Good hygiene following stoma surgery

With an ostomy, you can shower or bathe just as you did before. You may shower or bathe with your pouch on or off – the choice is yours. Soap and water will not flow into your stoma or hurt it in any way. Soap residue can sometimes interfere with how well the skin barrier or adhesive sticks to your skin, so choose a soap or cleanser that is pH-neutral and residue-free.

Odour

When changing the pouch in the toilet or bathroom you may notice a different smell compared with before your stoma surgery. The difference is often due to how much of the bowel has been removed / bypassed.

Odour may indicate leakage. Odour can leak from the pouch sealing or underneath the skin barrier. It is important that you change your stoma bag immediately - both to eliminate the odour but more importantly to clean and protect the skin around the stoma. 

When using drainable appliances, ensure the outlet is being cleaned properly as this may cause odour.

Hints and tips to avoid odour.

• If the pouch is correctly applied there should not be any smell.
• When you have finished changing your stoma bag and everything is cleared away and the toilet is flushed, strike a match and blow it out straight away. The sulphur tip of the match may reduce the smell.
• There are some foods that may increase smell, like onions, garlic, cauliflower and cabbage. You may want to avoid the ones that affect you.
• A few drops of vanilla essence in the stoma bag may help with odour.
• There are products available which can reduce odour. Please check with your Stomal Therapy Nurse. 

If you are concerned about finding a toilet when you leave the house, the Toilet Map can be a useful tool for finding a public toilet.

Australian Toilet Map