Foreskin cleaning? (possibly NSFW)

February 22, 2011 10:27 AM

How do I insure hygiene under my foreskin?

While I work hard to keep my penis clean, I feel like there must be a more effective way to clean under the foreskin than just rubbing with soap and water. The crevices of skin make me think that my fat fingers are just not up to the task.

A Google search brings up advice for parents with an uncircumcised baby, but I'm an adult. Are there soft brushes, or some kind of specialized tools that will guaranteed genital cleanliness? I briefly tried a toothbrush, but even a soft kind was too harsh.

posted by marcin_zissou to health & fitness (12 answers total)

Do you actually have issues with infection or buildup? Otherwise, O_o.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:30 AM on February 22, 2011

er...you have fully retracted it, right? You shouldn't have any "crevices" and you certainly don't need any special tools. If you can't completely expose the head and glans, then you might want to see a doctor about phimosis.
posted by nicktf at 10:40 AM on February 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

A toothbrush... oh dear that sound painful. Soap and water is good enough for the rest of the body.
posted by atrazine at 10:49 AM on February 22, 2011

Soap, water and my hands during the daily shower... that's really all that is necessary barring some sort of non-standard anatomy, or perhaps extreme physical activity or environment.
posted by utsutsu at 11:00 AM on February 22, 2011

nthing the ouch. Get the showerheads with the cords that detach from their holsters.
posted by cashman at 11:33 AM on February 22, 2011

You only need to wash under your foreskin with ordinary soap and water, same as the rest of your body. You can apply brushes and such to it if you want, but you'll irritate it very quickly as the skin is very sensitive.

Ensure that you can fully retract your foreskin. The glans should be completely exposed, if I remember correctly. If you can't retract it fully, you may have a condition called phimosis, where the foreskin is attached to the head of the penis too much. It's easily sorted and doesn't necessarily require circumcision.
posted by Solomon at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2011

Are you using this penis to perform surgery? Even in that case, just soap & water and maybe cleaning under your penis's fingernails is plenty. Pull the foreskin all the way back and the stream of water from the showerhead — even if it's not detachable — should be quite enough to blast out any stray bits of food, potting soil, or plaster that might be stuck in the crevices of e.g. your frenulum.
posted by xueexueg at 11:44 AM on February 22, 2011 [12 favorites]

Stretch using one hand and use soap and water with the other hand? Nothing more special needs to be done except that on a regular basis. Just to be clear, "regular basis" means at least once a week. If it stinks, it ain't clean.
posted by JJ86 at 11:58 AM on February 22, 2011

Odd. I have never had a problem or a concern keeping the old fella clean. Just pull the skin right back and soap-n-water it as assiduously as you would do any other part of your body. Do it daily and your chap will be as fresh as a particularly hygiene-conscious daisy.
posted by Decani at 12:43 PM on February 22, 2011

Are you asking because you're having some kind of hygiene issue down there? As in, things don't smell good? Here's a guy who extols the virtues of soap/shampoo free bathing, with particular mention towards his private areas.

He is quite enthusiastic: "If for nothing else, I'm soap free for life on this point alone. I feel as though I've been scammed -- and liberated."

I've done a little bit of experimenting going soap/shampoo-less, and for the most part I feel and smell the same (as verified externally), with one exception: my hair is a lot easier to style, shampoo-less.

But nthing everyone else: gah, don't rough up your little guy
posted by danny the boy at 1:04 PM on February 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think I remember hearing Dan Savage say that proper drying is just as important as proper washing. It may be worth it to pay special attention while you're patting yourself dry down there and fully retract, unless phimosis prevents you from doing so.
posted by Rickalicioso at 4:52 PM on February 22, 2011

I don't think you should be at all cavalier about this - people really do notice if they get near one with a foreskin and its not well-cleaned. Most will not say anything, but you'll get less of some pleasures for sure or your partner will try steer you towards the shower/bath or ambush you after in the hope you did some cleaning. It's especially bad if you find it too sensitive to give a good clean or you pee kinda through it like a tube instead of pulling it back, also if you sweat a lot. Tip for partners who don't want to have to time things and its unavoidably smelly: drink a few sips of vodka and you will barely taste or smell it.
posted by meepmeow at 8:01 PM on February 22, 2011 [1 favorite]