Enema Before Anal: Do You Need One, and How to Douche the Gentle Way

An enema before anal is optional, and plenty of people skip it: it means rinsing the inside of your ass with water so you feel fresher for sex, and for most bodies a shower plus a bathroom trip is enough. What most people mean by "enema" here is really an anal douche: a small squeeze bulb of plain water, not a medical enema.

If rinsing helps you relax, keep it gentle: a small bulb, plain body-temperature water, an inch or two in, an hour or two before sex, and never daily. Skip the drugstore Fleet enema. The box says "saline," but it's a sodium phosphate laxative, the opposite of what you want before fingers, a cock or a strap-on slide in.

Any body, any pairing, pegging included.

What’s in this guide

• Do you need an enema before anal? The short answer
• Where poop actually is (and why a little mess is normal)
• Anal douche vs enema: what's the difference?
• Fleet enema before anal? Why we'd skip it
• Plain water, saline or something else?
• The low-effort route: fiber, timing and a bathroom trip
• How to douche before anal, step by step
• How long before anal should you douche?
• How often is too often?
• Risks: irritation, HIV and STIs
• When to skip prep (or skip anal) entirely
• If there's a little mess
• Enema play: when the enema is the kink
• When to see a doctor
• Enema and douching myths
• What research says about douching
• Toys and gear for anal prep: what you actually need
• Enema before anal FAQ
• The bottom line

Do you need an enema before anal? The short answer

No. Planned Parenthood is blunt: douching isn't necessary, and it's fine to have anal sex without it. The whole page on one screen:

• It's optional. A shower, a bathroom trip and a towel cover most people.
• Bulb, not enema. If you rinse, use a small rubber bulb, not a pre-filled drugstore enema, an enema bag or a shower hose.
• Plain water at body temperature. Nothing added. Test it on your wrist.
• An hour or two before. Not right before.
• Not daily. A couple of times a week at most.
• Never sodium phosphate. Fleet-type "saline" enemas are laxatives, the wrong tool for sex prep.

First principle: anal is a choice every single time, and prep is part of that choice. Nobody gets to demand a douche, and either partner can call a halt whenever they want.

Want something short to send a partner? Try the Kink List entry on anal sex.

Where poop actually is (and why a little mess is normal)

Here's the anatomy that takes the fear out of it. Planned Parenthood explains that your body keeps poop tucked away in your colon until you get that "gotta go" feeling. Your rectum, the stretch just inside your hole, sits below the colon, and fingers, cocks and sex toys aren't long enough to reach the colon.

So a bathroom trip before sex does most of the work. A trace on a condom or a finger is part of having a body, not a failure.

One more thing. The Merck Manual describes the anal canal as highly sensitive to pain and the rectal lining further in as relatively insensitive. So you may not notice water that's too hot or a nozzle that's scraping. Test the water on your wrist and go gently.

Got a prostate? It sits on the front wall, a short way in (the Kink List entry on prostate play explains). For the full day-of routine, see the hygiene section of our anal training guide.

Anal douche vs enema: what's the difference?

An anal douche is a small rinse of your rectum with plain water, usually from a squeeze bulb, so you feel fresher before sex. An enema is a medical tool: liquid, often a laxative, that goes into your bowel to make you poop, usually for constipation.

Tool	What's in it	Made for	Verdict for sex prep
Small rubber bulb douche	Plain water you add yourself	A gentle rinse just inside	The gentle option, if you rinse at all
Pre-filled "saline" enema (Fleet-type)	Sodium phosphate, a laxative	Occasional constipation	Skip it: it makes you go within minutes
Mineral oil enema	Mineral oil	Helping poop slide through	Skip it: oil damages latex condoms
Enema bag	Bigger amounts of liquid	Larger medical-style enemas	Skip it: far more than sex prep needs
Shower hose attachment	Tap water at shower temperature and pressure	Convenience	Skip it: hard to control heat, pressure and depth

Cleveland Clinic counts 500 to 1,000 mL as a large-volume enema and warns that the tissue can tear if you overwhelm your colon with too much fluid. Sex prep needs nothing close to that. The NHS sexual-health leaflet warns that some nozzles may cause tiny injuries, and says that if you douche at all, use only the small rubber bulb type.

