A Quick Guide to Anal Douching

By Teen Health Source

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

• Anal douching is safest when done in moderation (like 1-2 times per week).
• Douching too often can increase a risk of infection in your rectum, as douching can wash away the protective lining in your body.
• Warm water or saline solutions are safest for occasional use. Any chemicals or fad ingredients (like coffee enemas) have a higher chance of harming your body, and are best avoided or used very infrequently.
• Douching equipment should be cleaned and dry before putting them away, as mold can grow in damp and wet places.

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

• Teen Health Source – Anal Play
• Teen Health Source – Prostate Play
• TeenVogue – Common Anal Douche Myths and the Truth About Them
• Love Plugs – Guide to the Types of Anal Douche
• Healthline – A Beginner’s Guide to Anal Douching

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

Last Updated: September 2021