.

answers from New York on

Just regular washing :) Seriously, that's about it. Never worried about it. Regular cleaning (and the fact that the vagina is a self cleaning body part, that's what discharge is for) is really all that you should need. I've never in 44 years purchased special douches, washes, spray or anything like that. The vagina doesn't need irrigation or perfume. Leave it alone to do its job as it should.

5 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

For me, not smelling bad = smelling "good." I can't use scented products because I am highly sensitive to both the smells and to the residues on my skin. So I just use a scent-free soap daily for exterior cleansing. The interior cleans itself if it is healthy.

Women who use lots of feminine cleansing products can unintentionally disrupt the natural population of good bacteria that help us by out-competing the nasties, and then we begin to have problems with smells, yeast overgrowth, and infections.

5 moms found this helpful

S.J.

answers from St. Louis on

Go without underwear at home as often as you can - let your lady parts air out.

Sleep without underwear.

Wear cotton crotched panties during the day.

Change your undies mid-day if necessary.

Remember, a little discharge is absolutely normal. It is your body's way of cleaning itself.

Make sure you are clean and dry after each shower - and wash her daily.

Drink lots of water.

Eat a clean diet. Avoid processed foods and sugars.

Don't douche.

Wash with only water and possibly some organic non paraben soap down there.

This should be all you need for a clean lady part. If these things aren't enough and you still don't feel fresh, then I would speak to your doctor.

4 moms found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from San Francisco on

ummm....take a shower five times a day???

it's not SUPPOSED to smell like flowers down there.

it smells different. it's part of our human sex hormone thing. it's supposed to smell like, well, itself. for procreation purposes. don't obsess about it unless you think you may have some kind of problem. and be careful before spraying all kinds of crazy chemicals in or around your reproductive parts.

good luck!

3 moms found this helpful

M.M.

answers from Tampa on

If you sweat a lot or are in a humid temperate zone... good luck with that!! The sweat glands in that area are more pungent than those on the rest of your body, due to it being a different kind. It's more oily and meant to be more 'smelly' or pungent than your under arms, etc.

Other than that issue - the vagina is self cleansing and a daily wash of water or even better - regular soap and water on the exterior should be enough.

3 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

don't douche...it messes with your natural body chemistry...

make sure you are clean and dry after each time you use the bathroom..

Many say don't use powders...I do...not a lot - a sprinkle....

watch your diet...strong spices - like garlic, onion and curry - come out in scents in your private area!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

As others have said good old soap and water not the deordorant type just plain (homemade) soap and water and a good rinse and pat dry or air dry if you can. If you are going to be active (tennis/gardening) maybe a pantyliner to catch the extra moisture. Wear clean cotton crotched undies.

That's all. You shouldn't be offensive if this is what you do. Otherwise seek medical attention.

The other S.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Pantiliners---carefree/Kotex work well. Feminine wipes---freshen up during the day and a little baby powder. GL

M

2 moms found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Columbus on

I live in Ohio and it can get super humid so of course everything gets sweaty and a little stinky. I use feminine powder. Also I use rePhresh to balanced the vaginal Ph if I've recently had an infection or such. Gl

2 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

Honestly, just regular showering and washing with water. Don't put anything down there to futz with natural Ph or use deodorants down there else you'll require them for the rest of your life. You shouldn't use soaps down there or else it can cause irritation and lead to UTI's or bladder infection. Talc powders are heavily linked to "feminine" cancers.

Just trim up occasionally and change your skivies daily.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.M.

answers from San Francisco on

Getting in there with soap daily should do the trick. Vag's shouldn't smell bad. If it does, after normal cleaning with soap, you might want to get tested for various bacteria.

There is a bacterium called gardnerella that makes you smell quite fishy, and which has probably been responsible for the vagina's aromatic reputation over the centuries.

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

Wash with NOTHING but lukewarm water, and wear white cotton panties. Washing with any soaps, or douching will only temp the bacteria to double up . Its a vicious cycle. There are two things that will give a woman an imbalance of good vs bad bacteria every time and its stripping the body of bacteria through washing, or antibiotics.....and sex.

Warm water only and wash after sex, and if you take antibiotics be sure to back it up with a good probiotic yogurt that does not contain sugar.

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K.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

i make sure I wipe well after each toilet use....

I use baby powder in my undies (not a lot) during the summer....

other than that - i do not douche....i shower every day and just over all make sure it's clean!

N.A.

answers from Chicago on

FDS has a variety of soaps and sprays that you can use...And I would also agree on taking showers! Also, when you use the restroom wash down there rather then wiping, it's alot cleaner! Good Luck!

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J.C.

answers from New York on

Try a pantyliner with a bit of FDS spray on it. You can chabge it during the day and it will make a huge difference in terms of freshness!

Also, keep yourself well-trimmed. And dry what you have with a hair dryer. It helps to keep the moisture out. Also, a bit of Johnson's Corn Starch will help to keep you fresh. But outside only.

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