Looking for safe enema brands for anal sex prep? There's no magic brand. What matters is the type: a small rubber bulb with a smooth nozzle, filled with plain water by you, and nothing pre-filled.

Fleet enema before anal? Why we'd skip it

A Fleet enema is a drugstore laxative for occasional constipation, meant to be used exactly as its label says. It's just the wrong tool for sex.

"Saline" is the trap. The Fleet saline enema's active ingredients are sodium phosphates (19 grams of monobasic sodium phosphate per dose, plus dibasic sodium phosphate), a laxative, not the plain salt water the word suggests. The same kind of enema is also sold as store brands and generics, so read the Drug Facts box: if it lists sodium phosphate, everything below applies.

What it does. MedlinePlus, the US National Library of Medicine's drug guide, says it draws water into the large intestine to produce a soft bowel movement, usually within 1 to 5 minutes. Not what you want before sex.

Why the warnings matter:

• Kidneys and heart. MedlinePlus warns that using too much rectal sodium phosphate can seriously damage the kidneys or heart, and says never to use more than one in 24 hours.
• The label agrees. It says more than one in 24 hours can be harmful, and to stop and call a doctor for rectal bleeding or if nothing comes out within 30 minutes.
• A federal warning. In 2014, US regulators warned that using more than one dose of an over-the-counter sodium phosphate product in 24 hours can cause rare but serious kidney and heart harm, and even death.
• Not for regular use. The US Department of Veterans Affairs' pharmacy guidance says these enemas aren't for regular use and lists holding them in among the things that raise the risk.
• The lining. In a small 2013 study of nine men, a Fleet-type phosphate enema was the only one of three tested that stripped cells from the surface of the colon lining; plain water and a body-balanced salt solution didn't (Leyva and colleagues, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses).

Who shouldn't use it. The label says not to use it with kidney disease, heart problems or dehydration, to ask a doctor first if you're 55 or older or on a sodium-restricted diet, and to ask a health professional first if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Cleveland Clinic also says to avoid sodium phosphate enemas with chronic kidney disease.

So, Fleet enema vs anal douche? For sex prep, the douche. And "Fleet before anal or water"? Water.

Skip mineral oil enemas too. Cleveland Clinic says they lubricate your colon so poop slides through, and Planned Parenthood warns that oil-based products, mineral oil included, damage latex and polyisoprene condoms.

Plain water, saline or something else?

Plain, clean water at body temperature. That's the NHS leaflet's advice. Cleveland Clinic's anal sex page, wary of douching, says "as long as it's water and it's not chemical, it's not as bad."

Body temperature means lukewarm. A drop on your wrist should feel like almost nothing. Cleveland Clinic says an enema may hurt if the fluid is too hot or too cold.

Nothing added. Cleveland Clinic notes that some people mix homemade solutions with soap, vinegar, milk and other ingredients, and that not all homemade ingredients have been tested for safety. So no soap, vinegar, alcohol, oils, herbal or caffeinated mixes, salts or scents.

What about saline? In the small 2013 study, a body-balanced salt solution did as well as or better than the other liquids on every measure, but plain water didn't strip the lining either, and no health authority gives a home recipe. So plain water stays our advice.

Tap water counts. Most douchers in an international survey (BMC Infectious Diseases, 2014) used it.

The low-effort route: fiber, timing and a bathroom trip

This is the prep most people can stop at.

