Cleaning Sex Toys: Protect Your Investment!

This week’s sexy question:

“What kind of cleaner should I be using to clean my sex toys?  I’ve heard different things, and I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing.”

When it comes to cleaning your toys the best thing you can do is ask them, or more appropriately consult the documentation that came with your toy.  Most toys come with instructions to tell you how to care for them, and this is probably your best reference.

But in the event you don’t still have the packaging or instructions that came with your toys, there are a couple of good general rules to follow.  The first step is to determine what your toy is made of because different materials have different tolerances for cleaners.  Most toys can be cleaned using warm water and a mild antibacterial soap.  This is usually sufficient for cleaning non-porous toys like those made of silicone.  If you are using a rubber toy your best bet is to use condoms on them prior to use, their porous surface can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and sometimes a simple cleansing isn’t enough.

If you are using a solid glass or silicone toy you can also wash them on the top shelf of the dishwasher, or by submerging it in boiling water for a couple of minutes.  Just make sure that your toys are of only one substance if you’re going to be cleaning in this manner, if your toy takes batteries, you definitely should not submerge it in water.

There are also a number of sex toy cleaners on the market.  These are antibacterial products designed to enhance the life of your toy.  If you don’t have the extra cash to drop on these products you’ll be ok cleaning them with antibacterial soap, but these products are specifically designed for sex toys, so they are a good choice as well.  You can check out some of the products on the market at MyPleasure or Hollistic Wisdom.

Finally, you can clean your toys using a highly diluted bleach mixture of 9 parts water to 1 part bleach.  Just make sure that you rinse the toys thoroughly to remove any residual bleach, and then air dry the toy.

Whatever method you use to clean your toys, make sure you are doing a sufficient job at it.  Always rinse well to wash off all the cleanser, and dry well to prevent the incubation of bacteria.  Proper cleaning of your toys is an important step to extending the life of your toys and is not something to be taken lightly, clean them after every use, and make sure to follow the appropriate storage guidelines for your toys.  Be clean and have fun!