How To Clean Your Sex Toys Without Damaging Them

This is especially important for products made of elastomers or rubber, which might deteriorate if left to come in contact with other materials. Chavez adds that most medical-grade materials, like silicone and stainless steel, are also FDA-approved and identified as safe to use on the skin and tissue. “Medical-grade materials are also stronger and less susceptible to tearing, punctures, and other wear and tear,” she notes. You can, however, dip everything but the handle and that would work if you wanted to clean Lioness via boiling.

Some nonporous material, like a pure silicone toy, can be boiled — as long as it's a waterproof toy and there's not a motor inside that can be destroyed by the heat, according to Finn. "Boil these toys for 1-3 minutes, making sure that they’re completely submerged and you’re keeping an eye on 'em." "Just like in Broad City, you’ll want to avoid putting anything in the dishwasher that isn’t dishwasher safe, which is all vibrators and many plastics," said Fretz.

Virtually every kind of sex toy can be cleaned with a thorough scrub. But in most cases, surface cleaning is sufficient if you are the only person who will be using the toy. “100 percent silicone, glass, and steel toys can also be cleaned with liquid soap or a toy cleaner and then air dried,” Deysach says. Because of this, cleaning your sex toys is as important as practicing safe sex.

If you like to keep things private, washing your toys in a communal sink might not be ideal. For safety’s sake, here’s a rundown of suggested sex toy materials. Anything else, quite frankly, not only makes for super low-quality toys, but toxic ones too. Fine recommends Dame’s sex toy storage pouch, ($30, dameproducts.com), which also features small zippered compartments to hold chargers and smaller toys. No matter a toy’s material, avoid storing it in cramped or damp quarters, like rolling around in a drawer, where it can touch other items, suggests Hodder-Shipp.

Here’s exactly how to clean your sex toys before and after you use them. Even if you’re diligent about thoroughly cleaning your toy every time you use it, you should think about cleaning it before you use it too. There’s a chance that it might have come into contact with dirt, lint, dust, and other materials since you last used it. We’re guessing you don’t want to expose yourself to those elements, so you should consider washing your toy beforehand. Your vagina is home to myriad bacteria and fungi that help to keep it healthy. When you use a sex toy, odds are some of these microorganisms will attach themselves to the toy.

Most of the time, this won’t be harmful, Lauren Streicher, M.D., an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, tells SELF. Your vagina is already used to dealing with these microorganisms, so they don’t really pose a threat. To figure out how to clean sex toys, you’ll need to know exactly what they’re made of.

And while leaving your toys out to air dry is ok for some, it’s detrimental for others. Well, when left damp, hard to reach spaces, nooks, and crannies all serve as a welcome mat for rather unwelcome bacteria. Meaning all the cleaning you just did will be overcome with mold and mildew if not dried completely. If your toy vibrates , Chavez advises against submerging it into water.

Most sex toys come with their own bag or case which you can keep for storing them in between uses. Alternatively, purchase a lockable case best way to clean sex toys online, like the Bomber Case. Such cases are usually slim enough to fit in your bedside table’s drawers yet still offer the protection of a clean environment and a combination lock. However, sex toys need to be used and cleaned properly in order to ensure your downstairs stays healthy.

One concern is that UV light can disinfect only the areas it’s able to reach. So it may be less effective for toys that have nooks and crannies. Smell retention can sometimes be an issue with silicone toys in particular. It’s best to reserve any porous toys in your repertoire for solo play, or enjoy shared use with a condom (unless you’re fluid bonded).