By Elizabeth Enochs

Updated: June 22, 2022

We can’t say enough good things about sex toys. They’re great for solo pleasure, they can be a stimulating addition to partnered sex, and in general they help you explore different sensations and learn what feels good to you. But if you’re going to use dildos, vibrators, plugs and the like, whether it’s during masturbation or sex, it’s imperative that you learn how to properly clean them.

Failing to properly clean sex toys both before and after using them can result in bacterial infections like bacterial vaginosis, UTIs and yeast infections. If you use sex toys with a partner(s), not cleaning them before and after use can also spread STIs and STDs.

Follow the tips below on how to properly clean your sex toys — and keep you and any partners infection free.

1. Know What Material Your Sex Toy Is Made Of

Knowing how to clean your sex toy depends largely on what the toy is made of. You can figure this out by checking the box or the manual it came with, or by looking up your toy online.

If your sex toy looks and feels like real skin, then it’s probably made of cyberskin. Since cyberskin (also called “softskin” or “ultraskin”) is super porous, it’s crucial to use a small amount of mild soap and warm water to clean it. Same goes for other toys made from porous materials, such as jelly rubber or latex. Non-porous sex toys, such as those made from silicone, glass, or hard plastic, are easier to clean because they’re soft and generally not irritating to sensitive skin. With these, you should still use mild soap, but you have the option of subjecting them to higher water temperatures without worrying about the material degrading.

2. Make Sure You’re Using Small Amounts Of Mild Soap To Wash Your Sex Toys

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you need to use a harsh soap to properly clean your sex toys. In fact, some heavy-duty cleansers can damage sex toys that are made out of more sensitive materials like cyberskin. It’s best to stick to fragrance-free, pH-balanced soap to avoid any undue irritation to your vulva, says Megan Stubbs, board-certified sexologist and author of Playing Without a Partner: A Singles Guide to Sex, Dating and Happiness. This is especially important to keep in mind when you’re washing toys made from porous materials.

Consider investing in sex toy cleaning sprays and wipes, which are specifically formulated to clean sex toys without damaging them. Stubbs recommends Goodwipes Down There Wipes, or Doc Johnson antibacterial toy cleaner.

Carol Queen, staff sexologist at Good Vibrations, cautions against using antibacterial soaps containing triclosan: “This can be an irritating material, and it is implicated (since so many wash their hands using these products) in the growth of ‘super-bugs’,” she says.

3. Check the Label Before Submerging Any Sex Toy That’s Motorized

If your sex toy vibrates — whether that means you’re working with a battery-powered situation or your toy actually has a power cord of some sort — double check the label before you dunk it in water to keep from breaking it. Depending on the toy, you might be able to remove the battery or motorized part and then submerge the rest. According to Stubbs, if it says “waterproof,” you should be fine; if you see “splash proof” on the label then definitely don’t keep it underwater. Instead, clean these toys with a dab of mild soap and a damp cloth, or use a spray or a wipe.

4. Submerge Non-Motorized, Durable Sex Toys In Boiling Water

If your sex toy is made from a durable, non-porous material (like silicone, pyrex or stainless steel) and it’s not motorized, then you should be submerging it in water to properly clean it — in fact, letting your toy sit in boiling water for a few minutes is your best bet for a deep clean.

You can also run your sex toys through the dishwasher to sanitize them, but make sure to pay attention to any cleaning instructions regarding water temperature (and be sure you don’t load your machine up with detergent first). Queen doesn’t recommend submerging natural stone-based toys in boiling water, however, in case the toy contains any fissures.

5. Always Use Clean Towels To Dry Off Your Sex Toys After Washing Them

It’s key that you use either a super clean hand towel or a fresh paper towel to dry off your sex toys. Don’t think it’s ever safe to use the dingy hand towel hanging in your bathroom, either: Unless you live alone and never have guests over, or you wash your bath towels daily, then that towel’s almost definitely holding some bacteria hostage.

