Toy Cleaning and Care
Take care of your toys, and they'll take care of you. Here are a few suggestions for how best to clean your toys. If you're not sure what your toy is made of, check out the sex toy materials explanation.
Non-Porous Materials
Porous Materials
Basic Toy Care
Non-Porous Materials
Silicone
Silicone is our material of choice. Toys made of silicone have non-porous surfaces that will clean easily and thoroughly. Silicone may also be shared safely after disinfecting. Beyond safety issues, silicone makes a great sex toy material because it retains body heat and transmits vibration well. It is high quality and will outlast jelly-rubber toys by years. You have several options for cleaning your toys:
- Wash with warm, soapy water and allow to air dry.
- Immerse in boiling water for 10 minutes, then air dry.
- Do not use this method if your toy has a motor.
- Run the toy through the dishwasher on the top rack.
- Do not use this method if your toy has a motor.
Note: Never use silicone lube with silicone toys.
Glass
Wash glass toys with soap and water. Do not expose glass to extreme temperatures.Pyrex
Boil, place in the dishwasher, or wash pyrex toys with soap and water.Stainless Steel
Boil, soak in bleach and water solution, or place stainless steel toys in the dishwasher.Porous Materials
Jelly-Rubber
Jelly rubber is a porous material that can't be completely disinfected. While we do not know the exact make-up of jelly-rubber toys, some have been shown to contain common yet questionable chemicals such as phthalates and toluene. Although no conclusive studies have linked the chemicals in sex toys with any health risks, we believe that the only way to safely use non-porous toys is by using a condom. To clean jelly-rubber toys, wipe with a soapy cloth and warm water.Cyberskin
Cyberskin (also known as Ultraskin, Softskin, and the material Soft Packs are made of) is a delicate material, so be gentle when cleaning it. Cyberskin is porous, can't be disinfected, and may contain some of the same chemicals found in jelly-rubber, thus we recommend using condoms with these toys. To clean: wash delicately with mild soap and warm water. Air-dry, then powder with a small amount of cornstarch (Do not use talcum powder! It has been linked with cervical cancer). Store cyberskin toys in a plastic bag with a small amount of cornstarch to keep them from getting sticky.Soft Vinyl
Soft vinyl toys have a smooth, flexible surface that is easy to clean, and typically contains a much lower level of chemicals than those of jelly-rubber toys. We recommend cleaning soft vinyl toys by wiping with a soapy cloth and warm water.Hard Plastic
Wipe down plastic toys with a soapy cloth and warm water.Acrylic
Wash acrylic toys with soap and warm water.Leather
Wipe leather products with a damp, soapy cloth or with leather cleaner. Do not soak leather. Wiping down with a 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol solution will disinfect toys that come into contact with body fluids. After cleaning, you may recondition your toy using a leather conditioner. Protect metal parts from tarnish by applying a coating of clear nail polish.Always let leather air dry and store in a cool, dry place.
Vinyl
Clean vinyl the same way as leather, omitting the leather cleaner and leather conditioner.Nylon
Nylon can be hand or machine-washed with mild detergent.
Note: If the toy is not made of silicone, stainless steel, glass, or pyrex, we strongly recommend using a condom with it to prevent the transference of bodily fluids which can transmit STDs.
Basic Toy Care
- Remove the batteries when staring vibrators, for a longer toy and battery life.
- Never submerge electrical components in water. Use a damp, soapy washcloth to clean your electric toys.
- Protect your water-resistant/waterproof vibes by making sure the rubber O-ring stays tight around the battery connection points of your vibes. If the O-ring is missing or broken, the vibe is no longer safe to use in water.
- For vibrators with cords, wrap a small piece of electrical tape around the wire's connection point and around the vibrator/wire connection point.
- Rough edges on plastic toys (especially anal toys) can be filed down with a nail file.
- If you are using a bullet vibe internally, put the toy in a condom and pull it out by the condom, not by the cord.
