How To Clean and Store Your Sex Toys Properly

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How To Clean and Store Your Sex Toys Properly
November 22, 2018
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How To Clean and Store Your Sex Toys Properly

 

As exciting as getting your new toy home, ripping open the box, and going to town is, make sure you understand the importance of cleaning and care for your new best friend. Unclean toys can harbor bacteria which can cause infections (gross). Here are some helpful tips about how to take care of your toys:

 

Don’t submerge motorized toys

This might seem like a no-brainer, but just to be on the safe side, I want to mention it first. There is also a very big difference between a water submersible toy and a waterproof toy. Waterproof means it’s safe for shower play and it’s okay if you get a little water on it. But if you decide to throw caution into the wind and submerge it to clean it or a little bathtub fun, you might end up with a broken toy.

If your toy explicitly states that it is water submersible, then go ahead and bring it to the tub or dunk it in a full bowl of water for cleaning purposes.

 

Know what material your toy is made of and clean accordingly

When it comes to toys, there is a wide variety of materials that manufacturers will use. All toys will list the material on the box so even though you’re excited to get started using the toy, don’t chuck out the box until you know. If you’re a little late for this warning, not to worry; you can check with the manufacturer for information on the toy’s material.

Glass – To clean a glass toy, use warm water and a specialty toy cleaner. You can also use a mild antibacterial soap in a pinch. If the toy is Borosilicate glass, you can even put it in the dishwasher! However, don’t expose it to extreme temperatures like boiling as it can sometimes cause the glass to crack.

Stainless Steel – This is the most forgiving of toys when it comes to cleaning. Assuming it has no electrical component, you can chuck it in a pot of boiling water with 10% bleach solution for 10ish minutes. Like glass, you can also put it in the dishwasher.

Silicone – If you’ve got a non-vibrating dong, you can put it in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes being careful it does not touch the sides or bottom of the pan. You can also use warm water and a toy cleaner to disinfect. As with glass and stainless steel, you can also put it in the dishwasher.

If your silicone toy has a vibrator in it, use warm water and toy cleaner.

PVC/Jelly/TPE/TPR – This material makes up the bulk of low-mid range priced toys. These types of toys are porous and so extra care should be taken when cleaning them. Using warm water, get the toy and rinse off any fluids. After that, use a specialty toy cleaner to cover the toy. Using your fingers, do your best to scrub the toy and get in all the nooks and crannies. Once you’re done, give it a final rinse and shake off excess water.

Soft Skin – Most companies have their own name of this (UR3, Fantaflesh, Siliskin, etc.), but whatever it’s called, it’s soft to the touch and has the texture of real skin. Like the plastics mentioned above, this material is very porous. Clean it just like you would the PVC/Jelly/TPE/TPR toys. Once it’s dry though, you need to take one last step: powder. Due to the nature of the toy’s material, soft skin requires a light coating of toy powder to keep it soft and not tacky. Not only does it keep the toy soft, it also helps prolong the life of the toy.

 

Use a Clean Towel to Dry

 Once you’re done cleaning your toys, don’t grab that dirty hand towel that’s been in your bathroom all week. Instead, place them on a clean towel to air dry. Do not use towels to dry them as fibers can sometimes stick to your newly cleaned toy and no one wants lint in or around their naughty bits.


Store your toys properly

I can’t begin to tell you how many people I know who keep their toys under a mattress or throw it in a nightstand drawer. Don’t be like them. It’s unsanitary and erases all the hard work that went into cleaning your toy! What you want to do is store each of your toys in their own container. Options like sugar saks, toy bags, or toy chests are made of antimicrobial materials so your clean toy stays that way until your next sack session.

Do not store your toys touching each other. When you store toys all squished together you will be in for a bad time because… they can melt. And then where are you? Stuck with an unusable dildo mass and no one wants that. If you must store them in the same container, be sure there is a layer of fabric between them. If your toys are glass or steel, this rule does not apply.


Clean Toys Before And After Use

 If you opt not to store your toys in an antimicrobial container, you need to be certain that you’re cleaning your toys before AND after each use. While it’s difficult to want to do when you’re itching for some solo time or in the middle of a hot and heavy make out session, you NEED to be sure that the toy you’re using is free from any bacteria. If you don’t you may end up with an infection.

 

Use A Condom for Shared Toy

Condoms aren’t just used as a barrier against pregnancy, they can also protect your toy against spreading any STI or bacteria between you and your partner. If you share toys with your partner or like to use them with multiple partners, a condom is a great way to keep porous toys from harboring any unwelcome visitors.

As an added bonus, if you’re using a non-lubricated condom, there will be less of a chance of bacteria getting into a more porous toy. So, if you have Soft Skin or Jelly dildo, this is a great way to keep it cleaner!

 

 

These care instructions only take a few minutes and will be well worth the extra effort in the end. Not only will you be taking measures to protect yourself from bacteria, but the life of your toy will be much longer!

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