Keeping Your Sex Toys Clean: What You Need to Know
The best thing about sex toys is using them and getting off — alone or with a partner. Some might say the worst part is having to keep them clean. It’s definitely a chore, and you might not want to be bothered with the hassle. But if you want a sex toy to keep getting you off for a long time, you need to take care of it and part of that includes cleaning it.
Here’s what you need to know about cleaning your sex toys.
Sex Toy Material Matters
The material of your sex toy will determine how you can clean it. Non-porous materials like silicone, metal, and glass can be cleaned in a variety of ways including dipping it in boiling water or washing it in the top rack of the dishwasher. But sex toys made of jelly, rubber, TPR/TPE, CyberSkin, and other porous materials should be cleaned with a sex toy cleaner or soap and water only. Try to put your jelly dildo in the dishwasher, and you’ll end up with a goopy mess.
Soap and Water are Standard
If you’re the only one using your sex toys, soap and water will often be more than enough to clean them. You don’t have to do anything special. Run them under warm water and use a gentle soap. You can lay them out on a countertop, in a drying rack, or on a towel to air dry. You can also pat them dry. For many people, cleaning your sex toys is as simple as this. No matter how you use your toys, though, they should be cleaned after every use. If this doesn’t feel like quite enough, you can also use a sex toy cleaner or specialty wipes.
Use a Condom to Keep Toys Clean
If a toy penetrates the body and is made of a porous material — like jelly, rubber, etc., an easy way to keep your sex toys clean is to place a condom over it. This is also good for sharing sex toys or if you want to use a dildo to penetrate you or your partner anally and then vaginally. If you like this kind of sexual play, the other option is to use a different sex toy or clean it after it’s been in your anus, but before it goes into your vagina. You’ll still need to clean your toy with soap and water later, but this keeps it cleaner and safer for sharing. For porous materials, condom use is highly recommended because these sex toys are impossible to sterilize and bacteria can grow on your toy — even if you’re not sharing it.
Sterilize When You Can
If a sex toy can be sterilized, do this every so often — between regular cleanings. In order to fully sterilize it, your sex toy cannot have a motor (so no vibrators or other vibrating sex toys) and it cannot be made of porous materials. Sterilizing is as easy as placing your sex toys in the top rack of the dishwasher or submerging it in boiling water for a few minutes. Sex toys made of silicone, metal, and glass can be sterilized. This kills off any bacteria and makes your toy safe to use with multiple partners.
Keep Your Sex Toys Clean
The biggest thing to remember is to keep your sex toys clean, no matter how you clean them. Make a habit of washing them off after each use. You might not jump out of the bed right after an orgasm to scrub your sex toys, but you also don’t want to wait days or weeks, either. By regularly cleaning your sex toys, you make them available to use whenever you want them. You also help extend the life of your toy so you can keep playing even longer.
Conclusion
Cleaning your sex toys isn’t the sexiest part of owning them, but it’s easily one of the most important parts. You spend good money to enhance your sexual pleasure, and you want it to last as long as possible. Keep your sex toys clean, and you will. It’ll be ready to play whenever you are.
Know someone who needs to clean their sex toys? Share our infographic below with them!