Also make sure to dry your toys completely before storing them. Regardless of how sanitary your sex toy storage space is, even slightly damp sex toys are susceptible to mold and mildew growth. Not only will fungus likely ruin your them, it’s obviously not something you want to rub on or inside of yourself.

6. Wash Your Sex Toys Before & After You Use Them

It may sound like a hassle to wash your sex toys before and after you use them, especially if you’re in the middle of something sexy and fun. But if you assume your sex toy is safe to use in the morning just because you washed it the night before, you could end up putting yourself at risk for infections. After you clean it with soap, be sure to thoroughly rinse it to avoid irritation, Queen says.

Stubbs notes that you should also wash your toys right when you take them out of the package. “Even though they’re new toys, the factories they came from aren’t clean rooms,” she says.

Storing your sex toys in their own sanitized case or bag directly after washing them will help keep them hygienic, but it’s still a good idea to wash your toys both before and after you use them: It’ll only take a minute, and knowing you’re protected from infection means you can fully focus on pleasure.

Sources:

Megan Stubbs, board-certified sexologist, author of Playing Without a Partner: A Singles Guide to Sex, Dating and Happiness

By TEAM

July 5, 2022

• After having sex, a whole-body shower is unnecessary, but some areas may need to be washed with water depending on the type of sex you’ve had.
• Peeing after sex is recommended for both women and men to avoid infections like a UTI.
• It’s also crucial to thoroughly clean sex toys after every use and make sure they’re completely dry before storing them in a dedicated pouch.
• This article was medically reviewed by Rosara Torrisi, LCSW, CST, MSSW, MEd, PhD, certified sex therapist at the Long Island Institute of Sex Therapy. 

Sex isn’t usually as glamorous as it appears in the movies. It can get messy with all the sweat, saliva, and bodily fluids involved, so you may feel the need to wash up after. 

To avoid sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and remain as healthy as possible, there are certain sexual hygiene practices to keep in mind. 

From urinating after sex to cleaning sex toys, here’s what you should know about good sexual hygiene.

Should you clean up after sex?

There is no research outlining the benefits of washing the body after sex, according to Leah S. Millheiser, MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, and clinical assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. 

If you have the desire to clean up for hygienic purposes, rinsing the genital area with water will suffice. Use a mild, unscented soap but take care not to get soap on the inner labia or head of the penis. Water alone should be fine for those areas.

Moreover, cleaning with special products, like vaginal douches and feminine sprays, may only end up irritating your genitals. “I do not recommend douching after sex. It can increase the risk of infection,” Millheiser says.

Vaginal douching disrupts the natural balance of the vagina, which can cause bacterial vaginosis and increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Cleaning out the anus with water will suffice, though some water has high chlorine levels or other minerals that might not be great for some people. 

The best rule of thumb is to keep it simple.

Urinating after sex to avoid a UTI

One pro-tip, peeing after sex or any genital stimulation (even by hands or toys), is sound advice. Vaginal intercourse is one of the many risk factors for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

If you have a vagina, you should consider urinating “immediately before and immediately after sex,” says Millheiser. The short distance between the openings of the urethra and the anus makes it easier for bacteria to reach the urinary opening. Urinating before and after sex will help flush the bacteria from the urethra, significantly reducing the risk of getting a UTI.

For those with a penis, peeing after sex is also advised, especially after anal penetration. 

There’s no exact time for urinating after sex, but the earlier you pee, the better. It’s okay to relax and drink water first if you don’t feel the urge yet, but don’t let hours pass before going to the bathroom.

To further minimize the chances of getting UTIs as well as yeast infections, Millheiser recommends the following:

• Ensure that sex toys are clean before use. Seriously, do this. The majority of people do not and it causes all sorts of infections. 
• Don’t switch from anal to vaginal intercourse without changing the condom, or cleaning the penis or sex toy with mild soap and water beforehand. Better yet, never use the same toy for anal play that you would use for vaginal or oral play. 
• Don’t switch from analingus to vaginal play. 
• If prone to frequent UTIs after sexual play, clean the vaginal and anal area with water before sex to eliminate as much bacteria as possible. 
• Change to a dry and breathable pair of underwear throughout the day, especially if experiencing heavier vaginal discharge than average.
• Don’t sit around in wet clothing such as workout clothes or bathing suits.
• If you are still experiencing frequent UTIs after sexual play, contact a medical provider to discuss medication management or supplements that might be useful for you. 

