What is douching and should I stop doing it?

Douching means washing or rinsing inside the vagina, usually by squirting water or another liquid in from a bottle or bag. In the US, where douches are sold in shops, they’re usually mixes of water with vinegar, baking soda or iodine.

In the US, almost 1 in 5 women aged 15 to 44 douche, according to US government figures. The word is also used for rinsing the anus and rectum before anal sex, which we cover below.

Yes. The NHS and the sexual health charity Brook both advise against washing inside your vagina. Your vagina cleans itself with its natural discharge, which keeps it moist and helps protect it from infection.

Washing inside the vagina removes helpful bacteria and changes its acidity, which can lead to thrush or bacterial vaginosis. UK guidelines on BV list douching as a risk factor. Stopping won’t cure an infection you already have, but it helps your vagina keep its natural balance.

You only need to wash the outside, the vulva. The NHS and Brook suggest:

• Wash the skin around your vagina gently once a day, using warm water and a mild, unperfumed soap.
• Don’t wash inside your vagina.
• Avoid perfumed soaps, gels, vaginal deodorants and scented wipes.
• If you have thrush, use water and an emollient (a moisturising cream) instead of soap.

Some discharge is normal. Healthy discharge is usually clear or white, can be thick and sticky or slippery and wet, and doesn’t have a strong or unpleasant smell. Read more in “Why is sexual hygiene so important?”

No. Douching before or after sex doesn’t prevent STIs. US health guidance says it removes some of the normal bacteria in the vagina that help protect you from infection, and BV itself has been linked to a higher risk of getting HIV.

Douching doesn’t prevent pregnancy either, so it should never be used as contraception. The best ways to lower your risk of STIs are to use condoms or dental dams and to get tested regularly, especially when you have a new partner.

Douching is linked to two common vaginal infections:

• BV: a change in the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina. It can cause a thin, greyish white, watery discharge with a strong fishy smell, especially after sex.
• Thrush: a common yeast infection. It can cause thick, white discharge, often like cottage cheese, along with itching and soreness.

Neither is classed as an STI, but sex can trigger both. Read more in “Thrush or STI: how to know the difference”

US health guidance also warns that douching when you already have an infection could push bacteria higher, into the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries, and lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The NHS says PID is usually caused by STIs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, and it can cause long-term pelvic pain and fertility problems. Read more in “What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)?”

Some people rinse their anus and rectum with water before anal sex. Brook says this can wash away healthy bacteria and protective mucus and, if done incorrectly, damage the delicate lining of the anus and make infections more likely.

If you do douche before anal sex, Brook suggests:

• Use only water, at body temperature.
• Avoid douches that contain chemicals, which can irritate the lining of the rectum.
• Douche no more than 2 or 3 times a week.
• If you use a shower douche, choose one that lets you adjust the pressure.

Infections such as Shigella and Hepatitis A can be passed on through oral to anal sex, and cases of sexually transmitted Shigella in England rose by 10% in 2025. Washing your hands after sex, especially after handling douching equipment, helps lower the risk. Read more in “Is unprotected anal sex dangerous?”

See a doctor if:

• Your discharge changes colour, smell or texture.
• You have more discharge than usual.
• You feel itchy or sore.
• You bleed between periods or after sex.
• You have pain when you pee, or pain in your pelvis.

Call 999 if you have pelvic pain that’s severe, getting worse or hurts when you move or touch the area, pelvic pain with heavy bleeding, or a sudden, sharp and intense pain in your lower tummy. Call 999 too if you have any of these symptoms and feel dizzy or faint, have a very high temperature, feel or are being sick, feel very unwell, or have pain under your right ribs and in your right shoulder.

Some changes can point to a cause. A fishy smell can be a sign of BV, and green, yellow or frothy discharge can be a sign of Trichomonas. Discharge with pelvic pain or bleeding can be a sign of Chlamydia or Gonorrhoea. If you’re pregnant, tell your midwife about any change in your discharge, and contact your midwife or doctor straight away if you have any vaginal bleeding.

A change in discharge isn’t always caused by an STI, but testing can rule one out. Better2Know offers:

• Comfort Screen: tests a urine sample for 8 infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Trichomonas and Gardnerella, a bacterium linked to BV, from 14 days after sex, with results in 2 days (3 days for the home test). You can book it at one of our clinics.
• Female Swab: a vaginal swab at our clinics that looks for bacterial infections if you have pain, discomfort or unusual discharge, with results in 2 days.
• Full Screen: tests for 7 infections, including HIV and Syphilis, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days (5 days for the home test).

If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test. A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Is it safe to use feminine washes or wipes?

UK health advice is to avoid perfumed soaps, gels, vaginal washes, vaginal deodorants and scented wipes, as they can upset the healthy balance of your vagina. Warm water and a mild, unperfumed soap on the outside are enough.

Can douching after sex stop me getting pregnant?

No. Douching doesn’t prevent pregnancy, so it should never be used as contraception.

Is it normal for my vagina to smell?

A faint smell is normal. A strong or fishy smell, especially after sex, can be a sign of BV. Read more in “Could Bacterial Vaginosis become an STI?”

Your vagina is designed to clean itself, so there’s no need to wash inside it. Douching can upset its natural balance and won’t protect you from STIs. If your discharge changes, it’s worth getting checked.

Book a Comfort Screen at a clinic near you or order a home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 27 September 2013 and was last updated on 1 October 2026.

This article is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

Sources

1. NHS, Vaginal discharge, reviewed 15 February 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/vaginal-discharge/
2. NHS, Bacterial vaginosis, reviewed 19 June 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bacterial-vaginosis/
3. NHS, Thrush in men and women, reviewed 28 July 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/thrush-in-men-and-women/
4. NHS, Pelvic inflammatory disease, reviewed 17 December 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pelvic-inflammatory-disease-pid/
5. NHS, Chlamydia, reviewed 24 October 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chlamydia/
6. NHS, Vaginal discharge in pregnancy, reviewed 17 April 2024. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/common-symptoms/vaginal-discharge/
7. Brook, Get to know your vulva, updated 26 May 2026. https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/vaginas-and-vulvas/
8. Brook, Discharge, updated 14 February 2025. https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/discharge/
9. Brook, Anal sex: risks, staying safe and how to prepare, updated 27 July 2026. https://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/anal-sex/
10. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK national guideline for the management of bacterial vaginosis, 2012. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/bv_2012.pdf
11. Sherrard J, Wilson J, Donders G, Mendling W, Jensen JS. 2018 European (IUSTI/WHO) guideline on the management of vaginal discharge, revised 2023. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/iustivaginaldischargeguidelines_2023.pdf
12. Office on Women’s Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Douching, updated 27 February 2025. https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/douching
13. UK Health Security Agency, Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England: 2025 report, 2 June 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables/sexually-transmitted-infections-and-screening-for-chlamydia-in-england-2025-report
14. Public Health England, Shigella: leaflet and poster for men who have sex with men, updated 17 March 2016. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shigella-leaflet-and-poster
15. British HIV Association, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV and British Infection Association, Adult HIV testing guidelines, 2020. https://bhiva.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HIV-testing-guidelines-2020.pdf
16. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, UK guidelines for the management of syphilis, 2024. https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/syphilis_2024.pdf