A sex toy is a handy pleasure product that’s an instant pick-me-up on good days and bad. And without these trusted beauties, who knows what the world would look like!
Seriously! Masturbation, sex, and achieving orgasm is so beneficial for our mental and physical health that we’re pretty lucky to be alive during this glorious age full of sex toys!
And while owning a toy requires just a smidgen of maintenance, there are two things that are pertinent—cleaning and storing them properly. After all, we’d all like to keep our pleasure products in the best condition for the longest time possible, right? Cool!
Everything You Need to Know About Storing and Cleaning Your Sex Toys
First off, become familiar with what material your sex toy is made of in order to follow the correct cleaning and storing instructions...
Different Types of Common Sex Toy Materials
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After this, you’ll have all the advice you’ll ever need down below on how to store and clean your sex toys!
How to Store and Clean TPR, PVC, Jelly, Rubber & Latex Sex Toys
TPR, PVC, jelly, rubber, and latex material is porous, so you’ll definitely want to do a deep clean on a regular basis (i.e. after every use). Why? Its porosity runs the risk of trapping bacteria and forming mildew, which is harmful for the body. We suggest using a condom with a porous sex toy to curr on the side of safety.
You’ll also want to be careful with where you store your TPR sex toys in particular—a cool and dry place—as it has the capacity to melt when in close proximity to heat.
To clean your TPR, PVC, jelly, rubber, and latex sex toys, wash well with unscented antibacterial soap and water. We suggest going to extra lengths to keep it clean by either storing it inside the box it came in, in a sealable casing, or a container that’s enclosed and washable. For an extra boost, you can use PJUR TOY CLEAN 100ML SPRAY for your rubber and latex toys.
When it comes to lubricants, a water-based lubricant is advised for these kinds of sex toys materials.
Also note that when you have more than one sex toy of the same material, such as TPR, PVC, jelly, rubber, or latex, and they are stored together, they may react to each other and get ruined. Hence the importance of keeping each toy individually wrapped and in a cool, dry place.
Additionally, don’t store any toys of these materials in a place where they’re touching silicone toys.
How to Store and Clean Silicone Sex Toys
Silicone is possibly the best material for sex toys, as they’re durable and easy to clean. It’s a non-porous material, so really, it’s up to you (unless otherwise stated) how you’d like to clean it.
The most common cleaning method is with basic unscented soap and water. Give it a thorough clean, then after, use a damp cloth to wipe it down.
If your toy is motorised with some non-silicone parts, be sure to adjust your cleaning method accordingly.
You’ll also want to check the waterproof level (e.g. Splash-proof vs IPX7 Waterproof) of your toy, which will indicate whether you can submerge your toy in water or not during cleaning. Although some motorised toys are better off not fully submerged in water, as there is a chance it could cause corrosion in the battery.
Then when it comes to storing your silicone sex toys, try to keep them seperate from your other pleasure products by placing them inside the original box, an organza pouch, or container. Even though silicone toys can technically be stored together as they won’t melt when near each other, it’s safer to keep them in separate bags or containers.
And lastly, just because your toy is made of silicone, doesn’t mean that it pairs with silicone lube! You should always opt for water-based lubricant with silicone toys to prevent the material from degrading. We love the Peruvian Ginseng Lubricant from Intimate Earth’s Mojo range. You can also try oil-based lubricant like LUVLOOB ARE YOU KEEN - CHOCOLATE NATURAL OIL-BASED FLAVOURED LUBRICANT that is safe to use with silicone toys.
How to Store and Clean ABS Sex Toys
ABS sex toys are quite simple to clean with their non-porous properties… soap and water will do the trick! They’re also compatible with all kinds of lubricants!
Then, in terms of storage, try to keep your ABS sex toys away from extreme heat, as this kind of material is thermoplastic.
Things to note: if your ABS sex toy has a polyurethane coat, don’t use alcohol for cleaning. And if you choose an ABS sex toy that’s coated in metalic paint, it’s highly likely that the paint will chip off with time.
How to Store and Clean Glass Sex Toys
Glass sex toys too are quite easy to clean using soap and water. The difference is, you could take an additional step for peace of mind. That is, you could place it in boiling water for a minimum of five minutes afterwards. This will help sterilise the glass. After, grab a damp cloth to wipe it clean.
Or you could opt for an antibacterial toy cleaner, like WICKED CLEENE - ANTIBACTERIAL TOY CLEANER that’s compatible with all sex toy materials.
If your sex toy is made out of Pyrex glass, you could choose to put it in the dishwasher.
The great thing about glass sex toys, is that you can use any kind of lubricant with them. Our favourite it Uberlube Silicone Lubricant. Glass sex toys also won’t deteriorate over time. Because of this, you could possibly savour your favourite glass sex toy for a lifetime!
Just be careful not to drop it on a hard surface, as it could crack or chip. And for that reason, a nice cushy pouch will be the perfect place to store your glass sex toy.
How to Store and Clean Stainless Steel Sex Toys
We love stainless steel sex toys as they pair beautifully with any kind of lubricant, and they’re easy to clean.
You see, stainless steel is non-porous, which means that it can be cleaned in a number of different ways, including soap and water or simply put into boiling water. When you’re done cleaning your toy, you can use a damp cloth to pat it off.
Or choose to clean your toy with the Intimate Earth Green Tea Tree Oil toy cleaner, which is antibacterial and suitable for all sex toy materials.
Be careful not to use abrasive items to clean your stainless steel sex toys, as they may ruin the integrity of the product.
And for best storage, keep it inside a pouch, box, or container, preferably away from light, heat, and extreme cold.
Helpful tip? Opt for stainless steel sex toys that are medical-grade, as those are of a better quality.
And, just like that, you’ve got yourself a squeaky clean pleasure product that’s ready to go for round two, three, four, so on and so forth, whenever you fancy it! Magic!
Article by:
Helena Lorimer, Sexual Health and Wellness Expert at JOUJOU
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