But ... how the heck do you clean this thing? Is it like your favorite plate after pasta night? Or is it more like how we'd clean between our own legs?
Turns out, most of us weren't taught how to clean sex toys like we were for the majority of objects we encounter on a daily basis. Considering some of us only come across the magic of sex toys later in life, this can be downright confusing!
You want to make sure your toy is cleaned properly, but sometimes, you genuinely don't know how.
We applaud that attention to detail. Proper cleaning of your sex toy can add years to your toy's lifespan and reduce the risk of bacterial infections. It can also reduce the risk of mold and other not-so-great adventures you don't want to explore.
So, let's get into it: how do you clean a sex toy? Does it matter what type it is? Is there a difference between cleaning and sanitizing, and what does waterproof capabilities have to do with any of it?Proper cleaning of your sex toy can add years to your toy's lifespan and reduce the risk of bacterial infections.
By the time you're done, you'll be a sex toy expert. If you aren't, don't worry: you can reference this article anytime you want!
We call that the difference between cleaning and sanitization.
Most of the time, there's nothing wrong with simply "cleaning" your sex toys. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but very few things you handle or ingest in life are sanitized - no matter how much we wish they might be.
But there are a few reasons you might want to play with a sanitized sex toy:
We call those material designations "non-porous" and "porous." In other words, does your toy have microscopic pores for gunk to hide in (porous) OR is it free of large microscopic pores (non-porous.)
Sanitizing your sex toy goes beyond a standard cleaning. There's nothing wrong with going above and beyond (and in some cases it's recommended) , but be aware it can take more time and effort.
If your toy is waterproof, you can swish it in a bath of soapy water or hold it underneath the faucet to get water exactly where it needs to go.
If your toy is splashproof, you shouldn't submerge it or hold it under water, but you can clean it with wet hands or a damp washcloth without being worried.
If your toy offers zero water protection, you'll need to use a damp washcloth, taking special care to avoid any buttons, charging ports, battery ports, or seams. This will likely take two or three washcloths to apply your soapy cleanser, do both rinses and dry it. Make sure you find a dry place for your toy to dry too.
Keep in mind: some manufacturers, especially of cheap toys, may overstate their toy's waterproof capabilities. If you don't trust your toy to be fully waterproof, don't treat it like it is. Warranty policies are usually voided if there's water damage, so you'll be out a sex toy.
Vibrators will probably be the most-likely culprit for needing toothpicks or toothbrushes. Since most vibrators include control panels and buttons, there are more seams on vibes than other types of toys. Ensure you get those spots cleaned, though - especially if they came in contact with bodily fluids. (We promise; those spots can look gross after a few uses if you don't clean your toy thoroughly!)
After you're done cleaning your vibrator, make sure to do a light towel dry before laying it out to dry. Because moisture is the death of any electrical components, ensure your vibrator dries in a non-humid place with air flow before putting it back into storage.
Remember: Even if the outside of the vibrator is free of water droplets, you may not be able to see the water that was drying between buttons or crevices. When it doubt, allow the vibrator to sit out longer than you think is necessary to ensure it's fully dry.
When it comes to sex toy cleaning, materials matter. Here's a checklist to help you determine the best way to clean your vibrators according to what they're made of.
| Silicone | ABS | TPE/TPR | Skin-Like | |
| Soap & Water | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Rinse Only | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Toy Cleaner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Bleach Solution | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Alcohol Wipe | ✔ | ✔ |
To clean a waterproof dildo, simply wash it under running water like you would wash your hands, using a material-safe soap. Get the toy wet, add soap, stroke off the dildo to get it coated in soap and rinse it clean.
Allow the dildo to lay down (or sit up!) to dry. Suction cup dildos can make this part particularly fun.
If your dildo has complicated textures, use a soft-bristle toothbrush to clean around all of the textures. You definitely want to make sure to remove any lube and fluids from those tight spaces!
Especially when your dildo is hot (from hot water!), softer materials may be prone to scratching or indenting. Make sure to keep your fingernails far away from the material while cleaning. High-quality, lifelike, dual-density dildos are especially prone to damage when hot water softens their outermost layer.
Many dildo materials are lint and pet hair magnets, so try to keep them in a ventilated area (away from floating particulate!) for the cleanest dildo when you're done. There's no shame in doing a quick rinse of your toys before every use, though. In fact, we'd recommend it!
