How To Clean Sex Toys

1. Materials of sex toys
2. How to clean the vibrator
3. How to clean the aircraft cup
4. How to use disinfection
5. Ways to not want to clean sex toy storage
6. How to store sex toys
7. Final Thoughts

Whether you’re playing with them solo, or are sharing them with a partner, sex toys are great tools to have around. They not only relieve any sexual frustrations you might have, but they can also spice up your sex life, and even help boost your confidence.

What many people wouldn’t tell you about sex toys, however, is that in order to maximize your overall experience with them, you will need to keep them clean.

Using toys without cleaning them properly may lead to several health issues, including skin illnesses, and yeast infection.

Making a habit of cleaning your sex toys is not only hygienic, but it can also help extend your toy’s lifespan, allowing you to enjoy their benefits for longer.

Now, cleaning your sex toy might sound like a tedious affair, but once you get used to it, you’ll discover that it’s fairly straightforward, and easy to make a habit out of.

1. What are Sex Toys Made of?

The process of cleaning your sex toy starts with understanding the materials they are made out of. Sex toys can be made from any number of materials, and each of them will have their own unique considerations when keeping them clean.

Here are some of the more common materials used for creating sex toys: 

• ABS – ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a type of plastic that is usually more rigid, with a good balance of durability and versatility. They’re normally used for making harder toys, or casings for sex toys. 

When used normally, ABS can be relatively innate, but when kept in temperatures greater than 60°C or 140°F, its molecular structure will change. This will result in ABS producing highly toxic and carcinogenic fumes. 

That’s why, if you decide to clean or disinfect a toy made completely or partially from ABS, it’s best to keep it away from hot water. 

• TPE – TPE, or thermoplastic elastomers, are a type of material that is a result of mixing certain polymers together, usually plastic and rubber. Unlike ABS, TPE is a more flexible and softer. 

This makes them a great item to simulate skin. Just like ABS, however, TPE is unable to withstand high temperatures, so you should avoid cleaning them with hot water, too. 

• Medical-grade Silicone– Another common material used to manufacture adult toys is silicone. It is a softer, flexible material, but unlike ABS or TPE, it is very durable, especially under high heat. 

Not only that, but silicone is also body safe and non-reactive. This makes them a more popular material, and the safest to work with. The only material they would ever react to is silicone, so using silicone-based products on them, like lube, is a huge no-no.

2. How to Clean a Vibrator

Step 1: Remove Batteries

If you own a battery-operated toy, make sure to take the batteries out before you start cleaning. If your toy is rechargeable, make sure you cover the charging port with tape, so water doesn’t get into it. 

If that isn’t an option, then just make sure not to get the port wet, or if it does get wet, make sure it’s completely dry before you use it.

Step 2: Apply Cleaning Solution

Next step involves applying your cleaning solution. Use a mild detergent, or any commercially available sex toy cleaning solution.

Rub the toy with your hands to lather it up. Apply a bit of water as needed. 

You can use cotton swabs or cotton pads to reach the tighter areas. Avoid using brushes so you don’t damage the more delicate parts of your sex toy.

Step 3: Rinse

Once you’ve cleaned your toy up properly, put it under running water to rinse it off. Make sure there are no soap suds left. 

Step 4: Dry your Toy

Once your toy has been rinsed, use a clean towel or a paper towel and pat it dry. You can also air-dry your toy. 

Make sure your toy is completely dry. Any residual moisture can be a place that can harbor bacterial growth.

Step 5: Proper Storage

Once your sex toy has completely dried, you may now store it. Avoid storing it under direct sunlight to avoid damage. We recommend you store it in a pouch if it’s available.

3. How to Clean Masturbator Cups

1. Rinse with clean water

The first thing you’ll need to do when cleaning a masturbator cup is to wash out any bodily fluids left inside after use.

Contrary to what most people think, you don’t actually need to turn the toy inside out to do this. Doing so will only damage your toy.

Instead, simply spread the opening wide and let running water, like under the faucet, run through it, and flush any fluids and debris out.

2. Use Mild Detergent

Next, apply a cleaning solution, or if that’s not available, any mild detergent into your toy’s opening. Avoid using strong detergents, since they can damage your masturbator.

Once you’ve applied your cleaning solution or detergent, use your fingers to lather your toy up. Make sure your thoroughly wash the insides of your masturbator.

3. Rinse and Wipe

After lathering up your masturbator, run it under the tap again and flush out the soap thoroughly.

Once the soap suds are completely washed out, dry your masturbator with a clean towel or paper towel. If you are using a paper towel, make sure to remove any leftover pieces that might have broken off.

4. Spray with Disinfectant

Once your masturbator is dry, you can also apply disinfectant to it, if you want. If you have a commercial sex toy cleaner, you can simply spray if over your toy. 

If you have a mild sanitizer, you can just apply it to a cotton pad and pat it over your sex toy. 

This stage is entirely optional but will help keep your toy from harboring any bacteria. 

5. Proper Storage

Once your toy has been completely dry, you can now store it. Keep it in a cool, well-ventilated, and dark place to help extend its lifespan. If you have a bag or pouch to keep it in, even better. 

If your toy uses batteries, it’s also a good idea to take them out before you store it.

4. Disinfection

Washing your toy with good old water and soap is more than enough to keep everything hygienic. Of course, no matter how thoroughly you clean your toy, some toys, especially those made from porous materials, will still harbor microbes regardless.

This is where disinfectants come in handy. There are commercially available sex toy cleaners out there, which you can apply to your toy by spraying it.

If you don’t have that, you can use mild sanitizers instead. You can also use alcohol, but it can damage your toy, so make sure to wipe the alcohol off after letting it sit for a few minutes.

How to use sex toy disinfectants

Commercial sex toy disinfectants are fairly straightforward to use. Simply spray them on your toy and let the solution sit for about 2-3 minutes.

Once the solution has dried, you can apply it again as many times as you want, or you can just store it as normal. 

5. Alternative to Cleaning Your Sex Toy

Cleaning your toy is pretty much necessary if you want to avoid infections or keep things hygienic. However, there are times when cleaning your toy immediately after use isn’t possible. 

As an alternative, you can simply wear a condom over your toy before use, or if you’re using a masturbator cup, wear the condom yourself. 

This will prevent your bare skin from touching the unclean toy until you get the chance to clean it properly.

6. Proper Storage

Although storing your toy directly into a drawer works fine, it might not always be optimal. Dust and other debris might stick to your newly cleaned toy, which can render your cleaning useless. 

This is especially problematic if your toy produces a lot of static, like if it were made of silicone. Static can attract loose debris and dust, turning your toy into a breeding ground for bacteria. 

A good way to prevent your toy from gathering dust is by storing it in a bag. A satin or silk pouch can work here, but a plastic container or Ziploc bag will do well enough. 

Of course, if you still have the toy’s original packaging, you can store it inside there, too. 

7. Final Thoughts

Sex toys are very intimate items, given that they touch you in your private areas. That said, this also makes them very effective vectors for diseases and infection. 

Lucky for you, preventing such things is fairly easy, provided you maintain your sex toys properly. 

Cleaning your sex toys immediately after use not only keeps everything hygienic but can also improve your toy’s lifespan. Of course, certain materials degrade at different rates, but proper maintenance and storage can certainly slow things down.