Cleaning and Caring for Your Sex Toys
We’ve made it clear that masturbation is good for you, whether done manually or with a sex toy. However, when taking advantage of the latter option, it’s vital to care for your products. Think about sex toy maintenance, learning how to better clean your sex toys, and extending the life of your favourite mechanical (or non-mechanical) companions so that they last you for the long haul.
Don’t know where to start? We’ve got everything you need to know right here, including some tips on sex toy safety.
Buy quality products
Your best bet for keeping your toys for years to come is by investing in a quality product. The cliché that you get what you pay for is relevant for a reason.
We recommend hitting up your local sex shop and speaking to one of the knowledgeable workers there. In a sex-positive environment like this, you can safely ask questions and trust that the information you will receive will be accurate. If not from their personal experience, then from the reviews of other workers or customers.
Looking for battery-operated toys? For a certain shape or curve in the material? Be blunt and honest about what you’re seeking out, and then consider your best options. If the store offers it, we also recommend getting an extended warranty on all of your sex toy purchases.
Use the right lubricant
Part of your sex toy maintenance means using the right lubricant with them, to prevent ruining both the interior and exterior of your toys. As a rule of thumb, only opt for water-based lubes with silicone sex toys, as silicone-based lubricants can break down the toy. Water-based lubes are also best for people with sensitive skin or who are prone to vaginal irritation (there’s an interesting vagina fact for you). It also comes out easily from fabrics like clothing and bedsheets without leaving a stain.
However, for toys made of non-silicone materials, a silicone-based lube may be preferable, as it is slipperier and lasts longer than its water-based counterpart.
Clean and sterilize your sex toys
As a rule of thumb, you should wash your sex toys before each use (to make sure there are no bacteria on them) and after you’re done with them (to remove any bodily fluids you’ve gotten on them). This holds especially true if you are sharing them with a partner. After all, who doesn’t want clean sex toys?
While your best option for virtually any toy is a sex toy disinfectant, non-porous sex toys can be cleaned with a cloth in soapy water, while careful not to get any electric parts wet. Toys with no electronics that are entirely waterproof can go in the dishwasher. Once properly cleaned, let your toys dry before putting them away, to ensure that no mould or other bacteria will grow on it.
Store your toys in a safe place
Store all sex toys in cloth or within a cloth bag; most toys come with a dust bag, but you can also purchase them from your local sex shop. Whether they’re non-mechanical, chargeable, or battery-operated toys, it’s best to keep them at room temperature (nowhere too hot or too cold) and in a spot where they won’t get crushed. For example, instead of stashing them under your mattress, put them in a drawer or on the top shelf of your closet.
Know when it’s time to replace them
When your favourite toys have brought you on the fulfilling journey ending in orgasm for bodies with a vagina or orgasm for bodies with a penis (or both), it’s hard to let them go. Even when you wash your sex toys thoroughly before and after each use and store them in an adequate spot, unfortunately, they still will run their course.
Electronic parts will stop working, no longer bringing the same pleasure they once did. Seams will break, and holes, chips, and nicks will emerge on the toy’s surface, allowing for bacteria to linger. Sex toy safety dictates that these are the moments when you should dispose of them.
Fear not — you can purchase a new and improved model from your favourite sex shop!
With so many health benefits of sex (and masturbation) to take advantage of, it will be no surprise that so many people use non-mechanical, plug-in, and battery-operated toys. However, in incorporating these sexual ‘bonuses’ into your life, it’s important to consider sex toy safety, including how to correctly clean your sex toys and proper sex toy maintenance.
Once you’ve mastered these simple steps, you’ll be able to survive a dry spell or have better sex with your partner, feel confident when attending an orgy (play party), or make a long-distance relationship work while taking advantage of a sexy video call.
How do you wash your sex toys? Are there certain sex toy maintenance practices that you bypass completely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
