Anal play can get a little messy. It’s a fact of life.
But, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of a poo-related incident from occurring.
One of those is to use an enema* before having anal sex.
A pre-sex enema can help to get rid of most waste matter and leave your back door looking sparkling clean.
Some people even enjoy getting an enema before sex.
But do you need to perform an enema every time you have anal sex to keep your bowels at bay? Is it safe?
And how do you actually perform an enema on yourself?
We asked sexual health specialists for the answers (and for their recommended douching products).
Here’s what they had to say.
*In this article, we use the word “enema” as a synonym for rectal douching. Rectal douching cleans the area of your rectum where anal sex occurs. A full enema cleans the entire large intestine and is best left to a medical professional.
Do You Need an Enema Before Anal Sex?
No, you don't always need an enema before sex. Most of the time, anal sex is poo-free.
It depends somewhat on your diet (avoid greasy, fatty, and spicy foods 24 hours before sex), but generally, you don't have to worry if you've gone to the bathroom within 3-4 hours before sex.
Here’s why:
Your rectum (the inside of your bum where anal sex happens) is normally empty unless you feel like you need to defecate.
Waste is stored further back. It’s actually one of the cleanest parts of your digestive tract.
So why do accidents happen?
There are a number of reasons. If you’ve got poop on deck, anal stimulation can cause it to move forward into a full-on event. That’s why it’s always good to go to the bathroom before anal sex.
A bit of leakage or residue can come out because of lingering waste from a previous poo. Deep penetration can also result in contact with some waste.
For these reasons, many anal aficionados choose to use an enema or anal douche before sex.
Why Use an Enema Before Anal Sex?
There is more than one reason why people choose to use an anal douche when preparing for anal sex.
👉 A cleaner experience: Douching will clean out residual waste from your rectum (where anal sex occurs). So, when you have sex, you won’t encounter any fecal matter or odors. This makes anal sex more pleasant and much safer.
👉 Peace of mind: Worrying about whether you’re going to poo during sex can make it hard to enjoy the moment. Using an enema beforehand can help put your worries at ease.
👉 Easier entry: A pre-anal enema is a good way to relax the muscles in your back door and get you ready for penetration. Consider adding it to foreplay as a clean and kinky way to start the fun.
👉 It feels good: If you enjoy stimulation around the anal opening, you’ll probably like the feeling of an anal douche. Others enjoy the feeling of fluid rushing inside them.
The “Bottom” Line
What an enema can do:
An enema can remove fecal matter from your rectum and relax your tush, making anal sex cleaner, safer, and more enjoyable.
What an enema can’t do:
An enema can’t remove a big BM from your bowels. If you feel like you have to poop, or if you’ve eaten a lot recently, an enema won’t make that go away.
It also won’t stop diarrhea from doing its thing if you’ve had an upset tummy recently.
Top 4 Enemas for Anal Sex
Want to buy an anal douche to use before sex? These brands are recommended by our experts.
1. Curve Rooster Tail Cleaner
Rooster Tail Cleaner Smooth Anal Douche
$20.99
$29.99
Smooth Anal Douche Get ready to make your anal play experience cleaner, smoother, and more hygienic than ever before! The Rooster Tail Cleaner Smooth from Curve Novelties is the ultimate tool for anyone looking to improve their anal health and… Read More
2. Cloud 9 Fresh Soft Tip Enema Douche
Cloud 9 Fresh + Deluxe Anal Enema Squeeze Bulb with Soft Nozzle
$20.99
Cloud 9 Fresh + Deluxe Anal Enema Squeeze Bulb with Soft Nozzle Looking for a simple, easy-to-use anal douche for cleansing before anal sex? Look no further than this Deluxe Douche Kit with Squeeze Bulb from Cloud 9. This body-safe,… Read More
3. Triton Easy Squeeze Enema Bulb
Triton Easy Squeeze Enema Bulb
$12.99
$19.99
Triton Enema Bulb Black The Triton Enema Bulb is your ultimate companion for a clean and carefree journey to the depths of pleasure! This isn't your ordinary bulb, oh no! We've taken enema bulbs to a whole new level of… Read More
4. Cloud 9 Fresh Deluxe Anal Enema Douche
Cloud 9 Fresh + Deluxe Anal Soft Tip Douche with Squeeze Bulb
$18.99
$22.99
Soft Tip Enema Douche with Squeeze Bulb Introducing the Cloud 9 Fresh + Deluxe Anal Soft Tip Douche with Squeeze Bulb! The quick and easy way to prepare for anal play and keep your intimate areas fresh and clean. With… Read More
Tushy Tip: Love the feel of anal douching? You can get the same thrills without the mess from a butt plug.
