How to clean anal

Q: Anal sex is new territory for me, but not for my partner. Now he wants to share that experience with me… by sticking his finger in me. Is this safe? More importantly, is it clean? Your partner is onto something!

Anal hygiene , or anal cleansing , refers to hygienic practices that are performed on a person's anus , usually shortly after defecation. The anus and buttocks may be washed or wiped typically with toilet paper or wet wipes in order to remove remnants of fecal matter. In Muslim and Hindu cultures, as well as in Southeast Asia and Southern Europe , water is usually used for anal cleansing—using a jet, as with a bidet , or most commonly using the hand. This is sometimes followed by drying the area with a cloth towel or toilet paper. In other cultures—such as many Western countries —cleaning after defecation is generally done with toilet paper only, although some individuals may use water or wet wipes as well, until the person bathes or showers. In some parts of developing countries and during camping trips , materials such as vegetable matter, mud, snow, stones, sticks, and leaves are sometimes used for anal cleansing. Having hygienic means for anal cleansing available at the toilet or site of defecation is important for overall public health.

Get info about everything from douching to fissures with this series on all things anal. My high school coach taught sex ed. Keep it in your pants.

Anal douching aka rectal douching is the act of cleansing the rectum and anal canal, most traditionally done with liquid expelled from a douche bulb. While there are many popular anal douches out there, including pre-filled store bought enemas, a bulb douches, water bag douches, and shower attachments, unfortunately, each of these come with negative effects. These solutions were not meant for anal sex preparation and, therefore, have been known to cause harm to the body more on this in the next section. That said, there is a new offering in the market — the Future Method Anal Douche.