Because of natural vaginal discharge and mild odor of the area many people are concerned about “keeping things clean” down there. But here’s the deal—when it comes to vaginal health, less is more. As I previously discussed, there are reasons why vaginal discharge exists (it’s keeping you healthy!) and we don’t want to scrub it away. In fact, over-scrubbing can actually mess up the pH balance of your vagina and create more problems.

Here are some basics when it comes to vaginal hygiene:

• Don’t wash IN the vagina, like AT ALL

• When washing around the vagina (the area around the vaginal opening is called “the vulva”) use a gentle soap

• As above, don’t over-scrub

• Don’t use vaginal deodorants as they can mess up your natural pH balance as well

• Wear breathable, lightweight underwear (like cotton)