THIS ENTRY WAS POSTED ON October 17, 2022 BY The Pleasure Chest.
So Fresh, So Clean: Toy Care 101
So, you’ve wandered through the aisles of your local sex shop and you’ve picked out your toy and your lube. You may think that’s where the journey ends, but not so fast! No toy purchase is complete without the proper cleaner, and it seems like there are just as many cleaners to choose from as there are toys themselves.
It can be equally as daunting figuring out how to properly clean and take care of your toys as it is to figure out what toys you like in the first place. You may even feel like you need a sex educator just to understand all the ins-and-outs of most sex toys. That’s where your Pleasure Chest Toy Care Expert™ comes in! In this blog, we’ll break down some clean and care instructions to keep your sex toys safe to use. This will include details on specific materials, different cleaning methods and how to dispose of (and even recycle!) your sex toys.
Toy cleaner and accessories shelves in our Chicago Wicker Park location.
Toy Care 101: Materials
Before you purchase a cleaning product for your toy, you first need to know what your toy is made of. Cleaning sex toys is key to a healthy sex life with your toys, but cleaning instructions differ based on the materials. Different materials require different methods of cleaning to maintain the longevity of the toy and to reduce the risk of damage. You'll want to look over the packaging of your toy and see where the manufacturer lists material details and if your toy is waterproof or splash-proof (this will also help determine how you'll clean it). Porous toys, like those made from jelly rubber, will have different care instructions from hard plastic toys. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common toy materials (porous sex toys and nonporous toys) brought to you by our convenient Toy Care Guides that we hand out to customers for every in-store toy purchase!
How to Clean Sex Toys: Dos and Don’ts
You may have heard you can put your toys in the dishwasher to clean them. You may have heard you can boil your toys. But, what’s really safe and not safe regarding toy care? Let’s clear up some misinformation and debunk some myths:
You can clean sex toys in the dishwasher.
RARELY. Although our Toy Care Guide says it’s okay if your toy is made of silicone, has zero electrical components, and is placed on the top rack without soap, I personally advise against doing this for two reasons. One: the power of the washer can cause your toy to become misshapen, and two: you should use more than plain old water to clean your toys, but you wouldn’t want to use dish detergent (and you wouldn’t want to put any other type of soap in your dishwasher, anyway).
You can boil sex toys to clean them.
SOMETIMES. It depends on what the toy is made of. Any silicone, aluminum and borosilicate glass toys can be boiled as long as they don’t have motors. Boiling toys is an especially great cleaning option for anal toys and for toys that are shared between multiple partners. It’s the best way to completely sterilize the materials. For silicone toys, don’t boil for longer than 3 minutes.
You can use soap and water to clean sex toys.
YES, BUT USE DISCRETION. There are a million kinds of soap and not all of them should be used on your toys. A good rule of thumb is to not use any soap on your toy that you wouldn’t also use on your genitals. Every body is different, so the ‘right’ soap varies person to person. In my opinion, the more natural the ingredients, the better. And, the less ingredients, the better. Many folks are sensitive to fragrance, so I always recommend fragrance-free options. Use a mild soap that won’t throw off your pH-balance or cause irritation. A few examples of mild soaps are Dove and Dr. Bronner’s.
Also: make sure you check that your toy is water/splash-proof before sticking it under a faucet. If your toy is not waterproof or you’re not sure if it is, there are a few things you can do. You can place the soap on your toy and take a damp cloth to clean it and wipe off the residue. You can also purchase toy wipes or cleaner that bypass the need for too much water completely. Recommendations on those to come!
Sex Toy Care 101: The Best Sex Toy Cleaners
There are a few different styles of cleaners you can choose from depending on your preference. There are mainly three kinds: wipes, foaming sex toys cleaners and sprays. If you’d prefer not to purchase a cleaner that’s just for toys, you can use a mild soap and warm water like stated above.
Sex Toy Care 101: Wipes
Wipes are the fastest growing toy care product in the industry right now for cleaning sex toys, most likely due to their convenience and travel-friendliness. Wipes are more practical than some realize, especially ones that can be used safely on the genitals after play. You can simply pull a wipe out of a pack on your nightstand and do a quick cleanup instead of getting up for sex toy cleaning in the bathroom with soap.