• Eat for formed poop. Fiber makes stool bulkier and more formed. Mayo Clinic's daily targets: 25 grams for women 50 or younger and 21 over 50; 38 grams for men 50 or younger and 30 over 50. Add it slowly over a few weeks with plenty of water, or you'll get gas, bloating and cramps instead.
• Go first. Use the bathroom an hour or so before sex if you can.
• Shower. The CDC's advice: soap and water on hands, genitals and anus, both before sex and after. Soap stays on the outside.
• Towel down, wipes nearby.
• Condoms on cocks and toys. Easy cleanup, and a fresh one before anything moves to a pussy or mouth.
• Lube, lots of it. Planned Parenthood says to use lube on anything going into the anus. A thick water-based formula like Jo Anal H2O works with every toy, and our lube collection has the rest.

If this feels like enough, it is.

How to douche before anal, step by step

Here's how to do an enema before anal the gentle way, which really means a douche with a small bulb. Give yourself time and privacy.

1. Start with a clean bulb. Lather it up with mild soap under warm running water, then flush it until no suds remain. Cleveland Clinic warns you can introduce bacteria if the materials aren't clean.
2. Fill it with plain, lukewarm water. Nothing added.
3. Test it on your wrist. If it feels warm, let it cool.
4. Lube the tip. Smear a little water-based lube over the nozzle and around your hole.
5. Get comfortable. Squat over the toilet, lie on your side on a towel, or put one foot up on the toilet seat.
6. Ease the nozzle in an inch or two. Breathe out and bear down gently. Never force it: Cleveland Clinic warns that forcing the tube can damage tissue.
7. Squeeze slowly. A small amount, not a blast.
8. Hold briefly, then let go. Take the nozzle out, wait a few seconds, then let it out over the toilet.
9. Repeat a couple of times, then stop. Mostly clear means done.
10. Clean up the bulb. Scrub it, rinse it well and let it dry in the open air.

Don't chase crystal clear. Planned Parenthood warns that over-douching can wash away protective mucus and cause irritation and tearing, and the NHS leaflet says even plain, clean water can irritate the lining.

How long before anal should you douche?

An hour or two before. Planned Parenthood says to douche an hour or two before sex, not right before, and people who douche usually do it about an hour before sex, according to a 2018 research review (Carballo-Diéguez and colleagues, AIDS and Behavior).

Why the gap? A little water can hang around and sneak out once you relax. The gap gives it time. Keep a towel under you anyway. Planning anal after an enema scene? Same rule.

How often is too often?

Not daily, and a couple of times a week at most.

• NYC Health advises against douching every day or several times a day.
• Planned Parenthood says no more than two or three times a week, gently.
• Cleveland Clinic notes that most doctors advise against douching or enemas, and that overdoing them can thin the tissue.
• The NHS leaflet says douching washes away the protective mucus in your rectum, leaving you more open to infection.
• Cleveland Clinic's enema page adds that leaning on enemas too much can make your colon lose its "muscle memory," which can make constipation worse.

Having anal sex several times a week? Rinse less, not more. Our anal training guide gives the same rule.

Risks: irritation, HIV and STIs

Gentle, occasional rinsing with plain water is the gentler version, but gentle isn't risk-free.

• NYC Health: douching may cause injury to the lining of the rectum, increasing the risk of some STIs.
• Planned Parenthood: damage to the lining can mean a higher chance of STIs, including HIV.
• The CDC: anal is the riskiest kind of sex for HIV, the receiving partner runs more of that risk, and the virus can get in through the rectal lining.

Research links douching with higher odds of HIV and STIs, but shows association, not proof (see the research section). One finding matters here: a 2021 study of 1,365 men in China found the link between douching and HIV ran partly through rectal bleeding and condomless sex, which is why gentle technique and condoms matter more than how clean you get (Lu and colleagues, Sexually Transmitted Infections).

Douching protects no one. What does:

• Condoms on every cock and shared toy, whenever you don't know a partner's status (CDC).
• PrEP, medicine to prevent HIV (CDC). Ask your doctor.
• A fresh condom at every switch from anal to vaginal or oral (NYC Health).

