All toys come with manufacturers instructions within the packaging. We’ve all been there, though, where you’re in such a rush to seek personal enjoyment, that the packaging ends up nowhere to be found. So! Here’s a quick guide to cleaning your sex toys.
Pro Tip: Remember! Understanding the variety of materials of which toys are made is crucial to keeping them clean and safe for use.
Motorised Silicone or Stainless Steel Toys
Wipe the toy clean using a damp cloth and a small amount of mild soap, then rinse the cloth with clean water and wipe the toy again to remove soap residue. Dry completely before storing.
Unless clearly stated that it’s waterproof, never submerge a motorised toy in water.
Non-Motorized Silicone or Stainless Steel Toys
For regular cleaning, you can use the same method described for cleaning motorised toys. If a deeper cleaning is required, non-motorised toys can be submerged in boiling water for 10 minutes or tossed in the dishwasher. Yup! If you go the dishwasher route, always place the toys on the top rack and run the cycle without soap.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions before cleaning any toy.
These instructions are also the ones to use for less common materials used in non-motorized sex toys, like glass, Pyrex, wood or stone.
How to clean Cyberskin
When cleaning cyberskin sex toys, or other “skin-feel” toys, use warm water only. Do not use soap.
Air Dry them, and add a touch of cornstarch to stop them from getting sticky. Store them slightly separately from the rest of your toys.
Wtf Is Cyberskin?
Cyberskin is the name of a material used to make Fleshlights, and other “realistic feel” toys. You should be made aware that the material is quite sensitive. When it comes to cleaning Cyberskin, remember to be careful with it, as the material can easily become abraded. Use warm water only, and let air dry to avoid damaging the material.
Hard Plastic, Jelly Rubber, Elastomer or Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPR) Toys
This category is a porous one, so this is our reminder that even after a cleaning, these toys can still harbour bacteria and STDs. To alleviate the risks of this, clean your toys before and then swiftly after using them. You should wash them with mild soap and water, and dry well before storing, or you can use a specialist toy cleaner.
Quick Tips
Be on the lookout for toy cleaners or toy wipes which usually come in a small spray bottle that you can just put in a drawer beside your bed. These can be used on some toys as a first wipe down, and they are convenient, quick, and easy. Baby or adult bathroom wipes can also be used as toy wipes. Disinfecting Wipes should not be used (#Don’tDettolYourDildo).
Generally speaking, a good rule to bear in mind when determining types of products to use is that you shouldn’t clean toys with anything you wouldn’t put in yourself. Makes sense right?
Why do we need to clean our sex toys?
Cleaning your toys is an important part of overall sexual health. Just like anything inserted into your body, you want to make sure they are safe and healthy. The two main concerns from not cleaning your toys are the risk of STI transmission, other infections and general hygiene. Believe it or not, STIs aren’t limited to being transmitted from person to person, they do in fact thrive on toys.
This is especially true if you share them with a partner, and especially especially true if you share them with non-exclusive partners. So, this advice is not just for the singletons among us. If you’re a person who shares sexual devices, keep in mind that certain materials are porous, which means that even after cleaning they can still transmit bacteria and STIs among the people using them. Porous materials are hard plastic, jelly rubber, elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer (TPR). Toys made from these materials are the ones that you should use with a condom if you plan to share them with a partner/s.
After using your toy, not cleaning the material thoroughly can result in bacterial or yeast infections. Of course this means that if you are sharing your toy, you are also sharing your infections! Even HPV was shown to have been passed almost immediately from toy surfaces to people,and HPV can lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus. Moreover, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and various other bacterial infections can be transferred through shared toys. Remember that when sharing toys, it is important to get tested often as symptoms may not be visible or obvious.
You can also get UTIs from using sex toys, especially if you use the same toy for anal and vaginal play. On that note – never immediately transfer a toy from the anus to the vagina, as this is very likely to result in infection. Wash the toy in between and/or use condoms on toys and change the condom when you change the play.
Even if you are the only person who uses your toys, cleaning them is important as you don’t want to be passing bacteria into such sensitive spaces, even if that bacteria is your own. Just like peeing after sex is a good idea, so is cleaning your toy. Make it a habit to spend a couple of minutes cleaning up after you’ve used them. You need to treat your body with the respect and love it deserves, and it is important therefore to keep your toys squeaky clean.
Written by the Killing Kittens team.