8 Ways To Properly Clean Your Dildos, Hassle-Free

Remember when your parents made you tidy and clean your toys as a kid? Well it’s the concept is the same, if you own sex toys, you should know how to clean them. They deserve the same care and attention you gave your pretty little dolls back then. Whether you use them by yourself when masturbating, or during sex with your partner, they need to be properly cleaned to kill germs. Given that some sex toys have splits and crevices, others are motorized and made from various materials, you can’t just plunge them in soap and water and the deal is done. They need a little more TLC and we’re going to show you to give your dildos all the love they need to better serve you while remaining brand new.

But before you dive into the cleaning part, it’s important to know the material your precious little playmates are made of. Knowledge of the materials used is vital to your own health and the longevity of your device. Experts say the method you choose to clean your toys depends on what it’s made of. You should be able to tell what your sex toy is made of by checking on the box. The type of material lets you know if your toy is porous or non-porous, irritating to sensitive skin or contains toxic materials. These are the most widely used and recommended materials for sex toys:
 

• Silicone
• Glass
• Wood and stone
• ABS hard plastic
• Stainless steel

Considering that your sex toys navigate sensitive terrain, they have to be cleaned regularly, as you use your dildos, germs, and bacteria build-up, when you don’t wash and disinfect your toys after every use, you become vulnerable to vaginal infection. 

If you share your sex toys, it’s important to disinfect them because they can transfer STI’s and STDs through bodily fluids. Not cleaning your toys is exposing you and your partner to infection-causing germs and bacteria. Whether your toys are porous or not, make it a point to clean and disinfect them before and after every single use. Be it a dildo, vibrator, handcuffs, or leather strap-ons they’re all potential carriers of infection-causing bacteria. But if you scrub, boil and disinfect your toys after use and then store them in a non-sterile environment then you need to clean them again before using. Now let’s see the many ways in which you can keep your dildos fresh and clean.

To eliminate bacteria it’s necessary to disinfect your toys thoroughly, most silicone, glass, metal, and wooden toys could easily be handled with clean water and mild soap. Your sanitizer soap must be fragrance-free and mild but enough to disinfect the toy from germs, lube, bodily fluid and all other residues it may have come in contact with.

Wet wipes are also a great way to get rid of germs on your toy, leather toys especially can be wiped down with baby wipes, soap, and water. Your wipes must have some form of disinfectant like a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. 

Another way of disinfecting your favorite toy is by boiling it, before boiling, make sure your toy is waterproof or non-motorized. Also make sure they’re made from silicone, stainless steel, pyrex or glass. Any other material should not be boiled. You can follow the instructions on the packaging to know what’s the best option for your toy. 

There are special cleaning sprays for sex toys, specifically formulated to clean your toys without damaging them. They're not too expensive, they could even be considered a good bargain given all the hassle they’ll save you from. So whether you've put a lot of money into your sex toy collection, or you simply want to make your toys to be hygienic and safe to use, consider investing in a sex toy cleaning spray. A good example is the Lelo Cleaning Spray, which is safe to use on silicone, latex, and rubber.

Non-motorized sex toys and toys with complicated crevices should be submerged in water to kill germs. Leaving your toy to soak in water for a few minutes is the best way to deep clean your toy.

For motorized toys, do not soak in water unless it clearly states the toy is waterproof, otherwise the battery mechanism will be ruined. Use wet wipes, a cleaning spray or any other method that will not damage your precious little gadget.

Washing your toy before using seems like a buzz kill especially because it’s the last thing you want to think of when you’re getting your groove on but it’s just something you have to do. Failing to wash it before and after will most definitely lead to infections. This also depends on how you store your toys, if they’re not properly stored in a sterile environment then you’re not safe. If your dildo is left in contact with other objects, it can collect dust, pet hair or lint, and will need a quick wash before use.

Most sex toys do not do well in very high temperatures so a dishwasher is not ideal, do you remember the popular scene from Broad City were a sex toy melted in a dishwasher? That’s totally possible especially when it comes to glass toys, so to be on the safe side better hand wash your sex toys and by the way WHY will you want to mix your dildo with your dishes? ew! Gross. 

After you use a sex toy, you should always clean it before you store it, you don't want to keep it in a drawer with body fluids drying on it. Make it a habit of washing it after you’re done and store it clean in a box meant for it or a special bag for your toy.

Never use any harsh soap or disinfectant containing harsh chemicals to wash your sex toy. This is a common mistake many people make, always opt for a mild soap that won’t damage your toy nor irritate your skin. Stick to fragrance-free soap, that way you don’t stand a chance of irritating your vulva. Pay even more attention when washing toys that are made of porous materials.

When left damp, the hard to reach places in your toy could develop mold. You need a special towel to dry your coochies after you wash them, the towel must be clean and used only for that specific purpose. Feeling like your toys are already taking a life of their own? Well, you’re not completely wrong, towels are a fertile breeding ground for bacteria, especially when they’re damp so make sure the one you use is clean and dry. 

As strange as this may sound, storing your dildo or vibrator in your bedside drawer isn’t the best idea if you think about it your drawer isn’t the cleanest place, it’s dark and dusty. Can you even remember the last time you scrubbed your bedside drawer? I doubt, so to be safe you should store it in its original packaging or find it’s own space.

To add a lease on your dildo’s life, you should store it without batteries, insert them only when you want to use it and take them out once you are done. Batteries often create rust that can corrode your toy. Leaving the battery also lowers the charge of your toy as it reduces battery life and power. What a buzz kill right?

Knowing the right kind of lube to use is also essential in maintaining your sex toys. Stay away from oil-based lubes when using silicone toys, or else the oil will stick to the toy causing the material to deteriorate. Stick to water-based and hybrid lubes and always make sure you wash it off afterward.

This is the safest way to use your sex toy especially if you share with a partner and when it’s made from porous materials such as hard plastic, Cyberskin, and jelly rubber, they can never be 100% disinfected and clean. For extra protection, wrap it in a condom. 

Cleaning your sex toys and doing so properly has to become second nature to anyone who owns one. The skin at the level of the vulva is very sensitive and delicate so anything that goes down there needs to be as clean and safe as can be. It doesn’t matter what your favorite toy is made of, just give it all the TLC it needs and you too will be happy for a very long time. Bear in mind that even though it may feel like a chore, the care and attention you deploy to maintain a dildo comes right back to you and your partner.