The downside to wipes is, depending on what they’re made of, they’re not very eco-friendly. And arguably, you’d get more use out of a spray or foam sex toy cleaner. Packages of wipes come in packs of 15-25; you’ll generally get more than 15-25 uses out of a liquid cleaner and you can use your own discretion as to how much you use. Wipes also aren’t recommended for when you are deep-cleaning your sex toys; more so for quick, convenient cleanup.
But whatever your personal play situation is, it’s always useful to have a pack of wipes at your disposal should you want to use them on yourself, a partner or your dirty sex toys.
Aneros Wipes - $4.95
These wipes from Aneros are by far our staff’s favorite toy cleaning product. For less than $5, you get a 25-pack of flushable, eco-friendly wipes that are made from bamboo! They’re not only great for cleaning your toys, but they’re also body safe. You can easily go from cleaning off your toys to cleaning off your genitals with one easy wipe. Some staff members have even said they’ve used Aneros Wipes for removing make-up and cleaning their faces. We love a multi-purpose toy care product!
Dame pH Balanced Body Wipes - $9.95-$11.95
These convenient toy and body wipes from Dame come in a 25-count pack or a 15-count box of individually wrapped wipes that you can easily bring with you on-the-go. They’re infused with aloe so they leave your skin feeling moisturized after cleaning and they also have a light and fresh scent thanks to the added cucumber extract. These wipes are pH balanced to match the vagina’s natural pH level (4).
AfterGlow Wipes - $9.95
The AfterGlow Wipes are excellent for before, during or after play and come in a pack of 20. The AfterGlow formula contains aloe to help nourish the skin and the material of your toys. These wipes are lightly fragranced, hypoallergenic, and alcohol-free. We’ve used them plenty of times to do rounds of cleaning display toys in our stores, and they always leave the toys looking sparkling clean.
Swiss Navy Toy & Body Cleaner Wipes - $10.95
If you like your cleaning products to have a stronger scent, these wipes from Swiss Navy will be up your alley. These Toy & Body Cleaner Wipes are infused with tea tree and lavender oil and come in a pack of 25. The tea tree oil works as an excellent natural disinfecting alternative to alcohol, and the additional lavender scent provides a sense of calm to your body and mind to help you easily come down slowly after a play session.
Sex Toy Care 101: Foaming Cleaners
Foaming and spray cleaners are pretty similar to each other and whichever one is ‘better’ is mostly up to personal preference. They’re both used the same way: simply spray or foam up the toy with the solution and wipe off with a clean cloth. You can also run the toy under water after wiping clean (as long as your toy is splash/waterproof and has had its batteries removed if applicable). Foaming and spray cleaners are usually just for toys, not for applying directly to the genitals. Make sure you read the label and ingredients to see if it’s safe to use on your body before applying.
The nice thing about using foaming cleaners to clean your sex toys is that you tend to use less water versus when using a spray cleaner (if you choose to use water at all). A downside is that they’re less travel-friendly and may leak, unlike wipes. An upside is one bottle will last you much longer than a pack of wipes!
NYTC Foaming Toy Cleaner - $16.95
Dildo extraordinaries New York Toy Collective came out with their very own toy cleaner! One of the newest additions to our cleaning product selection, this Foaming Toy Cleaner is fragrance-free and as plain as can be. This cleaner stands out from the rest due to its leak-resistant bottle and cap, making it the only foaming cleaner we sell that’s guarantees you a no-mess travel experience.
Green Tea Tree Foaming Toy Cleaner - $18.95
If you like to keep it natural but need more than a wipe, this Green Tea Tree Foaming Toy Cleaner will do the trick. This foaming formula features natural cleaning ingredients, namely tea tree oil, but is also infused with lavender oil and guava bark. The tea tree and lavender combination give it a nice and clean scent and the guava bark has astringent benefits to reduce moisture left from cleaning.
System JO Toy Cleaner - $14.95
This foaming Toy Cleaner from System JO is a gentle toy cleaner with minimal ingredients, perfect for sensitive folks or those who prefer something stripped of extra bells and whistles. It’s fragrance-free, alcohol free, anti-bacterial, and non-greasy. This foaming cleaner also comes in a convenient travel size so you can bring it with you on the go!