Stay hydrated for performance and stamina

Dehydration is a serious condition and it can affect your sex life in many ways. Not only is it linked to erectile dysfunction, but it may also lead to vaginal dryness. 

Genital skin can experience dehydration too, which may cause itchiness and painful sex. So, to preserve the vagina’s natural lubrication, stay hydrated. Drinking enough water may also enhance physical and cognitive performance because it prevents fatigue and increases alertness. 

Clean sex toys to avoid STIs

No matter if you’re going solo or having sex with a partner, it is crucial to thoroughly clean sex toys after every use. If you use a dirty sex toy, you’re at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection, says Millheiser.

If you want to be absolutely safe, you can also clean them before sex. How you clean a sex toy depends on the material that it’s made of, so follow the instructions indicated on the packaging. Here are some general tips for keeping sex toys clean:

• Submerge waterproof silicone sex toys without vibrators or mechanics in boiling water, then wash with a mild soap. 
• Soak waterproof plastic, glass, metal, cyberskin, and rubber sex toys in warm, soapy water.
• Wipe battery-operated or leather sex toys clean with a warm, damp, and soapy cloth.
• If sharing sex toys in the same session, put a condom on it during each use. In general, do not swap sex toys between partners unless they can be completely sanitized (such as high-quality glass or metal)
• Regularly check sex toys for any tears in the material where germs can hide, consider not using toys with small indents or space between ridges.
• Wash your toys more than once between uses to truly ensure no bacteria are hiding in the porous materials. 
• Use high-quality glass or metal toys that are completely non-porous. 

Ensure that the toy is completely dry before storing, otherwise, the moisture will provide an environment for bacteria to grow. Store each toy in a dedicated pouch and don’t let them come in contact with each other, dirt, or lint.

Good sexual hygiene keeps you healthy and prevents infections from spreading. An elaborate post-sex clean-up routine is not needed when simple practices like washing genitals and anuses with water, staying hydrated and urinating after sex are already sufficient. As long as you keep your hands, bodies, and sex toys clean at all times, you’ll be in good shape.

July 03, 2021

Question: Have you been taking advantage of your vibrator recently? Because I know a lot of pleasure-seekers who fell hard for a sex toy (or three) this year, but, as is the case with any relationship, pleasure tools can be taken for granted. For example, the other day I realized that I charge all my vibrators on my filthy floor immediately before using them. Gross, right? It made me wonder: What other sex toy hygiene mistakes do people commonly make?

We all get lazy sometimes—my self-sanitizing vibrator is proof of that—but that’s no reason to stop prioritizing your sexual health. It’s why below, Taylor Sparks, sex educator and founder of online intimacy shop Organic Loven, shares what you should and shouldn’t do to make sure your sex toy hygiene routine is as clean as possible.

4 common sex toy hygiene mistakes to avoid making, according to a sex educator

1. Using chemical-based toy cleaners

The entire point of cleaning your sex toys properly is to make sure your body is continuously treated like royalty, even after orgasm. For Sparks, that means avoiding chemical and antibacterial-based toy cleaners, especially those that have the anti-microbial triclosan. “It’s an antibacterial chemical that may leave a film on your toys, which can then be absorbed into your bloodstream through your vagina or anus,” says Sparks. “Triclosan has been linked to liver toxicity and thyroid disruption, even in low levels.”