The safer-sex section of our anal training guide has the full rundown.

When to skip prep (or skip anal) entirely

• A hemorrhoid flare, a fissure or any irritation. Planned Parenthood says not to douche then. Mayo Clinic names anal intercourse as a common cause of fissures (little tears in the anal lining), so let one heal before anal too.
• Kidney disease, heart problems or dehydration. Skip enemas for sex, and never sodium phosphate.
• Bloody or prolonged diarrhea. The CDC says no sex while either partner has bloody diarrhea or diarrhea lasting more than 3 days, then a wait of at least 2 weeks after it clears.
• A bowel, kidney or heart condition, colitis included. Skip enemas for sex and ask your doctor. Mayo Clinic says side effects of flushing the colon are more likely with digestive, kidney or heart disease, and that colitis can get worse.
• Rinsing stresses you out. Skip it. A tense ass is harder to relax than a slightly imperfect one.
• You're not in the mood for anal tonight. Skip anal. Always allowed.

If there's a little mess

It happens, rinsed or not, and it's fine.

• Prepare for it. A dark towel, wipes on the nightstand, condoms on cocks and toys.
• Pause, clean up, carry on. Or don't. Either is a good night.
• Wash what touched it. Planned Parenthood says if body parts touch poop, wash them with soap and water. Toys get the same, or a foam like JO Refresh Foaming Toy Cleaner.
• Clean before you cross over. Whatever's been in an ass, finger, toy or cock, gets washed or a new condom before it goes near a pussy or a mouth.
• Need to go mid-sex? Go. Come back when you're ready.
• Zero shame. The person bottoming is trusting you. A grimace costs more than any stain.

Planning to eat ass? Our rimming guide covers barriers and hygiene, and the Kink List entry on rimming is the short version.

Enema play: when the enema is the kink

Enema play is when the enema itself is the turn-on, not the prep. Between consenting adults of any gender, it can mean the slow fill, the fullness, the waiting and the release, sometimes wrapped in power exchange. The clinical name is klismaphilia; in kink spaces it's just enema play, and enemas for pleasure are a real, consensual thing people enjoy. Nobody has measured how common it is.

Why people love it. Fans describe the fullness (like anal play, with nothing solid inside), the anticipation of holding, the relief of letting go, and the surrender of one partner deciding how full and how long, inside limits you both set.

Same limits, no exceptions:

• Plain, clean, body-temperature water only. Never sodium phosphate or laxative enemas, never alcohol, soap, oils, herbal or caffeinated mixes.
• Small amounts from a small bulb. No bags, no shower hoses, no seeing how much someone can take. Too much fluid can tear tissue (Cleveland Clinic).
• Stop at cramping or pain. Every time, even mid-scene.
• Short holds, open bathroom. Whoever's holding can call it and go, no matter what the scene says.
• Not daily (scenes count as rinses), and sober. Nobody drunk or high.

Bringing it up. Choose a relaxed time with your clothes on and try: "I'm curious about enema play. Can I tell you what turns me on about it?" Not sure where you each stand? Each of you can swipe through the Kink Test; a couples result shows just the yeses you have in common. Or print a Yes No Maybe list and mark your limits in ink. Go ahead only on an enthusiastic yes.

A first scene, step by step:

1. Negotiate earlier in the day. Who fills, who holds, how much (small), how long (short), what's off-limits, and whether release is private. Pick a safeword, plus a signal that needs no words (a double tap on the thigh works).
2. Set up the bathroom. Towels, lube, a clean bulb, water tested on a wrist.
3. Warm up. Kissing, touching, a slick fingertip at the rim if that's on the menu.
4. Fill slowly and check in. "How's that?"
5. Hold briefly. Praise, teasing, a hand on the belly. Release comes whenever it's needed.
6. Aftercare. Shower together, drink some water, cuddle, talk about what worked.

