This is going to seem like maybe a dumb question but hopefully someone can fill me in?

How do you avoid UTIs? I had a UTI recently (not from sounding), and it spread to my bladder and kidneys. It was pretty awful and I felt TERRIBLE.

I understand that if I were to do this sounding thing I would need to make absolutely sure the tools I was using were surgically clean, but where I get hung up is... how do you make sure the LUBE is sterile??? It seems to me that you can't at all guarantee a fresh bottle of lube is completely sterile, and once opened the longer a bottle sits around the more likely it is to get contaminated.

Is there a way to sterilize lube? Is there a medical grade lubricant I could use that is guaranteed sterile? Because I got a bad UTI, WITHOUT sounding, I am SUPER nervous about giving myself another one, and would feel pretty silly having to explain to a Doc how I got it.

Any advice?

Edit: Forgot to mention, I have read the FAQ. I'm somehow allergic to KY.