No one wants to learn about anal douching through WebMD. We created this guide for people who want to know their sh*t without getting served a goiter clickbait ad.

Become an overnight anal cleaning wunder as we talk terminology, anatomy, safety, gold-standard prep and all the options you have to find the right douche for your butt bouche.

What Is Anal Douching? 

Anal douching aka rectal douching is the act of cleaning out the rectum through a simple water or better yet, saline rinse.

Reasons people try anal douching: 

• To prepare for anal sex, analingus, or any other form of ass play
• To cleanse the rectum when dealing with constipation 
• Everyone has the same goal: remove poo that’s stuck to the walls of the rectum

Douche vs Enema

Anal douching is *not* an enema or colon cleanse. Anal douching rinses the rectum (the area immediately inside the anus) with a controlled volume of saline. This takes minutes to complete. 

An enema is a much deeper flushing with a larger volume of fluid, with the goal of encouraging a substantial bowel movement to ease constipation or prepare for a colonoscopy. This can take several hours to complete. 

Think of your digestive system as a long tube. Your rectum is just the last few inches of it, serving as a holding tank until your poop is ready to drop. Anal douching is thus a quick rinse and repeat of that holding tank.

Is Anal Douching Really Needed?

Anal cleaning of any kind is a personal choice. Going first-knuckle deep in the  shower is sufficient for 90% of people, but there is that anal 10% who want total peace of mind before engaging in a butt buffet.

Important note: Contrary to vaginal douching, which is completely unnecessary given the vag is self-cleaning, anal douching does have its place to clean out stubborn poop remnants.

That being said, there are always some risks when you introduce a foreign solution up your bum.

How To Anal Douche 

Learn how to douche safely and effectively so as not to harm your GI system.

Select a Douching Product

Choosing the right products when learning how to anal douche can be daunting as a newb. Here’s a quick rundown on what’s out there. 

See why there’s confusion on douching vs enemas?! Fleet enemas give you the safest douching option, featuring pre-lubricated nozzles that reduce risk of injury. Choose the option that includes normal saline, and follow the prep instructions to maintain a safe insertion volume. 

This reusable rubber bulb features a nozzle on one end that’s inserted into the rectum. You can fill it with water or another safe solution like saline. Anal douche bulbs are available at most sex toy retailers. Look for a model with a flexible tip or simply lube up the nozzle before insertion. 

Like an IV bag for your bum. Enema bags are typically sold as part of an enema kit, featuring tube and nozzle attachments. You fill the bag with the solution and squeeze/let gravity do the work. A word of warning: Enema bags can be overkill, holding more liquid than you should be using for a safe douche. Be sure to read all packaging directions carefully before use. 

Bidets 

A bidet can be used to clean the area around/just inside your rectum, but take care not to go full pressure for more than 30 seconds. While bidet water is perfectly safe, flushing your system with too much tap water can mess with your electrolytes.

Shower Enemas

Also known as a shower shot, this is a special hose attachment in your shower specifically used to rinse your butt. Shower shots carry the same cautionary tale as bidets with the added risk of burning your rectal tissue if your water temperature setting is too hot. 

Choose the Right Solution

Inserting any liquid into your anus carries some risk, so we recommend using the most body-friendly option possible. 

DO: 

• Opt for a saline solution instead of straight tap water. Tap water is okay so long as you do not use it regularly. If you douche too often with tap water, you can cause an electrolyte imbalance.
  

DO NOT: 

• Use olive oil, bleach, alcohol, soap, or anything else that you can find under your kitchen sink. 
• Insert hot water. Our insides are much more sensitive to scalding than our skin, so be sure to test water to ensure it’s slightly cooler than luke-warm.

The Golden Rule: Use commercial products with saline. Loading your grandma’s dishwasher-warped turkey baster with tap water or coffee can cause injury, infection, and a nasty electrolyte imbalance.  

Most saline fleet enema kits include the right amount of sodium to match what is in your body, therefore not upsetting your electrolyte balance. You can also make your own saline solution by mixing a half teaspoon of salt with a cup of water. (Wanna be extra safe? Mix your salt into room temp distilled water.)

Prepare Your Bum 

Everyone knows the butt is a master at clamping shut. It’s what the rectum does best, so take a moment to loosen up. While the external muscle in your butt can be relaxed through deep breathing, the internal sphincter benefits from a lubed finger providing gentle pressure. Do this before any nozzle insertion happens.

You’ll also want to make sure your douche nozzle is lubed – and we’re not talking about your ex. If you have a non-flexible nozzle, you cannot overdo the lube. Go  slowly to avoid tearing.

Set the Scene

1. Get your butt in the bathroom with towels at the ready in case you spill solution. 
2. Stand in the shower or over the toilet with your dominant leg up on the bowl.
3. Relax and gently insert the lubed nozzle into your anus while breathing out.
4. Squeeze the bulb or bag to slowly expel the liquid. 
5. Using a bidet or shower enema? Start at a low setting to keep from releasing too much water.
6. Hold the liquid for a few seconds. If you can safely jump to jostle the solution inside your rectum, even better.  
7. Release and repeat until the water runs clear or the bulb is empty.

Anal Douching Aftercare 

Now that you’ve learned how to anal douche, let’s clean you up. Hop in the shower to give your body a good soaking. You may want to wait an hour or two before anal play to ensure all the liquid is out. Your butthole, your choice!

While waiting, give your tub and toilet a good scrub down while following the instructions on your douche kit instructions for cleaning if you have a reusable bulb.

Douching Tips

If we had to sum up 5 tips in knowing how to douche properly:  

1. Use lube and go slow

This ensures you won’t tear or injure your rectal tissue, which increases risk of infection – especially when engaging in anal play afterward. 

2. Keep water on the cool side of luke-warm

Your insides aren’t routinely exposed to the outside world, so they are much more sensitive to pressure and temperature. 

3. Avoid laxatives 

Unless you’re treating constipation, don’t use laxatives as a way to prepare for anal sex. Laxatives give you gas and abdominal cramping (buzzkill) while irritating the lining of your intestines. Their timing is also highly unpredictable. 

4. Don’t over-douche it 

Even if you’re textbook-precise about pressure/volume/salinity/temperature, you can still damage the lining in your butt. Limit yourself to 2-3 days per week and only once per day.

5. Stay fresh between douches with a bidet

A spritz from your bidet can remove any excess douche-water while keeping your bottom shower-clean between toilet visits. 

That’s the gist––you can douche it! TUSHY Bidet has your backside all the way as you pursue cleaner, more sustainable way to keep your butthole sparkling. Spray on. Douche safe. Long live butt stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are There Risks Associated With Anal Douching? 

Improper or too frequent anal douching can cause damage to your anus and intestinal lining, increased risk of infection when engaging in anal sex, and an imbalance in your body’s electrolytes. Anal douching can also irritate existing conditions, like hemorrhoids or anal fissures.

What’s The Difference Between Anal Douching and Vaginal Douching?

Anal douching rinses the rectum of residual poo that may be stuck to the rectal walls. Vaginal douching injects fluid into the vagina to “clean” it, which is unnecessary and dangerous considering the V is a self-cleaning organ.

Is It Possible To Douche Too Often? 

Yes! Douching should be only performed periodically to prevent irritation or electrolyte imbalance. Aim for 2-3 days per week maximum.