# Does the Butt Clean Itself? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 24, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458 "2018-10-24T21:38:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/1 "2018-10-24T21:38:59Z")
I actually posted a similar question on another message board. My question is partly inspired by something I once heard or read some time back. Women shouldn’t douche they said, because the vagina naturally cleans itself. All douching does is throw off your pH. Now I know the mouth cleans itself. The nose certainly does. What about the anus? I know sometimes I am out on the road. And I am not sure if I had a tiny accident. I only find out until I come home. If I just let it go, would my body take care of the matter by itself? A little bit graphic, I know. But a good question. And I couldn’t be the first to wonder. :):)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/2 "2018-10-24T21:42:22Z")
I’m gonna go with “no”. Residue will dry, accumulate, and flake off. Highly unsanitary. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/3 "2018-10-24T21:44:01Z")
My first wife never douched but always used a wash rag slight inside the vagina when showering and she always smelled sweet and clean. I don’t know about butts, I think they could get nasty. I have naturally hard stolls most of the time so TP is more of a formality but I can’t imagine not cleaning up when thy are not so firm. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/4 "2018-10-24T21:49:53Z")
Is _soap_ self-cleaning? I seem to remember a dispute between Chandler and Joey on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/5 "2018-10-24T22:07:45Z")
No, no, no. As Mother taught you, wash yourself. Things down below are not self cleaning. I know men don’t like to hear it, but guys really? Wash vigorously when you shower. And use toilet paper, every time you go. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/6 "2018-10-24T22:17:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I know men don’t like to hear it, but guys really? #NotAllMenArePoopy ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/7 "2018-10-24T22:24:43Z")
As I understand it, there’s a fairly significant difference between sitting poops and squatting poops and because we’re not squatting that significantly increases the contact between the feces and the cheeks. That said, they still use toilet paper (or other washing techniques) in countries where squatting is the norm. We seem to have evolved to stand up along with the ability to wipe, and we didn’t evolve to need to be self-maintaining without manual intervention. Or, simply, a little bit of smear wasn’t enough to affect our health when we were sitting directly with our anus coming into contact with dirt (and so cleaning off in that way) and when we were mostly living a migratory existence so that the incidental smearing tended to not accumulate too heavily around our living area. It’s a tradeoff in our form of bipedalism. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/8 "2018-10-24T23:03:04Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > No, no, no. As Mother taught you, wash yourself. Things down below are not self cleaning. I know men don’t like to hear it, but guys really? Wash vigorously when you shower. And use toilet paper, every time you go. Surely no one in the history of ever needs to be told this. Right? Right??? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/9 "2018-10-24T23:34:27Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Women shouldn’t douche they said, because the vagina naturally cleans itself. All douching does is throw off your pH. > > Now I know the mouth cleans itself. The nose certainly does. What about the anus? Are you talking about the anal canal (which is about 3 cm long) or the very end (the anus)? I’m asking because you’re comparing the anus to the vaginal canal and inside of the mouth, so an analogous comparison would be the anal canal, and not the opening at the end. The canal is self cleaning and like the vagina, doesn’t require “douching.” That’s not to say it’s clean in the way a dinner plate is, but clean as in no cleaning required. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Wash vigorously when you shower. Not the best advice. > [@](#): > > When advising patients on a proper bowel movement, the following key points should be emphasized: > > Spending excessive time on the toilet is harmful. Avoid sitting on the toilet more than two minutes > > The rectum empties better when in a squatting position. When using a Western toilet, place a stool under your feet and lean forward to mimic that position > > Do not clean excessively and avoid cleansing wipes. Use water without chemicals. Using a bidet attachment eases the cleaning process in a quick and simple manner. > **[Anal Health Care Basics](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5101094/)** > > Despite the fact that countless patients suffer from anal problems, there tends to be a lack of understanding of anal health care. Unfortunately, this leads to incorrect diagnoses and treatments. When treating a patient with an anal complaint, the... Particularly for patients with itchy butts: > [@](#): > > The use of soap, particularly scented ones, should be avoided—warm water alone can be used, and the area should not be scrubbed vigorously during bathing or after toileting. The use of prepared wipes and witch hazel pads should be avoided—unscented toilet paper moistened with warm water is preferable. The region should be patted dry, or a hair