Sex Toy Care 101: Spray Cleaners
Spray cleaners fall in between wipes and foaming cleaners as far as longevity is concerned, although the difference is pretty miniscule between foams and sprays. Sprays tend to work a little better than foaming cleaners on stubborn debris, so they’re recommended especially for anal toys or toys shared with partners if you can’t boil them. Some sprays you can use on their own and let your toys air dry after, and some leave a residue or scent you might prefer to wash off—totally personal preference!
Sliquid Shine Toy Cleaner - $15.95
Sliquid, known for their natural lubricants with minimal ingredients, created a toy cleaner with the same gentle and basic formulaic structure. Sliquid Shine is 95% organic and anti-bacterial. It’s free of harsh chemicals, replacing alcohol with tea tree oil instead, which gives it a light scent. Shine is also infused with castor and jojoba oils, leaving your silicone toys feeling soft and brand new.
Pjur Med Intimacy Cleaning Spray - $17.95
The Med Intimacy Cleaning Spray from Pjur is a spray you can use on your toys and your intimate areas! It helps reduce body odor, is alcohol-free, unscented and anti-bacterial. Pjur is a brand known for clean and minimal formulas made with high-quality ingredients, and this spray is no different. It’s great for cutting through stubborn debris and lubricant on any toy material.
Before & After Toy Cleaner - $15.95-$18.95
This Before & After Toy Cleaner is a simple spray with a gentle formula that has a fresh fragrance. It comes in a smaller, convenient travel size so you can take it with you on the go. If you’re sensitive to scented products, this one might not be for you, but if you like scented cleaners, then give this one a shot!
Sex Toy Care 101: Cleaning Accessories
b-Vibe UV Sterilizer Pouch - $84.95
If you’re like me and sometimes can’t even be bothered to clean your toys (hey, we’ve all been there), something like the UV Sterilizer Pouch from b-Vibe might be worth the splurge. Simply put your toy in the bag and within 3 minutes, voila! Your toy is clean thanks to the UV light that kills 99% of bacteria.
Sex Toy Care 101: How to Dispose of Your Sex Toys
Unfortunately, there isn’t a set standard for what to do with your toys once they die out or you get tired of using them. You don’t want to simply throw them in the trash because of the materials and components they’re made of. The few options we currently have regarding toy disposal are:
Taking your sex toys to your local recycling plant.
Every recycling facility has different standards, so you’ll have to do some research to see if your local facility can accept your items.
Giving your sex toys to friends.
This only applies to toys that are able to be completely sanitized, like silicone, aluminum and stainless steel. You wouldn’t want to ‘re-gift’ porous toys that may be holding onto old bacteria. You also wouldn’t want to give your friend a toy that’s simply seen better days, even if it can be sanitized. Be a good friend—don’t give someone a toy that barely charges!
Reselling your sex toys.
There are a few third-party sites that allow you to sell old toys that are still in good working condition. Keep in mind: some of these are fetish sites (similar to selling used underwear online). So beware if that’s not your thing!
Support brands that use eco-conscious business practices.
Love Not War has a repair and recycle program that commits to repairing your toy if it breaks. Fun Factory uses a low-emissions factory, putting out the lowest carbon footprint of any manufacturer in the sex toy industry. Sutil has recyclable packaging and uses environmentally friendly production operations. Womanizer created the Womanizer Eco, a biodegradable clitoral suction toy.
Recycle Your Sex Toys for an Art Project!
Because of the few options currently available for recycling toys, the Pleasure Chest is teaming up with Zoë Ligon, author of Carnal Knowledge and owner of Spectrum Boutique, who is undertaking a major project to bring awareness to the lack of eco-friendly sustainable disposal practices in the industry.
For the foreseeable future, our Los Angeles location will be accepting any and all sex toys that folks no longer have use for, whether they’re broken or you’re simply not into them anymore. We’ll send your previously loved toys over to Zoë, who will be creating an installation art project with them! Sex toys + art + sustainability… it’s the perfect threesome!
Toy drop off is currently only available for our LA location. We are only accepting toys that have been cleaned and placed in a clear bag. Simply bring your bag of toys into our LA store and ask to drop them in our recycling bin.
Help us make a positive impact on the industry by encouraging manufacturers to incorporate recycling procedures and make our sex toys more eco-friendly!