personal care. :)

[Kim Allen]

This is gonna sound really stupid but I got to ask...
All my life I was told to use soap "down there"

Ever since my teen years I have always had problems with UTI's
Ever since my first child I have had a few cases of bv which I am battling one right now.
I have been using cloth more now and I prefer family cloth over toilet paper now because I seem "cleaner"
I just want to know if anyone takes extra precautions when it comes to cleaning family cloth and what you do.
Also water is supposed to be best for "down there" right? well what do you use for the outside area? do you ever use anything extra at anytime?
I hope I am being clear lol.

I just want to make sure I am not the one causing all this and I want to take measures to prevent it.

[cocoanib]

I only use water for the inside area.
I use diluted dr. bronners mild for the outside area. I like to use
a little cleanser for the outside area for sweat and stuff.
If I use soap inside or some get's inside too many times, I wind up with issues.

I don't use FC, so I'm not sure about cleaning that.

[outlier]

I use water and a wet washcloth for anything that can't be easily rinsed off with a wall-mounted showerhead. I don't pay that much attention. I guess you could try out all your options and see what works best? I've used only water for almost a decade now with no problems. In fact, I get pretty itchy if I accidentally get any soap down there.

I don't use family cloth yet, but whenever I get around to it I intend to wash it the same as I would cloth diapers. First a cold rinse with no detergent, then a hot wash with detergent followed by a cold rinse. You can use vinegar or an oxygen cleaner once in a while to make sure they're clean.

[KMK_Mama]

Women actually use soap IN there?? Hmmm. I use soap around the "folds" but NOT INSIDE. OUCH!

[swd12422]

Soap outside, nothing inside....
Family cloth: instead of wasting water on a pre-rinse, just give each one a quick rinse before you put it in the hamper/laundry bag. Then wash on hot with detergent, and use the extra rinse to make sure the suds are gone. I have pretty sensitive skin, and have never had a problem doing it like this.

[Katie T]

I don't do soap down there. Some on the hair but otherwise no. Too irritating for me.

We don't use family cloth for #2 so really since they are just 2 layers of flannel (my homemade ones anyways) I think a hot wash would be sufficient.

Since we cloth diaper I just wash them with the diapers but once she pl we will just do a normal hot wash and call it good.

[sarahn4639]

I think some proper terminology would be helpful for understanding exactly where you mean. I am understanding "outside" to mean the mons? The area you see when standing, where pubic hair grows. By "inside" do you mean the vulva? The external genitalia but inside the folds of the labia? I'm not clear if those are the areas you mean or if you mean "inside" to be the actual vagina, inside the body and "outside" to mean the vulva.

I use only water on my entire genital area, meaning vulva and bottom. I do nothing to wash internally/vaginally, that messes with the normal balance and certainly causes problems. For many women, soap can cause issues with urinary infections, BV, and yeast. It is becoming more common for peds to recommend not using bubble baths for little girls because, for some, it causes infections.

So, to answer your question, only water and your hand are needed to clean the entire genital area. As far as anything extra, if I let my pubic hair grow all the way out, I tend to use a little of my face soap (a very gentle cleanser) very sparingly on the mons, to clean the pubic hair. I still don't really think it's necessary, but sometimes it makes me feel cleaning. I do take care not to get any on the vulva area though.