Some dildos take cleaning much better than others. Here's a handy checklist to help you decide the best way to clean yours.
| Silicone | Metal | TPE/TPR | Skin-Like | Wood | Glass | Ceramic | |
| Soap & Water | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Rinse Only | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Toy Cleaner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Bleach Solution | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Alcohol Wipe | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Boiling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Unlike other types of toys on this list, many thrusting vibrators and dildos have creases in the material where the toy compresses to do its next thrust.
That means you'll need to make sure those spots are clean too!
If necessary, turn on the thrusting vibrator and extend it to its full length before turning it back off. This can make it easier to clean between those crevices.
When you're done cleaning, don't forget to fully dry those creases too! Especially if the thrusting dildo sits, at rest, with those creases folded up, it can be easy for mold to grow there during storage. Use a paper towel or washcloth to dry out those crevices before placing your thrusting sex toy back in storage.
Penis strokers are probably the most unique sex toy you'll have to clean.
After all, the usable surface of a penis stroker is inside the toy; you can't really say that about any of the other sex toy categories on this list! This presents unique (and let's be real: sorta frustrating) cleaning challenges.
That is, unless your penis stroker flips inside out or opens up (and a few do!), it can be hard to ensure you've cleaned every inch of the texture since you can't see inside.
That simply means that you have to clean very, very thoroughly in the hope of cleaning every inch of your sex toy.
As long as your penis stroker is waterproof, all you have to do is hold it under the faucet, using your fingers to "scoop out" any ejaculate or lube and clean all of the interior texture of your toy. The ability to hold your stroker open under running water can help drastically, as the water helps dislodge some of the messes for you.
CAUTION: Some manufacturers specifically state to NOT use hot water on your penis stroker. Make sure to read the instructions before cleaning your new sex toy as most of us default to warm and hot water when cleaning something.
If your stroker's manufacturer states it's OK, after doing the initial rinse, add soap into the equation. Some people like to submerge their stroker into a bowl of soapy water, allowing the soapy water to swish through the internal chamber as they hold the penis stroker open.
Note that many manufacturers caution against using soap on penis strokers. Since penis strokers are the most likely type of toy to be made from proprietary, skin-like material that can degrade with cleansers, make SURE your stroker allows soap before using it. If not, it may only be able to be cleaned with room temperature water. (This is what's driving some of the change to swapping to silicone penis strokers like the Firefly Yoni or the Arcwave Voy. Penis owners like to know their sex toys are fully cleaned too!)
Once you've done your soapy bath, hold the stroker under running water again until you're sure all of the soap has been removed from the internal chamber.
After you've rinsed out all of the soap, you'll need to let your stroker dry. This is key. Since the spot you just cleaned is all inside a tunnel, it can be hard for air to get in there.
Some strokers (like the Tenga Spinner, Arcwave Ion or Tenga GEO) offer stands that allow airflow inside of the tunnel. For most penis strokers, though, you'll need to try to stand them up or lay them out as best as possible to allow the inside to dry out.
This may require picking up the stroker and shaking out the water, on occasion, as you reposition it to dry in a new way.
Depending on your stroker and airflow, this may look like a few days of dry time as you occasionally repeat the process. Remember: putting a penis stroker away wet can cause bacteria growth and mold. I promise, you do not want to put your penis into mold!
Note that many strokers are made with proprietary materials. In this case, always default to the manufacturer's guidelines for cleaning.
| Silicone | TPE/TPR | Elastomer | Fleshskin | Skin-Like | |
| Soap & Water | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Rinse Only | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Toy Cleaner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Bleach Solution | ✔ | ||||
| Alcohol Wipe | ✔ | ||||
| Boiling | ✔ | ||||
| Dishwasher | ✔ |
Because air suction vibrators are still new to the market and their complicated machinery may not play well with water, many air suction vibrators are not waterproof.
Since the base of the air suction vibe still probably touched fluids while enjoying the tip, you'll want to use a damp, soapy washcloth to clean the plastic/silicone toy near where you removed the tip. Avoid getting any water near the buttons or charging port to protect your toy's lifespan.
That means your anal sex toys must be cleaned directly after use - and if you set it down somewhere between using it and cleaning it, you need to sanitize that surface too. To avoid adding unnecessary cleaning, placing mid-use anal toys on a towel or sex blanket you plan on cleaning in hot water afterwards can be a great middle ground.
Even if your anal toy doesn't have any visible poop on it, simply treat it like it always does after use, and you'll reduce the spread of anal bacterial around your household.
