If there is one thing that’s an instant turn-off for you and your partner, it’s a bad smell! A smelly vagina can be an instant mood-killer for almost anyone, and it might even be an indicator of something much more serious that you haven’t noticed yet. After all, a healthy one shouldn’t smell, period (pun not intended).

Now, your vagina isn’t just regular skin – you can’t slap some soap onto it and walk away smelling like roses, at least not if you want to avoid some serious pain and skin irritation. It’s a very sensitive area, meaning that good and bad sensations are much more amplified, so doing things the wrong way can be extremely painful. It is important to know what is actually safe to use.

Start Washing It Regularly

The easiest way to get rid of a smell? Start taking care of your general hygiene, and you’ll notice a massive difference in the smell of your private parts. Most low-level smells are created by bacteria, and it obviously can’t build up properly if you keep washing it off, you don’t even need any special techniques, just take a shower or bath and make sure you clean your vulva and vagina properly.

Pros:

  • It’s easy to include in your daily routine
  • It doesn’t take much effort
  • The process is pretty much completely free

 

Why it works:

Cleaning yourself can solve a lot of bacteria-related problems almost anywhere on your body, and your vagina is no exception. A proper shower is quick, easy, and doesn’t take any special formulas or chemicals to do properly, so there’s really no reason to avoid doing it.

Use Cotton Underwear

You’d be surprised how much of a difference your underwear materials can make – things like polyester are comfortable, but they can struggle with getting rid of sweat and other bodily fluids, which allows bacteria to build up much faster as well as creating even more awful smells. Cotton’s one of the easiest-to-find clothing types that’s both breathable and moisture-wicking, meaning that it’s inadvertently one of the best materials to use if you want to stop bacteria from creating a smell.

Pros:

  • Cotton is still just as comfortable as other clothing
  • They’re relatively easy to find
  • Swapping doesn’t take any extra effort

Why it works:

Swapping to cotton panties is surprisingly effective, and it won’t really change much about how your clothing feels. It doesn’t take much effort to do, and the results can definitely be worth it, especially if you’re the kind of person who gets sweaty easily (and if you are, please don’t tell me).

Start Wiping Properly

Okay, I know not everybody likes to talk about toilet-related situations, so I’ll skim over this one as quickly as possible. Basically, remember to wipe properly after using the bathroom: go from front to back and make sure you cover your vaginal area rather than stopping before you reach it. Wiping correctly is as important as taking regular showers, and it stops a massive build-up of bacteria that’s very likely to cause infections if left alone.

Pros:

  • It’s already part of your daily routine
  • It’s easy to correct if you’ve been doing it wrong this whole time
  • Proper wiping gets rid of some of the worst bacteria you’ll encounter

Why it works:

Nobody wants their bacteria from their business in the bathroom to stay on them during the rest of the day, so removing it isn’t just a way of eliminating smells – it’s also a way of being much more hygienic in general, and stopping yourself from getting all kinds of skin issues or infections from poor hygiene.

Adjust Your Diet

You might not realize it, but your diet can have a significant impact on the way your body smells, including your vagina. For example, the more sugar you have in your blood, the faster your body might build up yeast infections – while you don’t have to make giant changes to your entire diet, you should still be careful around foods that are known to give your body strong odors or scents.

If you’re really not sure what’s causing a particular smell, you can always try eating more yogurt. Most yogurt brands share similar bacteria to the inside of your body, so they’ll actually provide a slight boost to the natural health and smell of your vagina.

Pros:

  • A slight change can make a huge difference
  • Food with natural bacteria are quite easy to find
  • Eating healthy improves your entire body’s smell, not just your vagina

Why it works:

The natural methods are usually the easiest, and eating right isn’t just a great way to make your vagina smell better – it’s also an excellent way to improve your body’s health in general, which can go a long way towards you looking, smelling and feeling like a healthier woman. Plus, you get to eat more yogurt, which is always great!

Use the Right Products

Perhaps the biggest mistake a lot of women make is using whatever skin soap they have on hand, rather than buying something that’s actually meant to be used on the sensitive skin near their vagina. This also goes for gels, creams, lubrication and other chemicals that you might use there – if they are too rough, they might actually cause skin damage and infections, or even just leave you in constant pain until your body is able to remove it manually. The worst offenders are fragranced soaps, which can be extremely painful if used incorrectly.

Pros:

  • You will avoid a lot of pain
  • The right soaps will give you a much cleaner, better-smelling vagina
  • You won’t suffer from recurring infections and skin damage

Why it works:

No matter what you’re using, you should make sure it’s perfect for your vagina. Whether it’s something like Amaira Tightening Gel or just a generic vagina-friendly soap, it’ll help you avoid unnecessary pain and keep your private parts looking, smelling and feeling healthy.