Sex Toy Care & Maintenance
Sex Toy Care and Cleaning Guide
© Dangerous Lilly*
This page will be referenced in every future review that I do, a one-stop spot for all the information you need on the care and cleaning of vibrators, dildos, masturbators, buttplugs and other sex toys. All sex toy materials are not created equal, so your care for them shouldn’t be either. Cleaning a sex toy properly is very important for your health and safety, as well as the longevity of your items. Please also be aware that when it comes to the safety of non-fluid-bonded partners, you should only ever share sex toys that can be sanitized OR if not, sex toys that are covered in a condom. In the sex toy material guide below, you’ll see a lot of mentions of porous vs. non-porous. Non-porous sex toys are the only ones that can be safely shared (without the need for a condom barrier). There are some issues floating around with being able to kill off / sanitize items when one user is sharing with a partner and they are infected with Hep.
*Please note that this content is written by me and is under copyright. You may link to it but please do not copy my guide word for word onto your site. Just putting in a source link does not make it ok. I worked hard on these words and want them to be shared…..but not used and abused. Thank you.
Sex Toy Cleaning Methods: Wipe Down Method | Boiling Method | Dishwasher Method | Rinse and Powder
Sex Toy Material Safety, Care & Lube Compatibility: Vibrators | Silicone | Glass, Ceramic, Wood | Metal | Hard Plastic
Thermoplastics | Realistic | PVC, Jelly, Rubber, Latex
Sex Toy General Care & Maintenance: Prior to Use | General Toy Storage | Vibrator Storage
Prior to Use:
Before you dive in, take a minute to visually inspect the toy. Make sure there’s no cracks that could injure delicate tissue or harbor bacteria. Turn it on and make sure the batteries are strong or the charge is recent – there’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a jerk-off session to have your favorite vibrator die out. Make sure there’s no visible stains or pet fur.
Cleaning Methods:
I’ll go through each type of toy/material to let you know which method can be used, but here’s the detailed run-down:
1. Wipe Down Method – A quick and easy way to disinfect/sanitize and clean. You can use a clean, soft cloth and a 10% bleach solution; if you have any wipes handy that are called “sanitizing” or “anti-bacterial” you can use those; a clean soft cloth soaked with a soapy water solution of antibacterial soap (the soap must be left on the toy for a few minutes to actually get the anti-bacterial properties) will also work; you can also sparingly use a little rubbing alcohol. IMPORTANT: Please rinse your toy off with a clean water-only cloth after these cleaning methods – you don’t want many of these cleaning solutions to come in contact with the sensitive membrane of your genitalia. When you use this method, you need to be certain to use extra care on toys that have a texture like ridges or a toy that (like many Lelo vibes) has a seam where one material meets another, or any other type of seam. Soft, used/old toothbrushes can help get these areas.
2. Boiling Method - Certain non-porous materials can be gently put in boiling water for 2-3 minutes for a thorough sanitizing. Remove all organic matter from the toy first as best you can.
3. Top Rack Dishwasher Method – Certain dildos and buttplugs can be run through a water-only cycle by themselves in the dishwasher. Don’t add any cleaning agents; ones meant for the dishwasher are too abrasive for toys, and ones not meant for a dishwasher can have unwanted suds accidents. Please note that only dishwashers with a “sanitize” option can actually get hot enough to sanitize the toy – and you must select that option. Remove all organic matter from the toy first as best you can.
4. Rinse and Powder – Some of the Realistic materials (this includes cleaning a Fleshlight) can’t even tolerate soap, so just a thorough rinsing with warm water will get off any fluids (be sure to do this soon after use – when fluids dry on they are much more difficult to remove). These materials also should be powdered with cornstarch (Never talc powder!!!) or the powder that came with the toy. These toys though are very porous and can never be sanitized, so no sharing unless you don the toy with a condom. This goes for toys that you might like to use both anally and vaginally – condom condom condom!
Vibrators:
Cleaning a vibrator is pretty basic – you use the wipe down method. Obviously since it has a motor you shouldn’t do any boiling/dishwasher methods. A lot of vibrators are going to have cracks & crevices either where different materials meet (say it’s part plastic and part silicone) or where two parts of the toy meet (battery cover, charging ports) OR just because it’s a “texture thing”. These crevices and ridges and similar spots require special attention to detail when you are cleaning. I recommend using a really old and soft toothbrush – or your fingernail used in conjunction with a toy wipe.
