- Fact Checked
- June 04, 2022
- 8 min read

Walk into any drugstore and you’ll see dozens of products advertised to clean and beautify that wonderful organ, the vagina. There are tons of benefits to staying healthy down there—from better sex to reduced itchiness and fewer infections, a happy V makes a happier you.
But does keeping your vagina healthy really have to be so…complicated? From vaginal sprays and washes to antimicrobial underwear and probiotic supplements, what’s the best way to maintain your vaginal hygiene?
Your vagina is pretty magical. Just think about it all it goes through during the average person’s lifetime: hundreds of periods, thousands of sexual encounters, and childbirth, just to name a few big experiences! What if we told you your vagina is so great, it can even clean itself?
Your vagina houses a host of good bacteria, which is collectively known as the microbiota of your vagina. (1) The healthy bacteria housed in your vagina are typically lactobacillus species. Lactobacilli are responsible for producing lactic acid and keeping your vaginal pH mildly acidic, which helps to prevent the growth of bad bacteria which cause bacterial infections.
Your vaginal discharge has a purpose, too. Discharge helps to rinse your vagina of debris and bacteria that can increase your risk of infections, like dead cells and dangerous bacteria.
Now you might be wondering, if your vagina is so great it cleans itself, then why do you have to worry about its health? Your vagina doesn’t need a special cleaning routine, but it does need you to practice lifestyle habits that maintain its pH and help good bacteria to thrive.
Why does vaginal pH matter? Every single organ of your body has a specific environment they work best in. For example, some organs work best at a specific temperature—that’s why having a fever can be dangerous. Your organs each have an optimal pH level, too. pH is a measurement of the acidity level of an environment. A healthy vagina has a pH around 4.5. (2) This pH level keeps lactobacillus bacteria healthy and prevents bad bacteria growth.
Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, your vaginal pH can easily get off track, particularly if you:
Your hormone levels can also play a role in shifting vaginal pH, which is why some people experience vaginal discomfort, bacterial growth, or an increase in bacterial infections around their period or during pregnancy or menopause.
Vaginal pH imbalance can increase your risk of common vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis, vaginal yeast infections, and urinary tract infections. (3) Luckily, there are simple ways to balance your vaginal pH and keep you—and your vagina!—happy and healthy. Check out our top 6 tips to maintain your vaginal pH and prevent infections.
You might have heard of probiotics in food sources like kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha, but what are probiotics, really? In short, probiotics are good bacteria that support your body’s natural processes. Probiotics species include lactobacillus, the bacteria found in your vagina. Probiotics are hard working bacteria—they fight bad bacteria, improve digestive health, strengthen the immune system, and support your vaginal health.
How do probiotics work? Lactobacilli bacteria produce lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which keeps the vaginal environment mildly acidic and unfavorable for bad bacteria. (4)
Probiotics are especially helpful for prevention of bacterial vaginosis, one of the most common vaginal infections. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your vagina, so eating probiotic foods or taking probiotic supplements can help support the growth of good bacteria and prevent bacterial vaginosis from developing.
Food items such as yogurt, kefir, miso, pickles, and sauerkraut are natural sources of probiotics. Probiotics for vaginal health can help improve vaginal pH if you don’t get enough probiotics in your diet.
This product is right for you if:
This product is right for you if:
Berries are truly superfoods! They have a high number of antioxidants such as proanthocyanidins, which help you fight inflammation. (5) They’re rich in Vitamin A, C, K, and fiber. Along with innumerable health benefits, berries, especially cranberries and elderberries, play a significant role in maintaining your vaginal health.
Berries support your vaginal health by:
If you struggle to consume enough berries in your diet, try taking cranberry pills for BV, which can help prevent bacterial vaginosis infections and relieve uncomfortable symptoms.
Moist, wet, and warm environments create optimal conditions for bad bacteria to thrive, so it’s important to keep your vulva dry throughout the day. Wearing underwear made of material that’s less breathable and absorbent, such as satin or silk underwear instead of cotton underwear, can cause unwanted bacteria to grow.
To support a natural balance of good bacteria and prevent unwanted infections like vaginal yeast infections, try:
Keeping your vagina and vulva dry will support your reproductive health and help you have a happy v.
One in five women in the U.S. regularly douche. (7) Douching is the practice of cleansing your vagina (not your vulva) with strong soaps or other feminine hygiene products or solutions. Even though this is an incredibly common practice, doctors advise against it, since douching can wash away good bacteria along with the bad.
Women who douche likely do it to cleanse the vagina after sex or periods, remove unwanted odors, or relieve discomfort from vaginal itching or irritation, but douching does more harm than good. The vagina can clean itself, remember?
The health issues associated with douching include bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, vaginal dryness, issues getting pregnant, and a lot more. (8) Trust your vagina to keep itself clean and you’ll prevent unnecessary work and unwanted infections.
A balanced, colorful plate has tons of health benefits, from maintaining hormone levels and a healthy weight to, you guessed it, keeping your vagina healthy! Different-colored foods provide different nutritional benefits and supply your body with all necessary vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. For example:
A healthy diet can also support vaginal health by helping you to maintain a healthy weight and prevent diseases like diabetes. Diabetes can increase your likelihood of developing yeast infections or urinary tract infections. (10)
In case you enjoy having multiple sex partners at once, it’s important you go the extra mile to keep your vagina healthy and happy. The greater number of sexual partners you have, the more likely you are to develop vaginal infections, including sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, having multiple female sexual partners can increase your risk of developing bacterial vaginosis specifically. (11) Your infection risk increases for a few key reasons:
Everyone wants to have fun in bed without worrying about contracting any infections. To keep yourself safe and infection-free, try:
With some extra care and attention, you can keep your vagina healthy, no matter what your sexual preferences are.
Keeping your vagina healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. At Happy V, our goal is to help you feel empowered and educated about simple ways to support your vaginal health. Our products help prevent and treat infections that disrupt your sex life and make you uncomfortable—because everyone deserves a happy v.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.