Click to talk to a trained teen volunteer.

It's a 3/4 view of the right side of a human body, from just above the knees to just above the elbows. There's a black banner over the butt with white text that reads "DOUCHING"

A Quick Guide to Anal Douching

Anal douching is a method for cleaning your rectum before anal sex. Although douching is usually unnecessary (as your body is pretty good at keeping poop out of the way before it’s ready to exit), some people feel the need to douche in order to know for sure that no poop will come out during anal play.

How To

There are lots of different types of douching products out there, but they all essentially do the same thing. It’s really about just finding out whichever one is comfortable for you. See below for resources on the different products.

The Steps:

  1. Make sure whichever product you’re using is clean.
  2. Fill the douche with warm water or a body-safe solution.
  3. Inserting a lubed finger first or putting lube into the nozzle of the douche can help the next step go easier.
  4. Either over the toilet or in the shower, slowly insert the nozzle inside your rectum and gently squeeze the bottle a couple of times. Pull out the bottle letting whatever contents spill into the toilet/tub.
  5. Repeat this until the fluid comes out clear.
  6. Shower/clean up however is best for you.
  7. You can engage in anal play right away, or wait a few hours to be sure the fluids all come out.
Quick Tip
  • Try inserting something into your butt beforehand to see if you need to douche. If you can stick your entire finger or an appropriate sex toy in and there’s nothing on it when you pull it out, then there isn’t much risk of anything coming out during sex. It’s kind of like baking a cake: You stick in a toothpick and if it comes out clean it’s ready!

Safety

Choice

You don’t have to douche if you don’t want to. There are other ways to limit contact with poop or other things (like using internal or external condoms).

Resources

This is the infographic version of our "Quick Guide to Anal Douching" article. The image is a light skinned, muscular torso, with text in black and white rectangles on either side of the body. The text is recreated in full in the article.

If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact one of our peer educators. [Link]

Last Updated: September 2021

  • FAQ: Sorting Out Romantic vs Sexual Feelings

    When you’re in a relationship, how do you handle new feelings of romantic or sexual attraction for people other than your partner? And what if those new feelings you’re feeling are making you ask questions about your sexual orientation? In this post we cover some definitions for orientations that you may not be familiar with!

  • What is secondary amenorrhea?

    This post talks about secondary amenorrhea, which is what we call it when someone misses three periods in a row.

  • Text reads "5 Questions with Jackie, former THS volunteer." Below is a quote that reads "Volunteering at Teen Health Source has always been consistent proof for me that youth are the best resource for each other." The background is blue, and there's a picture of Jackie.

    5 Questions with Jackie, a former THS Volunteer!

    Did you know that Teen Health Source has been around for 25 years! To help celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we’re checking in with some of our previous volunteers. Today we’re hearing from Jackie!