Instead, she recommends seeking out sex-toy cleaners that contain all-natural and/or organic ingredients—not just “some” organic ingredients. One recommendation is the Intimate Earth Green Foaming Toy Cleaner ($15), a foaming cleanser with natural antibacterial properties that are gentle on toys yet provide a powerful clean. And for covertly lazy folks, she recommends Sensuva Think Clean Thoughts Toy Cleaner ($8), a quick antibacterial spray that cleans toys without mess. And if you have a large collection of toys (ahem) and cash to burn, you might want to invest in a sanitizer called Uvee ($200). “It’s a UVC light system that can kill up to 99 percent of all germs in 10 minutes,” Sparks adds.

2. Storing toys together, without protection

According to Sparks, some non-medical-grade silicone toys may stick to each other, and porous toys can cross-contaminate each other. Luckily, you can avoid that by keeping everything separate.

“Most toys come with their own cloth bags so that you can store them individually,” says Sparks. “You can always invest in a lockable toy case or a lockable toy bag and put them in their individual bags and then add them to the larger toy storage case or bag.”

3. Using your toys straight out of the box

Even fresh toys can have weird stuff on them, folks. “Toys may contain chemicals on their surface from the packaging they are stored in,” says Sparks. “Always wash the toys with a chemical-free, organic, and natural wash before using it for the first time.”

4. Sharing toys with partners unsafely

“Even though bacterial vaginosis is not a sexually transmitted disease, sometimes the bacteria in one’s mouth or vagina doesn’t mix with the bacteria of another and can trigger vaginosis,” says Sparks, who notes that this spread can happen via sex toys. Likewise, sex toys can transmit STIs. For example, take one super-small 2014 study, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases, which had participants with human papillomavirus (HPV) insert a toy vaginally and then compared the results between toys made from silicone versus thermoplastic elastomer (a jelly-esque porous material). Even after cleaning both toys, 56 percent of the thermoplastic toys and 44 percent of the silicone toys had traces of HPV on them.

So, even though that study was small, suffice it to say, it’s best practice to use the same care standards with penetrative toys as you would with your own genitals. “When sharing toys, use a new condom between each exchange,” Sparks says. “Wash toys before and after each use.”

Gratifyer Team UK

july 06, 2022·2 min read

More of us than ever before are enjoying self-pleasure since the coronavirus pandemic.

The study found that 39% of people who had never used sex toys before the pandemic are doing so now.

But experts say we have to make sure we are cleaning objects used during sex to avoid the risk of infection.

Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy told condoms.uk: “We are all too well aware of the need for good hygiene in the current throes of the Covid pandemic. Good hygiene is also paramount in terms of putting objects inside the vagina. Bacteria such as salmonella, shigella, E. Coli, and campylobacter can all be spread via the use of sex toys, as can hepatitis A, B and C, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea”.

Her advice is to always wash your sex toys after each and every use, before you use them again:

• Wash any sex toys in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds, as you would when washing your hands.
• Silicone toys without electrical parts can be boiled for 1-3 minutes, rinsed and left to dry.
• You can purchase special cleaners for sex toys but be careful to choose products that do not contain alcohol or parabens.
• Dry the object with a paper towel and throw this away.
• Keep the sex toy in a clean bag, ready for further use.
• Do not put sex toys in the dishwasher! For a start, anything with electrical components will be ruined, plus the dishwasher leaves a residue that is not meant to end up inside the vagina.

Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy told condoms.uk: “We are all too well aware of the need for good hygiene in the current throes of the Covid pandemic. Good hygiene is also paramount in terms of putting objects inside the vagina. Bacteria such as salmonella, shigella, E. Coli, and campylobacter can all be spread via the use of sex toys, as can hepatitis A, B and C, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea”.

Her advice is to always wash your sex toys after each and every use, before you use them again:

• Wash any sex toys in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds, as you would when washing your hands.
• Silicone toys without electrical parts can be boiled for 1-3 minutes, rinsed and left to dry.
• You can purchase special cleaners for sex toys but be careful to choose products that do not contain alcohol or parabens.
• Dry the object with a paper towel and throw this away.
• Keep the sex toy in a clean bag, ready for further use.
• Do not put sex toys in the dishwasher! For a start, anything with electrical components will be ruined, plus the dishwasher leaves a
• residue that is not meant to end up inside the vagina.