dryer on a cool setting should be used. Although bidets are not commonly used in the United States, commercially available toilet seat covers with bidet functions popularized in Japan have been making inroads into this country, and may provide a less abrasive means of cleansing the perianal region. > **[Pruritus Ani](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4755774/)** > > Pruritus ani is a common condition with many different potential causes. Because of this, it can be difficult to treat. It is important to identify and eliminate any inciting factors, which are often unintentional consequences of the patient's... > [@](#): > > The goal to achieve success with patients who have no identifiable etiology is to maintain the perianal skin clean, dry, and slightly acidic. However, aggressive cleaning of the perianal area with alkaline soaps leads to chronic pruritus[88]. > **[What every gastroenterologist needs to know about common anorectal disorders](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2710774/#B88)** > > Anorectal complaints are very common and are caused by a variety of mostly benign anorectal disorders. Many anorectal conditions may be successfully treated by primary care physicians in the outpatient setting, but patients tend not to seek medical... Another reason to get off soap and use body washes, which are slightly acidic: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=819149](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=819149) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/10 "2018-10-24T23:57:01Z")
**x-ray vision** has the right of it. Vigorous washing and improper use of improper toilet paper do far more harm than good for many folks. Some of the worst cases of perineal itch/chronic rash that I’d ever seen resulted from excessive attempts at hygiene. Bidets are a great invention and it’s a pity they’ve not become more popular in the US; they’d resolve a LOT of issues. “Mom” apparently gave a lot of bad advice; let’s not perpetuate it here in GQ where the standards are supposed to be higher. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/11 "2018-10-25T04:07:41Z")
I didn’t mean using a scrub brush and bleach. Just clean it. How hard is that? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/12 "2018-10-25T04:28:15Z")
I like bidets, but you should definitely wipe and multi-wipe if necessary. Common sense. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/13 "2018-10-25T04:31:32Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As I understand it, there’s a fairly significant difference between sitting poops and squatting poops and because we’re not squatting that significantly increases the contact between the feces and the cheeks. If you are getting feces on your cheeks when shitting, you are doing something wrong. It never ceases to amaze me to learn that a non-zero number of people shit standing up, or can’t spread their cheeks while sitting on the john. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/14 "2018-10-25T04:55:51Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If you are getting feces on your cheeks when shitting, you are doing something wrong. It never ceases to amaze me to learn that a non-zero number of people shit standing up, or can’t spread their cheeks while sitting on the john. Technically, I don’t know where it is. But the toilet paper does seem to be necessary and there’s not a lot around the hole that isn’t cheek. Cheek fold? ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/15 "2018-10-25T05:59:39Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Does the Butt Clean Itself? In the science biz we call this a testable hypothesis. Let us know how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/16 "2018-10-25T06:21:32Z")
I am afraid you’ll get a rash if you don’t clean your bottom semi-regular like. Like daily. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/17 "2018-10-25T11:26:05Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If you are getting feces on your cheeks when shitting, you are doing something wrong. Agree. I’ve never gotten any feces anywhere remotely near my face. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/18 "2018-10-25T11:48:14Z")
I really have some one-line zingers I’m itching to say but, fearing I might be accused of “thread shitting”, I’ll keep them to myself. “Thread SHITTING”, get it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/19 "2018-10-25T12:22:33Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > Surely no one in the history of ever needs to be told this. Right? Right??? There’s lots of anecdotal evidence on the internet that children, just before and during their tweens, really don’t get that through cleaning is something that’s important. And I’ve been standing 4 feet away from 10 year old girls, and 12 year old boys who clearly missed the memo given to them by health and hygiene classes. And I’m like – “Welp, one good infection will teach that little girl a lesson she’s desperately trying to ignore.” But unless the boy plays sports, he may never learn until he’s a crusty young adult and someone just tells him he stinks and has to fix that. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458/20 "2018-10-25T15:00:28Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Now I know the mouth cleans itself. It cleans its own _in_side. You still have to clean your mouth with a napkin after you eat. Same for butt, only at the other end of the pipeline. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-butt-clean-itself/823458.md?page=2)