Silicone:
Pure silicone can be fully sanitized and is non-porous. You can use any cleaning method you wish. For a more in-depth look at silicone sex toys, you can read more here. Not sure if your sex toy is truly silicone? You can read about my in-depth look at flame testing silicone sex toys and see what happens when I expose two manufacturers who claim to be using silicone, but are actually using a silicone-elastomer blend. A SEBS sex toy will still retain the phthalate-free and latex-free buzzwords but it will not be non-porous. For this reason if you should ever doubt the purity of your silicone sex toy, I’d recommend doing a flame test. Silicone-elastomer blends will often be a lot softer & stretchier than pure silicone.
Silicone toys and lube:
It has been discussed on my site in an interview with Metis Black of Tantus that for the most part when it comes to mass-produced silicone sex toys and lower quality silicone lubricants you should probably avoid mixing the two. Ultra-premium / platinum silicone can be combined with certain high-quality silicone lubricants. I’ve found that Fun Factory’s Body Fluid works well, but please do a patch test first on a portion of the dildo that won’t be entering your body. If there is going to be an interaction, it will occur quickly – the lube and the surface of the toy will get gummy/sticky. Doing a patch test with a small amount will allow you to scrape of the gummied lube with your fingernail. Since like silicone bonds with like, try to get a silicone lube with as few ingredients (and therefore, types of silicone) as possible. If you don’t want to risk trying a silicone lube, and want to use your silicone toys in the water/bath/shower, try using coconut oil as a natural lubricant. It’s safe to use with silicone.
Glass, Ceramic, Wood:
Again, all are non-porous (the wood has been sealed so that it’s non-porous) so the wipe-down method is fine. To be on the safe side, I wouldn’t expose ceramic or wood to the high temps of boiling water or a dishwasher – you just never know and you’d be really sad to ruin a good toy. Most glass toys would be fine in boiling water or the dishwasher, but please keep in mind that the glass used in sex toys holds onto temperature really well, so it will be extremely hot for a little while. Best practice for boiling would be to include a small hand towel in the pot to prevent the glass dildo from cracking up against the side of the pot. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions, though, before putting these though the extreme temps of boiling water or dishwasher.
Glass, Ceramic, Wood and lube:
Use water- or silicone-based or even oil if you like, but you’ll likely find out you don’t need as much as you would with a silicone toy.
Metal:
Yet another non-porous material, so you can use any cleaning method. I’d say feel free to boil (place a dishtowel in the pot with it, metal against metal in a rolling boil could cause damage to the surface) and dishwasher top rack. I’ve done the dishwasher trick for my Pure Wand. Just uh…..be careful, yeah? Metal has amazing temperature-retaining properties. Let it cool down! Never use anything abrasive to clean your toy and when traveling be sure to keep it in a storage pouch.
Metal and lube:
Use water- or silicone-based or even oil, but you’ll likely find out you don’t need as much as you would with a silicone toy.
Hard Plastic:
No boiling here! Use the wipe-down method. This material can be considered non-porous and phthalates-free.
Plastic and lube:
Any type of lube is safe for these.
Thermoplastics:
These sex toys can have a range of material safety – usually all are phthalates-free, but not all are non-porous. I’d probably not advise boiling, but my SinFive Pikilo survived the dishwasher just fine – it’s a hard TPR though. Soft TPR like cock rings and “jelly like” softer vibes & dildos shouldn’t be boiled. If you’re unsure though just stick with the Wipe Down Method.
WTP:
From what I can see, only SinFive is using this material type. It’s usually used to manufacture other toys, not the kind you masturbate with! It’s non-porous and has anti-bacterial properties. No smell, no taste.
Non-porous TPR or TPE:
As the name implies, this is the “medical grade” version of TPR and is non-porous. Not all TPR though is non-porous – if a dodgy company such as CalExotics or Doc Johnson claim that all their TPR toys are non-porous, I’d approach with caution and assume that they’re not. I simply don’t have faith that those companies are being truthful (and they’re not the only ones, I’d add Pipedream, Topco and a few others to the list) so better safe than sorry. Some manufacturers will use “food-grade non-porous TPE” (like Nomi Tang) which is usually a harder material.
