How to Clean My Penis Properly

The first thing to consider if you are going to give your penis a proper clean, is the type of penis you have. We're not talking about size or even shape. These will only have a mild impact on your technique. The most important concern is whether or not the penis is circumcised.

For a circumcised penis

Cleaning a circumcised penis is a little easier due to the lack of foreskin. The foreskin is the retractable cover which grows over the glans penis (scientific name for the bulbous tip of a penis). Almost all born sexually identifiable as male will have one. Many cultures remove it. Some for religious reasons, some for hygiene reasons and others because it is generally culturally accepted.

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, so not having one makes access for cleaning easier. The glans penis has a ridged area a the bottom where it connects to the penis shaft. This is where dirt can gather which increases possibility of infection. Lather up the end of your penis and make sure the entire glans and shaft is cleaned. Be gentle, but thorough. If you clean too hard, you can break skin and ironically increase the likelihood of infection.

For an uncircumcised penis

Some may have their foreskin removed for medical reasons later in life, but most who are not circumcised as a baby will have their foreskin forever. It is not intrinsically bad to have or not have a foreskin, but there is one main consideration when coming to clean it. Just lathering and washing around the skin of the penis isn't enough. You will have to pull the foreskin back and clean the base of the glans penis and the shaft.

Something called smegma will build up on your penis tip. This is a natural lubricant which is found on both circumcised and uncircumcised penises. It is made from skin oils and dead skin cells. For uncircumcised penises, the smegma can collect under the foreskin and start to fester. It will attract dirt and fibers and will likely start emanating a funky smell. It is really important that this area is cleaned thoroughly.

What to use on your penis

Your penis is covered in skin, so it needs to be treated similarly to how you would treat the rest of your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you wouldn't wash your face with something which will make your skin dry or blotchy. The same goes for your penis. Just as you would use non-bio detergents on clothes if sensitive to certain enzymes, we can be similarly sensitive when it comes to bathing products.

Use a gentle mild soap. While your penis is your business, it is unlikely you'll be needing to use any caustic cleaning products on it. You should use something which is soap free, dermatologically tested and creates a good lather.

You can purchase special products which have anti-fungal properties similar to the medicated kind prescribed by doctors. This is particularly good for people who have recurrent yeast infections caused by candida. One of the most popular is a Kiwi product known as "Willy Wash", but you can find a large range on certain marketplace websites.

When to clean your penis

You may think that this is a simple question, but many people can be negligent when it comes to maintaining personal hygiene. Your genital area will get sweaty just as other parts of your body get sweaty in the heat. If you go for a run, you can smell your armpits smell after a while as dirt and sweat mingle to cause body odor. Perhaps because it's further away from your nose, you don't always recognise that your junk has some funk going on as well.

If you have exercised, you should shower afterwards and include cleaning your penis. This will stop your genitals smelling, but will also protect your clothes and furniture as you put your sweaty body on them.

While it can be difficult when you get caught up in the moment, but washing before you have sex is important. It will mean you lessen the chance of passing on an STI or similar infection and will make your penis something your partner will want to play with, not through out with the bathwater. This is particularly the case for oral sex. If you don't wash your penis first, it can make the experience very unpleasant for your partner and they are unlikely to want to engage in it with you.

Cleaning after sex equally is important. Exchanging bodily fluids can be great fun, but they need to be cleaned off afterwards. Otherwise, they can attract dirt and bacteria. You might also have lube, sweat or other products around the area which will need to be cleaned.

Even masturbation will need a good cleaning afterwards. Semen and pre-ejaculate (commonly known as pre-cum) will encourage smegma production and can lead to irritation.

Don't neglect your balls

Cleaning your penis is just part of the process. You don't drive your car in a rally and just wash the mud off the bumpers. You have to clean the whole thing. Your testicles hang down lower, but can equally get as sweaty as any other part of the genitals. Cleaning them will help reduce the likelihood of smells.

The hair on your genitals is also a contributing factor. Unless you wear a filthy hat, the hair on your head won't need to be washed as much as pubic hair. This is because public hair is not allowed to breathe, but is contained in an area which attracts heat. Washing and maintaining pubic hair will help keep it fresh.

If you find that you are cleaning regularly, but still find it a little smelly down there, maybe cleaning isn't enough. Sebum is an oily deposit excreted by the sebaceous gland which is designed to lubricate the hairs. Unfortunately, it can also cause bacteria to collect in a similar way to smegma. Shaving or trimming pubic hair can help reduce smells if it is coming from that area.

Your rectal area will also benefit from a good cleaning. Ensure you wash this area with similar mild soap and do not enter the anus itself. Wash your hands between washing your rectal/anal area before touching another part of your body (especially the penis). This is because of potential fecal matter on your hands.

How to clean your penis

Now that we've got the theory sorted, let's go over the steps on how to clean your penis properly:

• To prevent the build-up of odour-causing bacteria, it is essential to know how to thoroughly wash the penis, so the first thing you do when you're in the shower is roll back your foreskin and leave the head and the rest of the penis exposed.
• Use a mild soap especially a special one for this intimate area and wash well going from the base to the tip. Take particular care with the head of the penis and where it connects to the shaft.
• Once you've cleaned your penis well and rinsed off the soap, also remember to also clean your testicles. Do this by using soap on this area and massaging gently to remove by odor caused by sweat.
• Massage the soap over the area up to the rectal area and clean well, but do not penetrate deeply. This way you will make it less likely to have any odors that make sex uncomfortable. It is also good if you want to engage in anal sex or anal play.
• If you've spent all day on the go, played sport or sweating heavily, and think you might have sex after then it is only courteous and polite to clean your penis beforehand. In this way, you will make the experience much more enjoyable and sexual.

Keeping your penis clean and healthy, will go some way to keeping the rest of your clean and healthy. One important way is the reduction of passing on infections and STDs.

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