# Female Dopers, have you ever douched? Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700 "2010-08-27T18:13:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/141 "2010-08-30T23:13:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > (I swear though, there was a troll – **serlin**? – that had a thread here telling women they should use apple-scented hygiene spray or something like that) An apple-scented spray a day keeps the coochie doctor away, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/142 "2010-08-30T23:32:09Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > > [@Guinastasia](#): > > > > (I swear though, there was a troll – **serlin**? – that had a thread here telling women they should use apple-scented hygiene spray or something like that) > > An apple-scented spray a day keeps the coochie doctor away, I guess. It just makes me think ‘how do you like them apples?’ ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/143 "2010-08-30T23:42:50Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > Did anyone else see that episode of \*Intervention \*where the woman spends hours daily scrubbing her vagina and rectum with a toothbrush? :eek: Which one is that? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/144 "2010-08-31T00:24:49Z")
> [@BigBertha](#): > > Has anyone ever gotten an infection or made one worse by douching? Do you mean anyone here, or anyone anywhere? [This link](http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/douching.cfm#e) indicates that woman who douche have more health problems, but it appears that causality has not been shown. Also, [this link states that](http://www.medicineonline.com/news/10/3984/The-Dangers-of-Douching.html) the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that women do not douche. They do not seem to have issued an opinion on rooting around. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/145 "2010-08-31T01:33:45Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I was about to suggest you immediately go get a hoot inspection This made me snort. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/146 "2010-08-31T02:14:56Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > > [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > > I was about to suggest you immediately go get a hoot inspection > > This made me snort. This whole thread is full of the awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/147 "2010-08-31T02:33:47Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Oooh, gotcha. I was about to suggest you immediately go get a hoot inspection, because 20 SUPER PADS a day, you should be passing out from blood loss at that rate. 😛 This kind of flow lead to my hysterectomy. Until I got a diva cup I just thought I was getting older and whining a lot but we started tracking and I was losing about 500ml over a 7-10 day period. My stored iron levels were in the low single digits and we finally had an explanation for my desire to sleep all the time. Still never douched. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/148 "2010-08-31T08:27:55Z")
I am 32 and have never douched. If i feel really dirty for any reason I just take a shower, and put on clean clothes. I do have clots in my period but the clots have different sizes. I’ve never been sure how common that is, but seeing some of y’all have it is enlightening. ---
**Author:** ![wolf-alice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9e8a1a/32.png) [@wolf-alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf-alice)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/149 "2010-08-31T09:34:13Z")
I’m late for this, but there’s no way no how you’re going to stop me from pontificating about my vagina. Right. I’m _down_ with my vagina. Menstrual cup, squat on a mirror, paint the skirting boards with my moon-emulsion. Fight the power, look at my labia. I don’t douche, I think the idea of commercial, soapy\* douches to make your vagina “clean” is vile and misogynist, but I’m not freaked out by the idea of rinsing out semen with a little water if you feel you need to, or if you’re at the end of your period and want to sit on someone’s face, etc. Listen, I don’t know if I’ve got Hampton Court Maze in there or he’s launching pints of manfat or what, but if we have sex late at night, gentleman gravy can be sliding out of me the following lunchtime, _which is freaking gross_. No, semen isn’t inherently dirty, but leave a cup in the aring cupboard for an afternoon and see how you like it then. Good for you if you don’t have this issue; I do, and a little rinse seems sensible. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ, yeah, so’s the eyeball - there’s nothing wrong with giving either a quick swish with something non-irritant if you happen to have filled it with a gallon of jizz. \*What’s even in a commercial douche? I’m in Britain and I’ve never seen one advertised. Are douche adverts common in the US? Because I do think that’s fucked up, and I’m not surprised this is an emotive issue if you’re constantly being told your vag needs a soaping. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/150 "2010-09-01T02:00:10Z")
> [@wolf-alice](#): > > \*What’s even in a commercial douche? I’m in Britain and I’ve never seen one advertised. Are douche adverts common in the US? Because I do think that’s fucked up, and I’m not surprised this is an emotive issue if you’re constantly being told your vag needs a soaping. Sheesh. Water and vinegar or baking soda, I believe. As I said before, apparently our girly bits are supposed to smell like salads. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![wolf-alice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9e8a1a/32.png) [@wolf-alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf-alice)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/151 "2010-09-01T08:26:06Z")
And “toss my salad” _suddenly makes sense_… ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/152 "2010-09-01T13:00:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > > [@wolf-alice](#): > > > > \*What’s even in a commercial douche? I’m in Britain and I’ve never seen one advertised. Are douche adverts common in the US? Because I do think that’s fucked up, and I’m not surprised this is an emotive issue if you’re constantly being told your vag needs a soaping. Sheesh. > > Water and vinegar or baking soda, I believe. As I said before, apparently our girly bits are supposed to smell like salads. 😛 Vinegar has a low pH, and baking soda a high one. Not salads, but an attempt to regulate the pH in your vag. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/153 "2010-09-01T14:04:37Z")
How would you know which one to use–baking soda or vinegar? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/154 "2010-09-01T14:14:27Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > How would you know which one to use–baking soda or vinegar? Use them both for dramatic “volcano” effect! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/155 "2010-09-01T14:30:15Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > > > How would you know which one to use–baking soda or vinegar? > > Use them both for dramatic “volcano” effect! :eek: That’s why I use water 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/156 "2010-09-01T15:24:02Z")
Not as a regular cleansing thing, but I’ve done it for yeast infections. That one little pill for yeast infections now is the coolest thing ever - when I was a young adult, you needed a prescription for seven day monistat - which was a messy, horrible and lengthy solution - and therefore a lot of women my age or older would try a vinegar and water douche before resorting to a trip to the doctor and a $20 prescription. I doubt I’ve done it since monistat went OTC - then the one night monistate, now the oral pill (which I think you still need a perscription for, but coolest thing ever). AND we had to walk uphill to school in the snow - BOTH WAYS. You young women don’t know how lucky you are. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/157 "2010-09-01T15:36:10Z")
But how would you know if your ph level was too high or too low, and thus whether it required baking soda or vinegar? ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/158 "2010-09-01T15:42:44Z")
That’s why you just go with both, simultaneously. Female volcanos have perfectly balanced pH in \*their \*volcanic vaginas. Jeez. Everyone knows _that._ ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/159 "2010-09-01T16:24:24Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > That’s why you just go with both, simultaneously. Female volcanos have perfectly balanced pH in \*their \*volcanic vaginas. Jeez. Everyone knows _that._ I’d douche if it made my vag into a volcano, no lie. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700/160 "2010-09-01T16:36:29Z")
Well _blimey_, this thread has been a positive revelation. And I’m a lesbian! I’ve never even heard of douching, had to crawl away and look it up on the Oxford English Dictionary site, where they describe it as a method of contraception. Clearly we Brits have a different dictionary definition. And it goes to prove the stereotype that we’re all filthy dirty. Such fun. Carry on… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-have-you-ever-douched-why/551700.md?page=9)