How to clean sex toys
A simple routine for cleaning and storing your toys, following the maker's instructions.
Cleaning a toy is a small habit, and it is easier when it belongs to the evening rather than being a chore at the end. The short rule: clean a toy before and after use, following its maker's instructions, with warm water and a toy cleaner.
What you need
- Warm water.
- A toy cleaner. Loving Joy Cleanse is a 250 ml toy cleaner at £8.99. Its page says to spray it directly onto the toy, wipe with a clean cloth and let the toy air dry.
- A clean cloth.
- The maker's instructions. Many toys come with a manual in the box, and the LELO SONA 2 Cruise page lists a detailed instruction manual among its contents.
A simple routine
Before use
Clean the toy with warm water and a toy cleaner, following the maker's instructions, and let it dry. It takes a minute, and it can be part of the unhurried moment before.
After use
Do the same again soon afterwards, before the toy goes back into its place. Cleaning straight away is simpler than leaving it, and it means the toy is ready for next time.
Then put it away
Make sure the toy is dry, and store it in a cool dry place. Many toys come with a pouch or bag. Many LELO pages list a satin storage pouch in the box, the Tabooboo Lunch Break bullet comes with a storage bag, and the Svakom Winni 2 comes with a soft storage pouch. Give each toy its own.
Rechargeable toys
Many vibrators here recharge by USB. Keep the charging points dry unless the maker says otherwise. Some toys are listed as USB magnetic rechargeable, such as the Nauti Petites 10 Function Clitoral Stimulator and the Mina Veil panty vibrator, so read the instructions for how to clean around them.
Wipe a rechargeable toy with a cloth and toy cleaner where the instructions allow it, and let it dry before you charge it or put it away.
Toys with parts that come off
Some toys have more than one part. The head of the Nauti Petites comes off to give its 5 flapping functions, so there are two pieces to clean. Follow the instructions for each part, and let each one dry before you put them together.
Toys with no power
A toy with no power source has no charging points to worry about. The Mina Pure page lists its power as none required, and its Material line says liquid silicone. The same routine applies: warm water, toy cleaner and the maker's instructions first.
Different materials, different advice
Toys are made from different materials, so advice that suits one does not always carry over to the next. Check the Material line on the product page, and the manual in the box.
The Loving Joy Real Feel stroker is TPE, and its page says to clean it before use with toy cleaner or warm soapy water, and to store it in a cool dry place. That is a useful example of a page giving a clear instruction. Where a page gives none, look in the box, or on the maker's website, before you try something new.
A checklist to keep
- Check the Material line on the page.
- Read the maker's instructions.
- Warm water and toy cleaner, before and after use.
- Keep charging points dry unless the maker says otherwise.
- Dry the toy, then store it in a cool dry place, in its own pouch or bag.
Nothing here is hurried. A toy that has been looked after is ready whenever you are, and there is a calm in not having to think about it.
Lubricant and cleaning
What you use on a toy affects how you look after it. Our guide to which lubricant with which toy covers the pairings, including why silicone lubricant and silicone toys do not always go together.
What to leave out
- Anything the maker says not to use. Their instructions come first.
- Water on charging points, unless the maker says it is fine.
- Guessing. If you do not know what a toy is made from, find the Material line before cleaning.
A note on returns
Toys, lubricants, condoms and care products cannot be returned once the seal has been removed, so it helps to read a product's page before you open it. Faulty items can be rejected within 30 days. More detail is on the returns page.
You can browse all of the shop's care products in one place.
Questions
How often should I clean a sex toy?
Clean a toy before and after use, following its maker's instructions. Use warm water and a toy cleaner, and let the toy dry before you put it away.
Do I need a special toy cleaner?
Warm water and a toy cleaner is the simple method. Loving Joy Cleanse is one, at £8.99 for 250 ml. Whatever you use, the toy maker's instructions come first.
Can I get a rechargeable toy wet?
Keep the charging points dry unless the maker says otherwise. Read the manual in the box for what it says about cleaning around them, and do not assume that one toy's instructions apply to another.
How should I store my toys?
Dry them, then keep them in a cool dry place. If a toy came with a pouch or bag, use it, and give each toy its own so that they are not left in a heap together.
What if the product page has no cleaning instructions?
Look in the box for the maker's manual, or on the maker's website. Check the Material line on the page too. Until you know more, warm water and a toy cleaner is the plain approach.
