This is the first post of a new weekly ‘History of Sex’ series by Audacia Ray. Check back on Monday nights for more!

Lysol: Household Cleaner and Feminine Hygiene Product

“Feminine hygiene products” is the polite way of saying “stuff to take care of your vagina with,” and though this slightly antiquated phrase is still employed in the aisles of drug stores everywhere, it takes a nice strong hit of historical advertising to really remind you of the origin of the phrase. “Hygiene” of course implies that there is something unclean about femininity, and that uncleanliness must be taken care of. And that’s where Lysol comes in (I can almost hear the collective wincing of vaginas everywhere as I type this).

You might not know that Lysol - yes, the household disinfectant - has a significant place in the history of women’s sexual health. From the 1930s through the 1960s Lysol was sold and recommended as a douche for women that would not only clean and deodorize the vagina, but could also prevent pregnancy. Ads like the one pictured preyed on women’s insecurities about the smell of their vaginas and the potential for inspiring their husbands’ disgust and rejection.

Starting in the early twentieth century, birth control advocates like Margaret Sanger (the founder of Planned Parenthood) recommended that women douche as a contraceptive. We know today that douching can actually increase the likelihood of pregnancy because the douche fluid pushes sperm up into the uterus if its used right after an ejaculation has occurred inside the vagina. Early twentieth century contraception wasn’t exactly based on hard science.

Douche products exist today (in that lovely feminine hygiene aisle) but most sexual health professionals warn women off using them because in the best case scenario they wash away natural lubrication and helpful bacteria and in the worst case scenario they introduce abrasive chemicals into the fragile ecosystem of the vagina.

See more Lysol douche ads here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbill/sets/834100/