This anal bacteria also means that your anal toys need to be cleaned with an attention to detail. Make sure you use soap and hot water, as allowed by the manufacturer's specifications, to clean every surface of your toy. Since your hands may have touched the base after touching your anally-lubed toy, we highly recommend cleaning the entirety of your anal toy - even the parts that didn't necessarily get inserted.
If you plan on using this anal toy in other holes, take the time to do the sanitizing procedures we talked about at the top of this article. While "clean" is great, some anal bacteria might slip through a standard household soap treatment, and you want to ensure you don't accidentally spread anal bacteria. Having anal bacteria in the mouth or vagina can lead to some very unpleasant problems (think vaginal infections or stomach trouble.)
Unique to anal toys, your anal toy might smell a bit like, well, the anus, especially after all-day play (like wearing a Snug Plug all day). There's nothing wrong with this - it can even happen with non-porous materials like silicone!
To help get rid of the scent, use some of the sanitizing methods recommended above. If your toy is waterproof, simply allowing it to soak in plain water (or baking soda with water) for a few hours can reduce or eliminate the scent.
Anal toys require special care. Clean them to the highest standard according to the chart below.
| Silicone | Metal | TPE/TPR | Rubber | Wood | Glass | Ceramic | |
| Soap & Water | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rinse Only | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Toy Cleaner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bleach Solution | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Alcohol Wipe | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Boiling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Sex tends to result in bodily fluids and lube, right? And when you have sex on sex furniture, that tends to get all over that specialized bolster.
Luckily for us, they're usually pretty simple to clean.
The most popular sex furniture manufacturer, Liberator, creates specialty covers for their sex furniture. For most of their products, you simply unzip the outermost cover and toss it into the washing machine. (Gentle cycle on cold or tap cold!)
When it's done, you allow it to hang dry (for the longest lifespan), and you rezip the cover back onto the sex furniture shape when you're done.
Depending on the sex furniture shape, this might be a two person job as the sex furniture covers have a snug fit. Small shapes, like the Liberator Wedge or Liberator Jaz, can be zipped on by a single person, but if you're trying to get your Liberator Equus Wave or Liberator Black Label Esse Chaise back into service, you might want a second set of hands.
If your sex furniture does not have a removable cover, it's probably made of a synthetic leather designed for easy cleaning. In that case, use your standard methods to clean synthetic leather, like a slightly damp washcloth and disinfecting wipes. You can see this type of furniture in action with the XR Brands Queening Chair and the XR Brands Extreme Sling.
Specialty sex toy cleaners can be helpful, but most sex experts agree that they aren't necessary for most people. Standard, mild, hand soaps (free of lotions and "skin softening" ingredients) will work well to clean most sex toys.
Avoid dish soaps, soaps with bleach, or soaps that irritate your skin. Preferably, go for unscented hand soaps for even safer results.
A few health and safety organizations are noting the potential danger of Benzalkonium chloride on vaginal health, so if you want to further minimize health concerns, you may want to do further research and choose hand soaps without this chemical.
Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't use sex toy cleaners. Sex toy cleaners can be really helpful in some instances. They:
While cleaning is vital to the health of your sex toy, how you use your sex toy can be just as important. That is, you need to use the right lube.
Some sex lubricants are not compatible with some sex toy materials. In fact, if the two meet, it can destroy the material of your favorite sex toy, making it gunky, tacky and impossible to fully clean. Ewww.
So which lube should you use? When you want an easy answer, choose a water-based lube. Water-based lubes are compatible with all types of sex toys and sex acts. (Now it has its own downsides, too, but that's a quandary for another article)
If you need a longer-lasting lube or just prefer a different lube type, here's a handy chart that'll help you sort out whether it's compatible with your sex toy's material.
| Silicone Lube | Water-Based Lube | Hybrid Lube | Oil-Based Lube | |
| Silicone | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| TPR/TPE | ✔ | |||
| Wood | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Metal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| ABS Plastic | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Skin-Like Materials | ✔ | |||
| Jelly | ✔ |
But we promise: properly cleaning your sex toys can make a huge difference. Not only will you be able to keep your sex toy longer, but it'll be less likely to give you an infection - and that's something we can all get behind.
Plus, there's something awfully satisfying about a squeaky-clean sex toy. It just looks more inviting.
Happy cleaning!
Sex is a bit like a secret society; everyone's doing it, it's just that no one talks about it. Kinkly's mission is to start that conversation, answer your questions and help you discover new and exciting things about sex, love and your body. We guarantee it'll be illuminating, enlightening, fun ... and a little kinky. And that's OK with us.
No innuendos, no judgments and no apologies, just fearless, straight-up talk about sex.
