How to Clean Sex Toys: A Plain Guide to 6 Materials
A clean toy is a safe toy. Knowing how to clean sex toys properly keeps germs away, stops infections passing between partners and makes a good toy last for years. This guide explains how to clean each material, how to store your toys and what to do about sharing.
How to clean sex toys: the basic routine
Clean every toy after each use, and before using it again if it has been stored for a while. For most toys, warm water and a mild, unscented soap are all you need. Wash every surface, rinse well, and let the toy dry completely in the air or pat it dry with a clean, lint-free cloth. A dedicated toy cleaner or cleaning foam or wipe makes this quicker and is gentle on sensitive skin.
Always check the maker’s instructions first. They know their own materials and motors best.
Cleaning by material
How to clean sex toys depends mostly on what they are made of.
Silicone: wash with warm soapy water or a toy cleaner. Solid silicone toys with no motor, such as many silicone dildos and butt plugs, can also be boiled for a few minutes for a deeper clean.
Glass and stainless steel: these do not absorb anything, so they are the easiest to keep hygienic. Wash with soap and water. Steel with no electronics can be boiled. With glass, avoid sudden changes of temperature, which can crack it. See our glass and metal dildos.
Toys with a motor: never boil a vibrator or anything with a battery or charging port. Wipe or wash it with warm soapy water, keep water away from the charging port unless the maker says it is waterproof, and charge it only when it is fully dry.
Jelly, TPE, cyberskin and other soft, porous materials: these have tiny pores that can hold bacteria, so they can never be fully sterilized. Wash gently with warm water and a mild soap or toy cleaner, and dry them thoroughly. Many people use a condom on porous toys to keep them hygienic.
Leather gear: wipe with a damp cloth and a little mild soap or leather cleaner, never soak it, let it dry away from direct heat and condition it now and then. This applies to restraints from our bondage and restraints range as well as leather wear.
Latex clothing: rinse in lukewarm water after wearing, dry it inside and out, and keep it away from oil and direct sunlight. Read more in our latex wear section.
Sharing toys safely
Knowing how to clean sex toys matters even more when you share them. Sharing toys can pass on sexually transmitted infections. If a toy is shared, put a new condom on it for each person, and change the condom when moving between the anus and the vagina or mouth. Clean the toy fully before anyone else uses it. Find a full range in condoms and protection, and see our guide on which lube to use with each material.
Storing your toys
Once you know how to clean sex toys, store them clean and completely dry, in a cool, dark place. Keep them apart, ideally in their own pouch or box, because some materials react when they touch and can become sticky or discolored. Take batteries out of toys you will not use for a while. Our toy storage and care range has pouches and cases made for this.
When to replace a toy
Even if you know how to clean sex toys well, replace any toy that has cracks, tears, a sticky or cloudy surface, or a smell that does not wash out. Damaged surfaces can hold bacteria and can irritate the skin.
Questions about caring for a particular toy? Our support team is happy to help.
Sources
Sexual Medicine Society of North America, “How Can One Use Sex Toys Safely?”: smsna.org
Brown University Health Promotion, sex toy care: brown.edu