Dirty toys are no fun. Keep your playtime hygienic and extend the life of your

toys. Read on for all the juicy details!

Sex toys  can bring so much joy, pleasure, and satisfaction into our lives. Clearly, we at Todd Couples Superstores in Tampa and Port Richey are huge advocates of bringing toys into your life!

 

But, it’s crucial to know how to properly clean them since they come into direct contact with bodily fluids. Don’t worry, though! Cleaning your sex toys is super easy and doesn’t have to be a hassle. Neglecting to do so can have some serious consequences, but with the right knowledge and cleaning methods, you can keep your toys in tip-top shape and ready for another round of amazing pleasure.

Oh, we know how easy it is to just throw our favorite vibrator back into the bedside drawer as you revel in the aftershocks of a toe-curling good time. No judgment here! No one likes putting their toys away after the fun is done. But skipping the toy care steps after getting off can end up being a total buzzkill for your sexual health.

 

Imagine putting your dishes back into the cupboards after dinner because you can’t be bothered washing them. Would you really put food on them again and eat off of them the next day? Ew. No, no you wouldn’t. Because who wants to put something into their bodies that’s been sitting around as a breeding ground for any softs of bacteria and other gross pathogens, like fungi?

 

Well sex toys are also something we often insert into our bodies, and like anything we put in contact with our bodily fluids or internal tissues, be it cutlery, contact lenses, or g-spot vibrators, we want to make sure they’re squeaky clean. Otherwise, bacteria and pathogens can easily cause infections. And no one wants to hear the word “infection” when talking about their privates!

Proper cleaning is also essential in preventing bacterial infections and the transmission of STIs. Some STIs can even survive outside of the body for weeks or even months, like hepatitis and scabies. 

 

Not trying to get pregnant? Then it’s super important to make sure your sex toys are clean before using them near or inside your vagina. No, seriously! If there’s any sperm hanging around on your toy, it could potentially lead to an unexpected surprise. (Somehow we doubt people are going to believe your “my sex toy got me pregnant” story…)

 

Finally, it’s worth stressing that ALL sex toys and gadgets should be cleaned often and thoroughly, not just the insertables! Your cuffs, swings, or ball-gags are likely to come in contact with fluids of one form or another and can also grow bacteria!!

 

Don’t stress though, a little TLC for your toys goes a long way in ensuring a healthy and happy sex life.

 

Here’s a few tips from our Sexperts at the Todd on how to properly care for, clean, and store your favorite sex toys so you can continue enjoying them worry-free.

 

Sex Toy Cleaning Guide

Best practices on cleaning your sex toys vary depending on what the toys are made of. Whenever you buy a new toy, be sure to read the box or instructions for the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning methods! But, if you’ve long since thrown out the box, read on:

 

STEEL

Stainless steel toys attached to electrical devices should be cleaned with warm, soapy water, but if there are no electrical components, you can boil them or soak them in a 10% bleach-water solution for 10 minutes, or even put them in the dishwasher. 

 

GLASS

Glass toys can be washed with soap and water, and Pyrex toys are even dishwasher safe! 

 

PLASTIC

Hard plastic toys can be cleaned with antibacterial soap and water, but they should not be boiled. 

 

SILICONE

When it comes to silicone toys, you have a few different options: you can boil them for 5-10 minutes, put them in the dishwasher (on the top rack), or wash them with anti-bacterial soap and warm water. Just be sure not to boil silicone vibrators, as you could damage the vibrator mechanism.

 

RUBBER

Rubber materials are porous and difficult to clean, so it’s recommended to use condoms with these types of toys. 

 

CYBERSKIN & VINYL: Cyberskin and vinyl toys should be washed delicately with warm water only, and then air dried and powdered with a small amount of cornstarch to keep them from getting sticky. 

 

LEATHER

Leather products should be wiped with a damp, soapy cloth or leather cleaner. Be sure not to soak leather, and after cleaning, you can even recondition it with a leather conditioner. A good trick to protect metal parts from tarnish? Apply a coating of clear nail polish!

 

Storing Your Sex Toys

Sex toys are something you’ll likely want to keep handy, but also discreet. And, since you’ve gone through all the trouble of cleaning your sex toy before putting it away –and you have, right? Right?– you want to make sure it’s stored in a clean place where it won’t gather dust and bacteria and need to be cleaned again before use. 

Read on for some of our Sexperts’ favorite storage methods:

 

1. ORIGINAL PACKAGING – Many sex toys come with a box, bag, or travel packaging for easy storage. Don’t throw it away! This way each toy is in a packaging designed specifically to fit it, and even if you put all the bags and boxes into a bin or drawer together, they’ll remain individually wrapped.

 

1. PLASTIC BINS – Plastic storage bins are a great way to store your toys. You can organize by material or category and easily stack the bins for convenience. Just make sure the bins are kept clean and if you store multiple toys in a single bin, that the toys are not touching. 

 

1. DECORATIVE BOXES – A great alternative to bins that allows you to keep toys nearby and discreet!

 

1. ROLLING UNDERBED BINS – These keep your toys conveniently handy and the clear tops also make it easy to find any specific toy.

 

1. LOCKING STORAGE CHEST – A great idea to keep your toys away from unwanted eyes or hands –like children, for example!

 

How Often To Clean Your Sex Toys

Ideally? Before and after each use. That may sound like a lot, but think about how sensitive our private areas are. Any sort of infection or irritation down there can really suck.

 

At the very least, sex toys should be cleaned as soon as feasible after each use. 

 

Storage containers should be wiped, cleaned, or replaced periodically to avoid gathering dust or lint. 

 

Again, anything that gets on your toys is likely to go into your mouth, your vag, or your anus. And do you really want days-old dried fluids and pet lint or whatever to go into your body? … Just no. 

 

Whether you’re a sex toy cleaning newbie or a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to learn when it comes to keeping your toys fresh, clean, and ready to go for your next adventure!