How Do You Use an Enema Before Anal Sex?
First time using a douche before anal sex? Don’t worry, it’s easy to do. Just follow the tips below from our experts.
Choose a Safe Enema Solution
Tap water should be your last resort for anal douching.
It’s not the end of the world to perform an enema with tap water, but it can upset the electrolyte balance in your body and make you pretty uncomfortable.
If you’ve got the time, buy a saline solution from the pharmacy (ask the pharmacist for an enema saline solution).
You can also make your own by combining half a teaspoon of salt with a cup of water.
If you’re in a rush, you can use tap water. But make sure it’s a once-in-a-while occurrence.
Never put soap, cleaning products, or cosmetic products up your hole. They can cause significant harm to your GI tract.
Tushy Tip: Only use lukewarm or cool water to douche. Even warm water can burn your intestinal lining. The maximum temperature of your water should be 100˚F (just a bit warmer than room temperature!).
Clean Your Douche Before Using It
Before putting anything where the sun doesn’t shine, you want to make sure it’s totally sterile.
Boil your anal douche before inserting it or wash it thoroughly with antibacterial soap (just make sure no soap is left on the douche before using it.
Sex toy cleaners are also a great way to clean your douche.
They’re made specifically to sterilize products that penetrate your most sensitive areas.
Lube Up
If you’re familiar with anal play, you know that lube is your best friend.
It’s no different when douching. Lube up the nozzle before sticking it in to make the experience go down smoothly.
Just make sure you use the right lube. You might not be able to use your anal lube on your douche, depending on what it’s made of.
Silicone anal lube can’t be used with silicone-based douches, or it might degrade them.
Instead, use a water-based lube with your anal enema.
Go Slowly: Don't treat your enema like a Super Soaker
The inside of your body is very sensitive, so go slowly—one gentle squirt at a time—and see how your body reacts.
You don’t need to feel the water in the back of your throat. You only need to clean the entryway of your rectum—your butt’s foyer, if you will.
If you start to feel a cramp, your booty is telling you that it’s full.
Hold it in and Let it Out.
When the water is inside your butt, you want to give it a little time to do its job. Try to hold it in. You can even jump around and shake your hips a bit to let it wash all the gunk off your junk.
If you’re using warm water or plain tap water, don’t hold it in for too long (about 10 seconds will do). Saline can be held in for longer—around 30 seconds, if possible.
Next, it’s time to open the floodgates. Make sure you’re in the shower or near a toilet for this part.
Not all of the water will come out right away, so you’ll want to stay near the bathroom for the next 30 minutes or so to take care of any urges or leaks.
Is it Safe to Use An Enema Before Anal Sex?
Generally, it is safe to use an enema before anal sex. However, there are some risks.
As we already mentioned, douching with tap water too often can throw your system out of whack.
Your body maintains a delicate balance of electrolytes, and tap water enemas can upset that balance. This can cause nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and even heart issues.
Douching may also increase the risk of transmitting STDs like chlamydia, hepatitis, and HIV by damaging protective rectal tissue.
This is why you shouldn’t douche too often—only when you think you need to. This is also a good reason to always use condoms for anal sex.
Even if you do everything right, there’s a slight risk of doing some damage to your intestine or upsetting your GI biome when you perform an enema before anal sex.
Our experts recommend speaking to your doctor before anal douching, especially if you have a history of digestive issues.
Shop Safe Anal Sex at Condomania
Condomania is America’s first condom store. Since we opened our doors in NYC in 1991, we’ve been promoting safe sex for all walks of life.
We’re still dedicated to offering the safest (and kinkiest) sex merch online, including condoms, sex toys, lube—and anal douches, of course.
All of our stock is medically tested for your safety, and we only sell products that sexual health experts recommend.
Shop our collection of enemas for anal sex now.
Want to learn more about safe anal sex and add some kinky sex tips to your repertoire? Find more tantalizing topics on the Condomania blog.