Psst: A little prep can lead to major pleasure.
If you're interested in trying anal sex, welcome! This pleasurable experience can be made even better with a little preparation. Though sex ed may have made vaginal hygiene a priority in class, understanding how to properly clean your ass before anal sex is equally important when it comes to getting intimate. While there's no right or wrong way to go about anal sex (as long as everyone involved has enthusiastically consented, of course), attending your personal hygiene might make you feel more comfortable and even more turned on.
How To Clean Your Ass Before Anal — Like A Porn Star
Like professionals in any field, porn stars have routines they go through when preparing for work. “Well, I don't [clean my ass] in the shower,” Angel begins, insisting the best way to clean your ass prior to camera-ready anal sex is with a water enema. (Note: For off-camera adventures, scroll down for less vigorous tips.)
How does this work, exactly? At most drugstores, you can purchase yourself a standard water enema kit (which is sometimes called a “hot water bottle and syringe kit”). This should include a hot water bottle, a hose, a plug, and a rectal tip.
When you're ready to prepare yourself, fill the hot water bottle with water until it is roughly 90% full, which works out to roughly a liter to 1.5 liters' worth of liquid.
Then, close the bottle with the plug, fasten the hose to the plug, making sure the clamp on the hose is closer to the bottom and closed. Attach the rectal tip to the bottom of the hose. You'll probably want to coat the tip in some KY jelly, or your favourite lube, to assist with insertion.
Now, head to the bathroom. Hang the hot water bottle (which should have a hook on it) on the showerhead. Then, lay down in the tub (for comfort, you may want to place a towel underneath you), insert the rectal tip into your butt, and open the clamp. If the water pressure is too strong, close the clamp, wait, reopen it, and let the water work its way through you until the hot water bottle is empty.
When empty, the objective here is to keep the water in your body for as long as you can. Three to 15 minutes is great, Angel says, but this all depends on how often you've done this. When the water is in your body, rotate to help coat the entire colon in water. Finally, empty yourself into the toilet.
However, this process is not the only way to prepare for anal sex. “It is a matter of choice, but it’s not necessary,” O’Reilly tells Elite Daily. “If you continue to use enemas regularly, there may be some risks related to tissue damage and an imbalance of the electrolytes. You can opt to use enemas, but you don’t need to use an enema in order to have anal sex.” She recommends talking to your health care practitioner to develop a method that works best for you.
If do you decide to try an enema, give yourself at least 24 hours between your first enema experience and any big date you’re preparing for. An enema can cause cramping, or make the delicate tissues of the anus and rectum extra sensitive — making additional stimulation a no-go for the rest of the day.
How To Clean Your Ass Before Anal — For The Rest Of Us
Enemas are great for the professionals, but for the rest of us, there are other options. If you prefer to clean your anus before anal penetration in a more relaxed way, O’Reilly says daily showers or baths can help keep the area clean. “Use a mild soap and water to wash on the outside only,” She says. “Some people find that inserting a clean, wet (not soapy!) finger into their anus can help to clean out any fecal residue. Just be sure to wash your hand thoroughly with soap and water after insertion.”
Even if you’ve showered recently, it can be nice to keep some wet wipes next to the bed with your other sex supplies. This way you can do one final round of prep right before play, and you also have something handy to deal with any mess you run into. And let’s face it — if you have anal sex often enough, at some point you’re likely to encounter a bit of mess.
If you do come across some fecal residue during anal sex, O’Reilly says it’s not a huge deal. “Often, it blends in with the lube (another reason to use lots of it, and I recommend Astroglide silicone),” she says. “Having said that, you know your body and your bowel movements best and some days will be better suited to backdoor play than others.”
It’s also helpful to throw some dark colored towels down on the bed to protect your sheets. You can simply toss the towels in the laundry when you’re done, and small messes likely won’t even show.
Here's What To Eat Before Having Anal Sex
Your eating habits play a role in your hygiene. For people who are healthy, and not suffering from any gastro-intestinal upset, fecal matter doesn’t hang out in the rectum. Instead, fecal matter is waiting in the colon until you have a bowel movement. That’s why for most people, knowing how to clean your ass before anal only involves gentle, external cleaning.
How can you stay regular and keep your cleaning routine simple? “Eating solid food with lots of fiber the day before or the day of anal sex is the ultimate key to success," Angel says. "I'll make myself smoothies with scoops of fiber in it (psyllium husks!) and well, yeah. Without giving too many gross details — it makes you all regular and stuff.”
Other high-fiber food that will assist in this regard are prunes, popcorn, flaxseed (try on yogurts or salads), oatmeal, rice, spinach, beans, and yogurt.
Note that many fruits that are high in fiber are also high in fructose, which can cause gas. Fruits with less sugar, like kiwis and oranges, will help you avoid this issue.
“Diet can absolutely affect anal pleasure and comfort, and a high-fiber diet is more likely to produce healthy poops,” says O’Reilly. “If you don’t have enough fiber in your diet and you have to push hard when going to the bathroom, irritation and muscle strain can occur and cause discomfort.” Drinking lots of water helps, too, as it helps your feces move more easily through the colon. So on the days leading up to anal, try your best to get those eight to 10 glasses of water a day.
Anal sex can be great, so when you want to indulge in it and avoid any “accidents,” heed the wise ways of Angel and O’Reilly and give yourself a good clean — however you feel comfortable.
Experts:
Joanna Angel, director and performer at BurningAngel.com
Jess O’Reilly, Ph.D., and host of the @SexWithDrJess podcast
Additional reporting was added to this piece on July 26, 2019 by Elite Daily Staff.
Since Angel says she’s been in roughly 300 anal sex scenes herself, it's pretty safe to say she knows what she's talking about. The same goes for O'Reilly, who has 18 years of experience as a sexuality counselor, as well as extensive research on the development of training programs in sex education, under her belt.