TPR/TPE/Elastomer:
Thermoplastic Rubber. This version IS porous, but it’s still a better material to choose over jelly/rubber as it usually has less or no chemical smell to it and is a somewhat higher quality material than jelly/rubber. Strong, will last a long time.Phthalates-free.
TPR Silicone/CyberSilicone/SEBS/Silicone-Elastomer Blend:
This is a blend and should not be assumed as safe as pure silicone. It is porous, but still phthalates-free.
Elastomed:
Changing that one little letter from elastomeR to elastomeD changes everything. Elastomed toys are considered non-porous. Odorless and phthalates-free.
Thermoplastics and Lube:
With the exception of TPRSilicone, all of these materials can tolerate either water-based or silicone-based lubes. No oils!
Realistic Materials:
These are made to feel like real skin, but also usually have a terrible odor. They can go by names such as CyberskinTM, FuturoticTM, NeoSkin®, Soft TouchTM, UltraSkin, and FauxskinTM and are frequently used for both male toys such as cock rings and masturbation sleeves, and dildos/vibrators. This material is really porous and shouldn’t be shared unless the toy is donned with a condom. Cleaning is best left to a simple, gentle soap and water method followed by a dusting with cornstarch. Make sure these are 100% dry before you store them, as they can mildew. This is a form of jelly rubber, and should not be considered safe for everyone. Many realistic toys also use paint to add color to veins and heads and it does come off…another red flag in toy safety. Please read this article I wrote about the dangers of jelly rubber sex toys.
Fleshlight:
It’s a realistic material as well but Fleshlight states on their site and in their manuals to never, ever use soap. Just the rinse method please! Make sure these are 100% dry before you store them, as they can mildew. If you need something stronger than water then you can use rubbing alcohol to clean your Fleshlight, but if a lingering odor remains then you should consider replacing it for your health.
Realistic Materials and Lube:
Use only water-based with these. Silicone and oil-based lubes will break the material down.
PVC/Jelly/Rubber/Latex:
Again, more porous materials. These also have a high risk of containing phthalates (despite dodgy manufacturers now constantly listing them as “phthalates-free” there are still a high amount of plastic softeners and other chemicals that can irritate skin and there are no regulatory laws – so they can claim it’s phthalates-free when it is not) and many other chemicals than can cause skin burns or rashes, so condom use is recommended even if you don’t intend to share your toy. These toys cannot be sanitized, so a simple soap and water wash is the best you can do. Please read this article to educate yourself on this sex toy material. Jelly sex toys can be dangerous.
PVC/Jelly/Rubber/Latex and Lube:
No oil-based, I can’t find a reason not to use silicone-based. Water-based is always safe.
Sex Toy Storage:
The safest way to keep your sex toys safe is to put each one in its own little bag. Plastic bags can work fine, but “tacky” materials like some silicone and jelly rubber will have too much material friction against plastic to go in smoothly. I’ve always liked using organza bags. Partially sheer so you can see what toy is in the bag, keeps a barrier between the toys, can be washed, allows for some air flow in case your toy isn’t 100% dry and looks nice. If you need something to store everything in, take a look at my reviews on sex toy storage items. ForYourNymphomation cases are hard to buy online anymore, and have not proven to be sturdy for the long haul. Devine makes only small storage options. You are probably best off buying satin/organza/cotton drawstring bags (pick something a bit more plush or padded for the metal/ceramic/glass toys) and then using whatever storage method works for you – be it a small suitcase, bag or drawer. Super-soft or porous materials might pick up dyes from fabrics – it’s best to store these items inside a plastic bag (or undyed muslin/cotton)
Vibrators:
Rechargeable vibrators that have the ability to “lock” should always be locked. I can’t tell you how many times a vibrator has turned on because something else bumped the switch and I pull out a dead toy.
Battery-operated vibes should be stored without the batteries inside, unless it is a toy you use daily (meaning, you’re going to be draining the life out of the batteries before there’s any chance of corrosion – hello, bullet vibe, thankyouCostcobatteries). Otherwise, the batteries have a chance of slowly draining dead, leaking battery acid, or the toy gets bumped and turned on. When traveling with sex toys, ALWAYS remove the batteries.
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