To not wash the inside of my vagina?

[Secretname123]

First AIBU so please be nice! There is a huge debate going on on twitter where people are horrified that some women wear tampons in the shower (it seems to be the majority of the many women responding to the tweets who are horrified). They claim it’s unsanitary because then you can’t wash inside your vagina. I thought we weren’t supposed to do this? I’m sure I had this drummed into me as a child. I never have and have never had an infection. Have I been doing it wrong all these years?!

@porridgeisbae because it is nonsense isn’t it? Do we not know how to take care of our bodies? If we don’t know how on Earth have we let our women down so badly? I was certainly educated in school and by my mother about how to keep my body safe and clean. Were you not? How can we have let our girls down that badly that they are spreading ignorance about the basics of their own bodies enough to post on Twitter telling others off about wearing tampons in the shower?

Mine's very 'fragrant.'

I use just water on the inner labia and bits. But I grew up in Asia where toilet paper isn't so common and everyone uses water. So I don't fully agree that it's self cleaning and you don't ever need to use water. It gets sweaty, you can gets zits in there like elsewhere, - so water feels a good option. Not wanting to be gross but I have sometimes smelt some women through their clothes who clearly never wash with water - I was on the tube once with just one other woman who was well dressed but my good the distinctive sweaty smell was rank (and it wasn't BV).

I've been doing it for years so I imagine I'm not alone. I thought if it was self-cleaning it could deal with a bit of soap. But I have a cyst full of something 2.6x2x2cm, and I think it could be related to the soap.

Then they're not using it right. I enjoy content from accounts I'm following, such as art, photography, wildlife, gardening, history, literature, folklore/mythology etc. Subjects that I'm actually interested in. I also follow my favourite bands/artists for updates on tour dates etc. I don't get any of the shite described here in my feed. 🤷‍♀️

And on the subject of the OP, I can't believe that in the 21st century, some people still believe such crap. I knew to only wash the outside as a teenager in the 80s, ffs. I sometimes think we're going backwards in some respects, not forward. 🤷‍♀️

I've literally just discovered Sanex zero this week. Never had any problem with allergies but the last few weeks I've been itching like mad. Was convinced we had bed bugs but close examination came up negative. Friend suggested using Sanex and I had my first shower with it yesterday and no itching. It's like a miracle but I suppose I was allergic to something.

So I don't fully agree that it's self cleaning and you don't ever need to use water

I always thought when people said this they meant only use water and don't use soap?

Well I do think it is gross if we don't look after oral hygiene, I use tooth brush, floss, interdental brush, mouth wash (well my dentist likes salty water rather than a commercial mouthwash.)

I'm in my 70s with all my teeth and I intend to keep them so they can be buried with me.

im So confused now. I haven't washed mine with soap inside or out since being told absolutely not to at the GUM clinic. But the thread on this last week was full of ppl ewwwing at anyone who didn't wash their vulva with soap? At least be consistent mumsnetters!

Plenty of people, even on this thread seem to think it refers to water as well....The inner labia that is. But my logic is if we use tissue paper, we can also use water to clean and I personally think water is better. People in Eastern countries have been doing it for millenia and there isn't an increase of UTIs and yeast infections there!

That's to stop your teeth falling out.

As long as you don't have teeth in your vagina, you're good.

I just looked up the conversation on X. None of them sound the brightest tbh.

"I don't jet wash the fucker," this gave me a good laugh on a dreary Thursday afternoon. Thanks.😂

I always get out of the car when in a car-wash and do a cartwheel or two. 😀

I also leave a tampon in when I'm in the shower and on a period when the flow is heavy.

I get all kinds of rubbish on my “for you” feed- like this tampon discussion. It’s so much worse since Elon. It doesn’t seem to be related to the things I look at at all.

I haven't read the whole thread so this may have already been posted....

They always put adverts in threads with things that are relevant . The ones on here are Solo steriliser travel liquid and Colgate baby toothbrushes .

So now I know what I've been doing wrong for all these years 😳

I’m surprised anyone still use’s tampons. I had some post menopausal bleeding after a hormone coil was fitted and I got really fed up with it so bought some period pants. I wear them everyday and I only know if I am bleeding if I look when I wipe. They’re amazing, I wish they’d existed years ago.

Sometimes I forget when I look on twitter that I’m coming across the opinions of a load of people who I have nothing in common with and have no idea why I start worrying about what they think. As this thread has shown I can ask the same question on here and get a completely different set of opinions, most of which are much more in keeping with mine!

I'll give you three guesses.

First-time poster, too ...

We'll be worrying about polishing our bumholes next.

So I don't fully agree that it's self cleaning and you don't ever need to use water

Are you talking about the outer area or the actual canal though?

Ouch! 😮

I always just used water even on the labia. After reading a thread where people were saying they used soap on the labia I tried it. Gave myself bv and I’ve never had it before
Just Water is fine!

Does anyone else remember the MNetter who posted about bleaching her bum hole with toothpaste? That was a wild one!