How To Clean Your Sex Toys — Because, Yes, You Have To Do That
If you’re sharing sex toys, it’s important to disinfect them, because there’s a possibility that you could pass bodily fluids (and potentially an STI) to your partner via your toy. Cavanah says you might want to boil your toys to disinfect them if that’s the case. Anything that’s non-motorized and made of silicone, pyrex or stainless steel can be boiled for a few minutes, she says.
Leather toys can usually just be wiped down with soap and water, or you could try using a special leather cleaner, Cavanah says. If your leather toy comes in contact with any bodily fluids, you might want to wipe it down with a 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol solution to disinfect it.
While you might be tempted to use your fancy scented hand soap to make your sex toys smell chic, just don’t, Cavanah says. It’s best to avoid using perfumed soaps, because they can leave a residue on the toy that can irritate your genitals when you use it again, she says. You should also avoid using anti-bacterial soaps for the same reason, and just stick to something mild.
Toys made from porous materials (like jelly rubber) can trap bacteria, Cavanah says. That means that the toys can’t be completely disinfected, so she recommends using a condom over your toy for an added layer of protection. Also, jelly rubber is a somewhat outdated material that you should avoid, because it can contain potentially harmful materials, like phthalates, she says. For that reason, Babeland doesn’t even stock those types of toys.
The way that you clean your sex toy often depends on the material that it’s made out of, Cavanah says. Non-porous materials, like silicone, hard plastic, elastomer, metal, or glass, are generally easier to clean, she says. For those, you can wash with a mild, non-irritating soap and water, and don’t have to do any special disinfecting.
After you use a sex toy, you should always clean it before you store it, Cavanah says. “You don’t want body fluids drying on it, and then sitting in a drawer,” she says. And depending where you store your toys, you might want to also rinse them off before you use them. “If your vibrator or dildo is left out or in contact with other objects, it can collect lint, pet hair, or dust, and will benefit from a quick wash before use.”
When you’re washing, be careful about submerging your toys completely in water — unless of course they’re waterproof, Cavanah says. “Waterproof toys can be dropped in a sink of soapy water, but that will damage the motor of others,” she says. If your toy isn’t waterproof, you should hold it under the faucet or just use a cloth to wipe it down, she suggests.
Buying a special spray for your toys might seem like overkill, but it can be really handy to have. Babeland makes one that can be sprayed on and rinsed off, or you could try the Lelo Cleaning Spray, which works the same way. Shibari also makes a toy spray that can be safely used on latex, rubber, and silicone. Cavanah says sprays are convenient to have if you need discretion, are traveling, or don’t like to get out of bed for a while after sex.
You remember the scene from Broad City when Abby put her neighbor’s strap-on in the dishwasher and it melted? That could really happen, so it’s best not to throw a toy in the dishwasher, unless you know it’s dishwasher-safe, Cavanah says. Technically, pyrex toys could probably go on the top rack of a dishwasher and be fine, but other glass toys shouldn’t be exposed to high temperatures, she says. And anything with a motor, like a vibrator, should only be hand-washed, she says.