Anyone can call stop mid-fill, even if you agreed to more. Mixing in medical play? That's a separate negotiation: read the Kink List entry on medical play first, and the limits above don't change for a costume. The Kink List entry on enema play has the essentials.

When to see a doctor

Sign	What to do	Source
More than a tiny spot of blood, or bright red blood on the paper	Get it looked at; bright red blood may signal a tear	Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic
Bleeding that's heavy, or that shows up an hour or longer after sex	Book a doctor's visit	Cleveland Clinic
Sharp, shooting pain still there after half an hour	Head to the ER	Cleveland Clinic
Pain that's severe, wakes you, gets worse, isn't helped by over-the-counter medicine, or stops you pooping	See a doctor right away	Cleveland Clinic
Pain when you poop, or blood on your stool or the paper	Get checked for a possible fissure	Mayo Clinic
After a sodium phosphate enema: rectal bleeding, or nothing comes out within 30 minutes	Stop and call a doctor	Product label
After a sodium phosphate enema: dizziness or peeing less often than usual	Stop and call a doctor	MedlinePlus
Cramping, bloating or vomiting after an enema	Stop; call your doctor if it doesn't settle	Mayo Clinic lists these as side effects of flushing the colon
Something's stuck inside	Leave it alone and get to urgent care or an ER	StatPearls

If it feels like an emergency, call 911. Pain, bleeding or numbness that lingers? Tell your doctor.

Enema and douching myths

"You have to douche before anal." You don't. Planned Parenthood says it isn't necessary.

"Enemas flush out toxins." Your gut already clears waste on its own. Mayo Clinic says there's no evidence that flushing the colon does anything helpful, and Cleveland Clinic says there's no evidence enemas rid your body of toxins.

"Fleet 'saline' is just salt water." Its own label lists sodium phosphates as the active ingredients. It's a laxative.

"Douching prevents STIs." Some people douche thinking it lowers infection risk; in a survey of 485 men in China, about 1 in 12 gave that reason (Li and colleagues, Sexual Health, 2020). It doesn't: condoms and PrEP do that job.

"Cleaner is safer." Past a gentle rinse, it's the other way around. More water, more rounds and more force mean more irritation, and fingers, cocks and toys don't reach the colon anyway.

What research says about douching

Nearly all the research on rectal douching surveys gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. We found none on how much water to use, how often is safe or how long to wait, so those rules come from health authorities, not trials.

• How common it is. In an international online survey of 1,725 people who had receptive anal sex, 70% of men and 32% of women said they douched, and most used plain tap water (Javanbakht and colleagues, BMC Infectious Diseases, 2014). Among men who bottom, reviews put lifetime use as high as 88%, and studies of women are scarce (Carballo-Diéguez and colleagues, AIDS and Behavior, 2018).
• HIV and STIs, pooled. A 2019 review pooling 24 studies of more than 20,000 men who have sex with men found that men who douched had higher odds of HIV and other STIs. The studies were snapshots, so they can't prove douching is the cause (Li and colleagues, Sexually Transmitted Infections).
• A study that found no link. Not every study finds a link: in an Amsterdam clinic study of 994 men tested in 2011, douching wasn't tied to rectal chlamydia or gonorrhea once other factors were counted (Achterbergh and colleagues, Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2017).
• The liquid. In the 2013 study of nine men, only the Fleet-type phosphate enema stripped cells from the surface of the colon lining (Leyva and colleagues, AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses).
• The pathway. In the 2021 study of 1,365 men in China, rectal bleeding and condomless sex carried part of the link between douching and HIV (Lu and colleagues, Sexually Transmitted Infections).
• Enema play. No one has measured how common it is.

The honest caveat: these are mostly surveys of gay and bisexual men, women are barely studied, and the HIV and STI findings show association, not proof. The international survey found people who douched had higher odds of a recent STI, but douchers also differed in other ways, so it doesn't show douching caused it. The takeaway holds: gentle, occasional, plain water, plus condoms or PrEP for real protection.