Like doing laundry and loading the dishwasher correctly, cleaning sex toys is a necessary skill to learn, and one that most could stand to exercise more often. After all, the devices get extra-intimate with the genital region (an area definitely worth keeping clean), and many mistakes can be made in the process of sanitizing them. Since these mistakes can lead to a decidedly yeasty ordeal, it’s important to make sure you’re clear on the best methods to go about it. And that begins with truly committing to cleaning your sex toys.

“You should clean your sex toy after each use to prevent bacteria from collecting,” says Rebecca Alvarez Story, sexologist and founder of Bloomi. “Sex toys made with 100 percent medical grade silicone, stainless steel, or glass can be washed with hot water and mild, unscented soap. It’s best to let them air dry on a clean surface and then store them in a waterproof bag or clean nightstand counter. Remember to wash your toy before and after each use.”

But those rules are just basic 101-level components to commit to memory when it comes to cleaning sex toys. In order to extend their lifetime, prevent damage, and keep your genitals safe, find what exactly you should keep in mind when cleaning sex toys, and, crucially, the common mistakes to avoid.

Below, 6 mistakes to avoid making when cleaning sex toys

1. Not cleaning your toy when it first arrives

Because maybe you’re thinking, “Oh, well, I don’t need to wash it, it’s totally untouched so it must be safe!” Well, I thought the same thing about a Bart Simpson sweater I bought last February…and then I broke out into full-body hives after wearing it one time. I just thank my lucky stars that sweater only affected my external skin. With a sex toy? So much can’t be guaranteed.

“Just like new underwear, a sex toy should be cleaned thoroughly with mild soap and hot water after you take it out of the packaging and let it air dry on a clean surface,” Story says. “Sex toys are not sterile, so it’s reasonable to expect that they have dust or bacteria, even if brand new.”

2. Not checking whether your toy is waterproof or water-resistant before you clean it

The good news is that many sex toys are waterproof. But, before bringing a toy in the tub with you as a bath-time companion, always confirm that it is safe for submerging.

“If it’s not, there could be openings through which water will leak and cause electrical and battery damage. Make sure to review the product information so you don’t ruin your toy,” says Sadie Allison, PhD, sex educator and co-founder of GoLove CBD lubricant.

3. Not drying your toys off properly

“Not drying off your toy fully before storing could lead to damage issues, so make sure to really wipe it down before placing it back in its respective nook,” says sexologist, CEO of Dame Products CEO, and Well+Good Changemaker Alexandra Fine, who suggests avoiding towels that leave any kind of debris, which could leave irritating particles on the toy.

4. Using scented soaps, household cleaning products, or bleach

“Remember, these toys are presumably going back into contact with either your vagina or anus—both very absorbent parts of your body,” says Fine. “Scents can cause irritation and problems like yeast infections, so avoid just throwing any old household scented soap onto these.”

Dr. Allison adds that using household cleaning products that aren’t meant for sex toys can damage them. “It’s best to stick with warm water and anti-bacterial soap and/or sex-toy cleaners,” she says.

5. Cleaning a porous toy the way you would a hard toy

If you’re dealing with a porous material like jelly, latex, rubber, or realistic-skin material, cleaning it as you would a hard, non-porous sex toy is a bad idea. That’s because porous toys can trap bacteria, so they’re not ideal to play with recklessly. But if you’re really committed to your toy, the best way to play is with protection.

“If you have a porous toy, the safest thing to do is to use a condom on it every time,” says Dr. Allison. “This will keep it clean and you safe.”

6. Throwing it in your musty old goody drawer

That’s because your drawers are a powerful location for allowing bacteria to build up. Furthermore, why hide your pleasure? “I encourage people to leave their favorite sex toys on their nightstand, front and center. It sends a statement that you prioritize pleasure and also serves as a reminder to have sex,” Story says. And if you must keep them in a messy drawer? “Make sure you place your toy in a waterproof wet bag first,” she says.