How to Use a Condom: 9 Steps for Safety

Check the Expiration Date

It's easy to use a condom to make your sex safer. However, there is still a right way and a wrong way to do it. Although an instruction sheet is a good place to start, it doesn't detail everything you need to know.

The first step to using a condom correctly is making certain it's still usable. That's why it's important to check the expiration date on the condom package before opening it.

The condom in the photo above has an expiration date of 2012/09. That's not a condom anyone should be using today!

Feel for the Air Bubble

Another way to check the freshness of a condom package is to feel for the air bubble. The easiest way to do this is to gently squeeze the package between your thumb and first finger, as shown in the photo. 

Therefore the condom should also be intact. The air bubble is actually there for just this reason. It's a way to protect condoms against accidental or intentional degradation and damage.

Open the Condom Carefully

To open a condom package, tear carefully along the corner or edge.

Don't use fingernails or scissors to open a condom package. The foil packets that condoms come in are pretty easy to tear.

Check That the Condom Is Right Side Out

Before putting a condom on, you want to be certain of which way is up.

Condoms should go on like a hat, not like a shower cap. You know the condom is right-side up if you can roll it down easily. You shouldn't have to stick your fingers inside the condom to unroll it.

If the condom has come into contact with the head of the penis, it may be contaminated with secretions. This is also why you should wash your hands before putting on a condom if you've been touching yourself or your partner intimately.

Make a Little Room

The "reservoir tip" of a condom isn't actually large enough to hold the amount of semen contained in an ejaculation.

You will therefore want to unroll the condom slightly before placing it on the penis. You do not need to do this step if you are using the condom over a sex toy. 

Place the Condom On

When you put a condom on a penis, it's important to leave room at the tip.

If you don't, there will not be enough space to contain the ejaculate. This could cause the condom to break. It is also essential to make sure there is no air trapped in the tip of the condom that could make it more likely to break.

Sometimes putting a little bit of lube in the tip of the condom before putting it on can help to avoid an air bubble. If you don't like that sensation, just check that the air is out of the condom before putting it on.

Unroll the Condom All the Way

Unroll the condom to cover the full shaft of the penis.

Doing this will help reduce the risk of transmission of any STDs that are transferred from skin to skin, such as syphilis. It also makes the condom less likely to slip than if it is only rolled down partway. 

Hold Onto the Condom When Withdrawing

After ejaculation, it is important to hold onto the condom at the base while the penis is withdrawn from the vagina, anus, or mouth. This should be done before the penis becomes less erect. Failing to hold onto the condom makes it more likely that the condom will slide off. It also increases the risk that it will leak.

That will help contain any secretions.

Throw Away the Condom

Condoms go in the trash, not in the toilet. If they go in the toilet, your next date might need to be with a plumber.

When throwing away a condom after sex, it may be a good idea to wrap it in toilet paper or tissue to prevent it from leaking and making a mess. This is particularly true if you're throwing away the condom in a trash can without a liner.