Toys and gear for anal prep: what you actually need

The honest shopping list is short, because what makes anal feel good is lube, relaxation and a toy you trust, not a squeaky-clean rectum. No douche or enema below, on purpose.

Pick	Best for	Price
Jo Anal H2O Lubricant	Everyday anal lube, safe with every toy	from $12.95
Pjur Backdoor Anal Silicone Lubricant	Long sessions, a few drops at a time	$25.95
b-Vibe Rookie Beginners Starter Plug	Your first plug	$22.95
JO Refresh Foaming Toy Cleaner	Cleaning toys after	$15.95

Jo Anal H2O Lubricant: your go-to anal glide

Your ass makes no lube of its own, so this is the one thing worth buying. It's JO's classic water-based formula made thicker for anal. Purely water-based (zero oil, wax or silicone), so every sex toy, silicone included, is fair game, and so are latex condoms. It washes off with water and doesn't stain. No numbing agents, so your body's warnings still get through. From $12.95.

Get the Jo Anal H2O here.

Pjur Backdoor Anal Silicone Lubricant: when you want it to last

For long, slow sessions. You only need a few drops, and it keeps its glide without going tacky or dry partway through. Condoms of latex, polyurethane or polyisoprene all pair with it, and the formula leaves out fats, fragrances, parabens and preservatives. Because dimethicone (a silicone) is in the formula, try it on a hidden spot of any silicone toy first, or keep the water-based Jo for silicone plugs. $25.95.

Get the Pjur Backdoor here.

b-Vibe Rookie Beginners Starter Plug: the prep that actually helps

Learning to relax matters more than rinsing, and a small plug is how you practice. The Rookie copies the shape of a finger right down to its tapered tip, so if fingers are all you've tried, it won't feel strange. It's 1 inch wide, offers 3.5 insertable inches and is made of non-porous silicone, with an easy-grip handle on a flared base that keeps you in charge. Pair it with generous water-based lube. $22.95.

Get the b-Vibe Rookie here.

JO Refresh Foaming Toy Cleaner: after the fun

Lather the toy in foam, wait sixty seconds, then rinse under the tap. Its listing says it suits latex, rubber and silicone plus most other toy materials, with nothing left behind. Think clean, not sterile: it keeps toys fresh between uses. $15.95.

Get the JO Refresh Foaming Toy Cleaner here.

Browse our anal training kits, butt plugs and anal toys, line up plug options with our best butt plugs roundup, or share our Kink List rundown of butt plugs and anal toys. One rule for every toy: anything going in your butt needs a wide, flared base, or a handle that sits outside you the whole time.

Enema before anal FAQ

Do you need an enema before anal?

No. Prep is optional, and Planned Parenthood says it's fine to have anal sex without douching. Poop stays in your colon until you feel the urge to go, and fingers, cocks and toys don't reach that far. A shower and a bathroom trip cover most people. If rinsing helps you relax, use a small bulb of plain, body-temperature water.

Should I do an enema before anal sex?

Only if it helps you relax, and only the gentle version: a small rubber bulb of plain, body-temperature water, an inch or two in, an hour or two before sex. Keep it to a couple of times a week at most, never daily, and skip it entirely if you have hemorrhoids, a fissure or any irritation.

Can you use a Fleet enema before anal?

We wouldn't. Despite "saline" on the box, its active ingredients are sodium phosphates, a laxative that pulls water into your bowel to make you go within minutes. MedlinePlus warns that too much can seriously damage the kidneys or heart and says never to use more than one in 24 hours. It's for occasional constipation, not sex prep.

Fleet enema vs anal douche: which is better?

For sex prep, the anal douche. A small rubber bulb rinses just inside your rectum with plain water you add yourself. A Fleet enema is a sodium phosphate laxative that makes you poop within minutes, and in a small 2013 study it was the only one of three enemas tested that stripped cells from the surface of the colon lining.

What's the difference between an anal douche and an enema?

