How to clean sex toys, material by material

Clean the toy both before and after use. After use, remove body fluids and lubricant before they dry in; before use, remove dust and anything that may have stuck during storage.

Use lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap or a cleaning product made for sex toys. Avoid strong solvents, alcohol, and high-concentration spirits, fragranced products, and abrasive sponges — they can damage the surface, and a scratched surface is harder to keep clean.

Rinse thoroughly so no soap residue remains, and let the toy dry completely in the air or dry it with a clean, lint-free hand towel. Moisture that remains in creases, textures, and channels is what gives bacteria and mold a chance.

Always read the manual. The manufacturer’s instructions for your specific toy come before general advice, and they determine what the warranty covers.

The most important thing to know about a toy is whether the material is non-porous or porous. Non-porous materials — silicone, glass, stainless steel, and hard plastic like ABS — have a tight surface where dirt can’t get embedded. They can be made completely clean, and some can be sterilized.

Porous materials — TPE, TPR, PVC, and rubber or jelly — have microscopic cavities. They can be cleaned on the surface but cannot be sterilized, because the material itself contains cavities where bacteria can remain. That makes them less suitable to share with others and for anal use, and it means they need to be dried extra carefully.

Silicone is non-porous and handles soap and water well. Sex toys made of full silicone without electronics can, in some cases, be sterilized with boiling water — Silexd, for example, states in its material walkthrough that it boils silicone for three minutes. But this does not apply to all silicone toys. Never boil anything that contains a motor, a battery, or a core made of another material unless the manufacturer explicitly allows it.

Use a water-based lube for silicone toys. Silicone lube can damage the surface, and a damaged surface becomes sticky or porous, and then it’s no longer as easy to keep clean. Read more in which lube should you choose.

Glass and metal are the easiest materials to keep clean. The surface is completely non-porous; they tolerate all types of lube, and they don’t age. Wash with lukewarm water and mild soap. Some manufacturers allow more: Pipedream states in the data sheet for Icicles No. 47 that the glass plug is dishwasher-safe.

Be careful with large temperature differences. Satisfyer states for the glass dildo Dazzling Crystal 2 that it can be heated to a maximum of 60 °C and expressly forbids boiling water and freezing. Check the glass after every wash— a toy with a crack, chip, or scratch should not be used.

Soft, skin-like materials are found above all in masturbators and certain realistic dildos. They’re porous and require more work. Rinse with lukewarm water right after use, preferably through the entire channel, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for soap: Fleshlight, for example, says that soap should only be used on the outer casing, never on the sleeve itself.

Drying is the most important step. Fleshlight warns that mold can develop both inside and outside the sleeve if it isn’t dried properly after each use. Let the sleeve dry completely before putting it back into the casing. The manufacturer also sells a powder that’s sprinkled on the sleeve after washing to preserve the surface.

The construction matters. A masturbator that’s open at both ends, as Fleshlight Quickshot Riley Reid, can be rinsed straight through. Arcwave Ion 2 has a silicone sleeve that can be unscrewed from the device, and both the sleeve and the device are IPX7. If you want to compare more, there is masturbators best in test.

A vibrator or other battery-powered toy is cleaned according to its enclosure rating, the IP rating according to the IEC 60529 standard. The second digit indicates protection against water:

IPX7 means the product can withstand immersion in one meter of water for 30 minutes. It can be rinsed under the tap and washed like a normal toy.

IPX5 means protection against water jets, and IPX4 means protection against splashes from all directions. Such toys can be wiped with a damp cloth and soap, but they should not be submerged.

If there is no enclosure rating at all, the toy should only be wiped with a damp cloth. This applies, for example, Cuties Vibrating Mini Butt Plug, where the manufacturer states that it must not be submerged in water.

No matter the rating: close the battery compartment properly before you clean it—for Fun Factory Mr. Boss, it is only IPX7 according to the manufacturer when the battery compartment is closed—and let the charging contacts and magnetic charging pins dry completely before charging. A removable motor is an advantage: on Black Velvets Vibrating Plug Small so the vibration module can be detached so the silicone body can be washed separately.

A toy that is shared between people can pass on sexually transmitted infections. Wash it between each person and use a new condom on it every time. Keep in mind that oil weakens latex condoms; use water- or silicone-based lubricant on the condom.

Also wash the toy when you switch body parts. A toy that has been used anally should be cleaned before it comes into contact with the vagina or mouth, because bacteria from the intestine can otherwise cause infection. Porous materials are less suitable to share at all, because they can't be made completely clean.

Store the toys clean and completely dry, preferably separately in a fabric bag or box, so they don't lie against each other and collect dust. Masturbator sleeves should dry completely before you put them back into their casing.

Glass should be stored so that it can't knock against anything hard. Toys with a travel lock should be locked so they don't start in a bag. Battery-powered toys that are going to be left unused for a long time can be stored with the batteries removed.

If you want to read more about the materials before you buy, the terms are explained in "the glossary, and how we read the manufacturers' information is described under "how we review.