hi, this is a really embarrassing and personal thing to ask or you but i have severe contamination ocd and i just need to know what’s normal. -please don’t judge and be considerate i wasn’t taught this growing up how do you guys wash down there and wash your behind? i’ve been over washing and it’s hurting- i’m so tired of it —do you guys also wash your hands in the shower after washing these places?
Hey girl! I'd just use a super soft loofa and (some people say not to use soap but I would rather use just a little) perhaps some unscented baby shampoo or I even use a dandruff shampoo! (Outside only, don't stick soap inside.) I struggle w/ contamination to some degree, too, so you could use a completely separate loofa/towel for that area. If you use your hands, you probably want to wash them after, especially if you're on your period! Hope this helps! 🫶🏻
@gskommesa I think using the soap makes me feel like I don't need to wash so hard and just remember that washing your hands after just needs be what you normally do!
@Anonymous3g thank you for the help!!! if you were to use a towel or washcloth would you use a new one every day? and would you just leave it in the shower to dry or wash it every day?
@Anonymous3g i haven’t used soap in the past but maybe i’ll try!! my problem revolves around washing my hands for long periods of time in the shower after touching those body parts :(( but thank you for the recommendation!! i really think it might help <3
I use feminine wash by the brand Honey Pot, and a regular body soap for my behind. I wash my behind with my hands because I get grossed out by touching a loofa with it, and I trust the ability of soap to get any bacteria off my hands better than something like a loofa. With that said, I don’t have contamination OCD. But I’ve been washing my business like this for a while and it works and I don’t experience irritation!
@shopgirl do you wash your hands after? i’ve been afraid to touch anything back there because it grosses me out- so i end up washing my hands for a really long time in the shower. if you do wash your hands after washing those places how do you know your hands are clean after/ feel clean? i feel like as a women those places are seen as dirty a lot so it’s hard to ever feel clean enough :(
@Anonymousss7 I was the rest of my body after, which I trust to get my hands clean. As for how do I know if they’re clean, I guess I don’t know for sure. I think that they’re clean because I haven’t gotten sick, my body feels clean after a shower, and I don’t see residue on my fingers. Like I said, I don’t have contamination OCD and germs actually bother me very little.
i am sorry you were not taught this as a child, but you do not have to feel ashamed! the number of people who were not taught good hygiene would surprise you. here’s an article that’ll hopefully answer your question > https://flo.health/menstrual-cycle/lifestyle/hygiene-and-beauty/how-to-clean-your-vagina
I wash everything first than wash my private area first aka my butterfly than I switch the side I’m using of my rag and wash my behind then after I’m done risising off I go to those places again with water to remove the soap but some women only clean those areas with water because it’s bad for us if we get soap in them
@spy when you go over the places again do you use the rag or your hand? do you just let the rag sit wet in the shower after or use a new one every day?
And it’s okay if you ask because I learned how to wipe two years ago
@spy unfortunately me too !!🤧🤧😭
Hi! I use a soft wash cloth down there and gentle PH soap. I have a pack of 7 wash cloths, use a fresh one every day. I do laundry at the end of the week. I don't use the soap inside the actual opening, just in and around the external bits. I personally like either the bar from lume or there's a nice one by megababe called the bidet bar. It's super gentle and effective for that area since it's acidifed to match your natural ph levels. I do generally wash my hands after I'm done washing up just to make sure they're clean after, especially since I do my skincare right sfter the shower
@Villandi i’ll definitely look more into that thank you!! since you use a new washcloth every day what do you do with the one used previously (leave it in the shower, hamper, throw straight in the laundry) ? mine never dry fully so i always find myself doing laundry right away because i don’t want to let wet rags lay around.
@Anonymousss7 I hang the just used wash cloths on the shower curtain bar until they're dry, then I toss em in the hamper 😊
So I over wash sometimes I guess down there but I wash there like once a week. My gynecologist told me soap is bad for down there and just water works. Your (down there area) gets very acidic and can lead to a distribution in good and bad bacteria. So in all the good news is that your downstairs area as a woman cleans itself.
Does anyone else with Contamination OCD have a problem with bathrooms in general? Most of my more bothersome routines are bathroom related (hand washing, showers, and wiping) and it makes it hard to talk about my OCD with anyone, just from the fear of embarrassment. I still would like to find support, but I haven’t met anyone with similar issues to mine. Any pointers etc would be appreciated!
I have contamination ocd and have been struggling with using the bathroom and showering. Everything is done in excess, so I’m constantly over wiping and washing to virtually no end! ironically, I feel like my hygiene has actually gotten worse because of this. Just looking for advice.
Good day, you awesome people! I struggle with spreading my own (bathroom/groinal) germs and "contaminating" others somehow. Logically I know it's not necessarily going to make anyone sick, but it's coming to the point where I have to wash my arm if it touches my behind at all while wiping (in case waste travels as it sometimes does)--and this morning I felt I had to wash my hands after touching the shell of my ear. It's clear that a lot of washing I am doing is to avoid guilt--I feel like I am "being sneaky/doing something terrible" if I don't do it. Some things are justifiable, yes, but the line has become so blurred I have changed many of my routines around this and I cannot tell what constitutes as "acceptable" or "normal" hygeine anymore because anything less than what I have started doing feels awful. I even wash my hands after drying off after a shower... though that I am trying to stop. I am wondering if anyone could help me out here with suggestions? Thank you so much for listening to my woes. I appreciate you all immensely.
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