An anal douche is a small rinse of the rectum with plain water, usually from a squeeze bulb. An enema is a medical tool that puts liquid, often a laxative, into your bowel to make you poop, usually for constipation. For anal sex, the douche is the gentler option, and it's still optional.

Should I use water or a Fleet enema before anal?

Water. Plain, clean water at body temperature in a small rubber bulb is what the NHS sexual-health leaflet describes if you rinse at all. A Fleet-type enema is a laxative, and its label says more than one in 24 hours can be harmful. Test the water on your wrist, never use it hot, and add nothing.

How do you clean out before anal without an enema?

Take the low-effort route. Eat enough fiber that your poop is bulky and formed, use the bathroom an hour or so before, and shower with soap and water on the outside. Mayo Clinic suggests about 25 grams of fiber a day for women and 38 for men (a bit less over 50), added slowly. Then lay down a towel.

How long before anal should you douche?

An hour or two before sex. Planned Parenthood says to douche an hour or two before, not right before, and a 2018 research review found people who douche usually do it about an hour ahead. The gap lets leftover water come out before things get going. Keep a towel nearby anyway.

How often can you douche before anal?

Not daily, and a couple of times a week at most. Planned Parenthood puts the ceiling at two or three times a week, NYC Health advises against douching every day or several times a day, and the NHS leaflet notes even plain water can irritate the lining. If you have anal sex often, rinse less, not more.

Can you use tap water to douche?

Yes. Clean tap water is plain water, and most people who douched in an international survey (BMC Infectious Diseases, 2014) used it. Keep it at body temperature, never hot, add nothing, and test it on your wrist first. Even plain water can irritate, so not daily.

Do most people douche before anal?

Many do and many don't. In an international online survey of 1,725 people who had receptive anal sex, 70% of men and 32% of women said they douched (BMC Infectious Diseases, 2014). Among men who bottom, reviews put lifetime use as high as 88%. Either way, it's a choice, not a rule.

Does douching increase your risk of HIV or STIs?

Douching is linked with higher odds of HIV and STIs, but research hasn't shown it's the cause. A 2019 review of 24 studies of more than 20,000 men who have sex with men found higher odds among men who douched, while a 2017 Amsterdam clinic study found no clear link with rectal chlamydia or gonorrhea once other factors were counted. Douching never protects you: condoms and PrEP do.

Can you douche if you have hemorrhoids?

No, skip it until the flare settles. Planned Parenthood says not to douche when you have hemorrhoids, an anal fissure or other irritation. NYC Health notes that anal sex doesn't cause hemorrhoids but can irritate them and make them worse. If pain or bleeding hangs on, see your doctor.

Is enema play safe?

Enema play has real risks, so it needs strict limits: plain, body-temperature water only, small amounts from a small bulb, never sodium phosphate or laxative enemas, no alcohol or add-ins, and stop at cramping or pain. Keep it occasional and sober, and agree beforehand on a safeword and a signal that needs no words. Bleeding or pain that won't settle means a doctor.

Is it normal for a little poop to come out during anal?

Yes. A little mess is normal, rinsed or not, and nothing to be ashamed of. Keep a towel and wipes nearby, pause to clean up, and wash anything that touched it with soap and water, as Planned Parenthood advises. Anything headed from ass to pussy or mouth gets washed or a fresh condom first.

The bottom line

You don't need an enema before anal. If rinsing helps you relax, use a small bulb, plain body-temperature water and a light touch, an hour or two ahead and never daily, and leave the Fleet on the drugstore shelf. Then forget about it and enjoy yourself.

Where next? Get your body ready with our anal training guide and the Kink List entry on anal training, learn to come from butt play in our anal orgasm guide, and if you're bottoming for a strap-on, our pegging guide and strap-ons and harnesses have you covered. Share the Kink List entry on pegging with whoever's wearing it.

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Maya Sterling, AdultLuxe editorial. Read our editorial standards.