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Whether you’re enjoying solo pleasure or playing with a partner, you’ll eventually need to know how to clean your sex toys. Much like your dishes, laundry, and other life essentials that get daily use, your favorite nether region accessories also need to be kept clean.
“The two most common misconceptions when it comes to cleaning sex toys are that leaving a toy in fresh air will kill off all possible pathogens, and that the toys themselves are not affected by the pathogens they carry,” says Dr. Alexandra Stockwell, a relationship and intimacy expert, who has consulted with numerous sex toy brands and brick-and-mortar stores in the past.
Stockwell tells Rolling Stone that dirty sex toys “can carry and transmit sexually transmitted infections (STIs) [as well as] bacteria and other pathogens which lead to vaginosis, yeast infections, and urinary tract infections.” This can also be the case when sex toys are shared during the same sexual experience she says, which is why it’s also important to clean your vibrators and other intimate accouterments in between uses.
How to Clean Your Sex Toys
“A good rule of thumb is to use cleaning methods and ingredients that are used to clean cutlery — both cutlery and sex toys enter our bodies, so it’s important to avoid toxic substances,” notes Stockwell.
In addition to washing your toys (including any battery-powered items) with water and non-toxic soap, make sure you thoroughly dry your piece by wiping it with a clean cloth or allowing it to air dry.
For those in relationships, Stockwell recommends adding sex toy cleaning as part of your post-play ritual. “If one partner is the one to always clean the sex toys, it unconsciously makes that person more responsible for the couple’s sex life. I recommend couples switch it up or make it a fun thing to do together — it’s likely to lead to some good laughs and deepened intimacy.”
What Are the Best Sex Toy Cleaning Products?
The best cleaners for sex toys can help your playthings last longer by preventing damage and keeping your genitals free of harmful bacteria. Below, check out the best products for cleaning and storing your sex toys.
Lovehoney Fresh Toy Cleaner
$16.99
Buy Now AT LOVEHONEYKeep your pleasure treasures squeaky clean with this streak-free cleaner from the popular adult toy site, Lovehoney. Its vegan-friendly formula is made without alcohol, parabens and sulfates, and it eliminates bacteria while still being safe for your skin. It’s safe for all types of materials (including menstrual cups), and has a very faint citrusy scent that won’t interfere with your senses during sensual play.
Fleshlight Fleshwash Antibacterial Sex Toy Cleaner
$10.39 $12.99 20% off
Buy Now AT LOVEHONEYThis multi-purpose sex toy cleaning spray can be used on materials such as jelly, glass, metal, plastic, silicone and stainless steel, so you can use it to clean any items you’re using in the bedroom (or wherever you’re doing it). This 4 oz. size is suitable for travel if you’re taking your toys on the go.
Lovehoney Fresh Biodegradable Sex Toy Wipes
$8.99
Buy Now AT LOVEHONEYClean yourself — and your toys — with these biodegradable cleansing wipes, which are safe for sensitive skin. They feature a paraben-free formula that contains gentle aloe extract, so you can use them anywhere on your body. This 25-pack comes in a resealable, travel-friendly package to keep your wipes from drying out. This is one of the easiest and most popular ways to clean your sex toys in a pinch.
Lovehoney Super Fresh UV Sex Toy Cleaning Pouch
$69.99
Buy Now AT LOVEHONEYThis UV cleaning pouch is specially-sized for your sex toys, and uses UV light and a USB connection to keep things safe and sanitized. Simply pop your toy inside the bag, plug in the USB cable and press the button on the front to start. Lovehoney says you’ll have a “freshly sanitized toy” in just three minutes. What we like: the minimalist build and leather-looking material keeps the bag as discreet on the outside as what you’re keeping inside it.
PhoneSoap XL UV Light Sanitizer
$199.95
Buy Now On AmazonIf you’re looking to go the extra mile, HomeSoap’s UV sanitizer can blast away 99.9% of bacteria on your sex toys in just 10 minutes. The mini locker-style unit is equipped with a UVC-light and has automatic and manual cleaning modes. The sanitizing bay measures just over 9 x 13 inches so it can hold your vibrator and other intimacy devices while also letting you sanitize portable tablets, phones, remote controls and other small belongings. There are also two built-in USB ports so you can charge your devices (sex-related or otherwise).
CLEAN SKIN CLUB Sensitive Skin Clean Towels
$17.99
Buy Now On AmazonIf you’re using the old-fashioned washing method (think using dish soap or disinfectant soap), these disposable towels will quickly dry off your naughty accouterments after cleaning. The single-use towels have a smooth side for drying and a textured side to get into every crevice (of your sex toy or otherwise). These towels are suitable for use on the skin too, infused with aloe and glycerin to help soothe your most sensitive parts.
Blush Safe Sex Adult Toy Storage Bag
$7.99 $8.99 11% off
Buy Now On AmazonOnce your goods are clean and dry, stow them away in this antibacterial drawstring bag to keep them dust-free and discreet. It can hold toys up to ten inches long, and the bag “contains ultra-fine silver crystals that release silver ions at a controlled rate but only when conditions for germ growth exist,” according to Blush Novelties.
Worth noting: if actually cleaning the toy is not an option or you simply don’t have the time, “depending on the toy, a condom can be used,” Stockwell explains, adding that “a fresh condom should be used each time the toy is used by a different person.”
SHOP BEST NEW CONDOMS ONLINEYou’ll also need to consider the device’s material as you’re cleaning. Porous or plastic materials may “begin to degrade when the sex toy is exposed to bodily secretions and potential pathogens for an extended period,” says Stockwell. “It’s not likely to be a concern with silicone, steel, or stone. Importantly, most modern sex toys are made from multiple materials so it is important to read the package insert and follow the instructions.”
Depending on your accessory’s material and if there are no electronic components, “boiling in hot water is a great idea if the material the sex toy is made from can withstand the temperature,” adds Stockwell. She also suggests storing your toy in a pouch or another container to protect it from dust, light, and buildup of mold and mildew.
