Sex Toys Hygiene: How To Clean Your Sex Toys

Sex Toys Hygiene: How To Clean Your Sex Toys

Written by: WritingLove45

 

After using your sex toys, whether you are doing it with a partner or just having some alone time the last thing you want to do is fall asleep. Generally speaking, people just want to take some rest after a session with the toys especially when that post-climax euphoria starts to kick in.

However, I'm here to tell you that the first thing you want to do with the sex toys after it is done being used is to clean them. By cleaning them, I mean putting that sex toy through a proper cleaning session and not just rinsing them.

I know cleaning sex toys can be a hassle especially after the fact that you have gone through an amazing session (solo or with a partner). However, poor sex toy hygiene will allow bacteria to linger and using a dirty sex toy may potentially cause infection.

With that being said, in this article, we will be taking a look into:

1. The importance of cleaning a sex toy.

2. The proper way to clean sex toys based on what it is made off.

3. The proper way to store sex toys.

Why Is It Important To Clean Your Sex Toys?

 

Generally speaking, you should make it a habit to always clean your sex toys after it is being used. As mentioned earlier in this article bacteria can build up when your sex toys are not being cleaned regularly.

Cleaning sex toys are especially important when you are using them with your partners and even more important if you are using them with non-exclusive partners.

Although you may be thinking right now that you only use your sex toys exclusively for yourself so it is less likely to cause infection. Making such assumption can be costly as bacteria still do build up and it will still cause infection.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's take a look at some of the negative effects that may occur from having poor sex toy hygiene.

 

1.STI (Sexual Transmitted Infection)

Sex toys are not exclusively used alone and if you are sexually active especially when those sexual encounters involve non-exclusive partners then there is a higher chance of contracting STI. Although STI is more well known to be contracted through intercourse and oral but you can also fall victim to STI through sex toys.

By not cleaning them properly after you are done sharing them with your partner there is a chance that you may get HPV (Human Papillomavirus). HPV is the most common STI and it is usually harmless.

 

However, there is a small chance that HPV may lead to something that is more serious. Depending on the type of HPV it can lead to cancer, warts, gonorrhea, and other bacterial infections.

So, always remember to thoroughly clean your shared toys after using them. As you never know, you may get unlucky be one of the unlucky ones who contracted cancer from using a dirty toy.

2.Yeast Infection

Bad sex toy hygiene may also lead to yeast infection. Yeast infection would cause inflammation, serious itchiness and odor. Yeast infection is more likely to occur especially when you are using your toys in both holes and switching between them.

 

Although yeast infection is a common infection, it may also lead to more serious complications when left untreated. On rare occasions, a yeast infection may lead to systemic candidiasis which is a very serious type of infection.

Systemic candidiasis is an infection that can spread throughout the body through the bloodstream. The infection would then affect different parts of the body such as the brain, eyes, bones, etc.

This type of infection is especially dangerous for women with weak immune systems.

3.Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial Vaginosis is a type of inflammation. Typical bacterial vaginosis occurs to women who are going through their reproductive years but it can also occur to women of all ages.

The 2 main causes of bacterial vaginosis are:

1. Women who does not practice safe sex despite being sexually out there.

2. Women who regularly wash out the insides of their vagina.

However, the cause of bacterial vaginosis is not limited to the 2 that are mentioned above. If you do not clean your sex toys thoroughly after using it can also cause bacterial vaginosis to take place. So keep your toys clean even if you don't feel like it.

Cleaning Your Sex Toys The Proper Way

Typically you can clean a sex toy with soap and water. However, not all sex toys are meant to be clean with soap and water due to the fact that not every sex toy is made from the same material.

Depending on the material of the sex toy, there are different ways to clean them. Plus, whenever you buy a sex toy there should be instructions on how to clean them.

 

So, do read the instructions carefully before cleaning them. However, if you somehow threw away the instructions and are now unsure about how to clean them.

Here is a guideline that may help with cleaning them.

1.What Materials Are They Made Off?

Before looking to clean your toys, the first thing you must do is figure out what materials your toys are made off. Generally, the materials used to make sex toys can be divided into 2 broad categories:

1. Porous

2. Non-Porous

Porous materials are materials that have tiny openings. Some examples of porous materials that are commonly used to make sex toys are hard plastic ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC), different types of rubber materials (Thermoplastic rubber, Jelly Rubber, Latex, Etc) and Cyberskin.

Non-porous materials are the opposite of porous materials as non-porous materials do not have any tiny openings. Some examples of non-porous materials that are commonly used hard plastic (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS), silicone, pyrex, glass, metals (stainless steel, gold), etc.

Note that: When choosing to buy hard plastic sex toys, not all hard plastic sex toys are porous or the other way around. It all depends on the type of plastic that is being used, so be sure to do your research on the plastic that is being used.

Additional Tips:

1.  - Generally, you want to avoid buying sex toys that are made of porous materials as the tiny openings can harbor bacteria as fluids or lubricants can enter the tiny openings. Cleaning them with soap and water won't wash the bacteria away as the bacteria is inside the toy.

2. - Just like food sex toys are also approved by the FDA, sex toys that are approved by the FDA are usually safe and are excellent in quality. To know if a sex toy is regulated by the FDA you want to look for the term ''medical-grade'' before purchasing them. 

2.How To Clean Your Sex Toys?

So, after finding out the materials that are used to make your sex toys you want to clean them accordingly to avoid spoiling them and prevent bacteria from growing.

1.Motorized Non-Porous Materials

With motorized non-porous materials you want to be extra careful when cleaning them. You don't want to just simply wash them down as it may get spoiled and you may require to buy a new one.

So with motorized materials, you want to wipe them down with a washcloth. Use mild antibacterial soap and warm water to wipe them down then dry them out with a clean towel.

2.Non-Porous Materials (Non-Motorized)

With non-porous (Non-motorized) materials, you can just wash them down with mild antibacterial soap. For additional precaution, you can also sterilize them with hot water (place them in boiling water for 8 - 10 minutes).

Take note that, not all materials are suitable to be placed in hot water to be sterilize as some materials are sensitive to heat. So, placing them in hot water may cause its shape to deform. Some examples of materials that are sensitive to heat are rubber and glass materials.

Additionally, with materials like Cyberskin which have a skin-like texture, you want to avoid using too much soap as it may deteriorate its skin-like texture.

3.Porous Materials

Porous materials are impossible to clean due the fact that the bacteria would enter into the toy through the tiny openings. So, even if you wash them with soap only the surface would be clean but the bacteria is still thriving inside the toy.

So, instead of cleaning them, you can take preventive measures and stop bacteria from entering the sex toy. You are able to prevent bacteria from entering by using condoms but ensure that the condoms are water-based.

Storing Your Sex Toys The Right Way

Aside from cleaning your sex toys, you also want to store them properly so that they stay clean. As bacteria are found everywhere and you don't want to just lay your toys around.

Instead, store them in the case/bag that came with the purchase. If the purchase did not come with a case/bag then you can simply use any bag or casing that is sealable to prevent any dust or dirt from entering. Preferably you want to keep your toys in something that is washable, that way you can occasionally wash them too.

After keeping them you can store them wherever you want or anywhere you find convenient.

(Note: Do not store them near any oil, powder or perfumes which may damage your toys and cause inflammation to your skin)